New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-26
"BUSTED."
BY FRED. W. tORIfG.

We were sitting around the camp fir,
after an unusually severe march, and Mr.
English, as usual, was expanding into flow
cry language, to the mingled disgust an(
admiration of his comrades. No point Of
difference, however, had as yet arisen, anG
I began to wonder whether the fatigue Of
the day would prevent the evenings Gus
tomary discussion. Mr.. English, however
solved my doubt and precipitated argument
by a remark about "that faithful but eccen
trio animal, the mule" This raised cho
rus of remonstrances from the packers, who
had been sorely tempted that day by mule
eccentricities.
"Well." said Mr. English. IL stick to nv
point The mule is faithful 1t you treat
him we'll, he will treat you we'll. And az
for knowingness, why, he's got more know
angness than many in this here crowd"
yes, he has knowingness," said John
Courts, the chief packer; "but he has got
ugliness. too, bain't he, English. just
answer that, English"
II will answer it, said Mr.. English.
Didn't you never know men that had
Ugliness 2"
But mule amt man." said John
Courts. sand rules which applies to one
disregards the other. A mule amt man,
and amt of as much use as a man."
"Ain't he 7" said Mr.. English. "Suppos-
ing you was starving, which had you rather
eat, mule or man Z!
'Why, mule" reluctantly admitted
John Courts.
Then don't tell me- said Mr.. English,
decisively, that mule amt of no more
use than man"
This piece OF logic being apparently un-
answerable, a brief silence ensued, after
which Mr.. English continued:
But the mule, as | before remarked. is
truly faithful. knowed mule once that
belonged to Joe Childers. You remember
Joe Childers, that come up here from Tue
son, MARVEL"
MARVEL, a stout, swarthy Mexican, ad.
mitted that he did remember Joe Childers.
"Well," said Mr.. English, Joe Childers
was murdered over by the sink of the Amar-
gosa, and if it hadn't been for the fidelity of
his mule his murderers wouldn't never have
been known. When first knew Joe Chill
ders. he was up in Tuolomne neighborhood,
nigh on to fifteen years ago. He was
mighty thick with two Mexicans-Manwel
and Warn was their names. Warn never
amounted to much. but MARVEL was the
leader of the two and he was low feller.
He kept bar there for us boys, and one
night he was a-sitting there, when up came
a teller on horseback, leading bronco
mule.
(Which one of you gentlemen is Joe
Childers? 2 he asked.
"'That's me- says Joe, rather surprised
al have brought you letter from your
late partner, Tom Egan,' says this fellow,
who, being low-spirited, through recent
bad luck, Jest shot himself.
"Well, this news ketched Joe mighty
sudden, for he was very atfectionate man
and sot great deal by his partners. But
pretty soon after the messenger had rode
away he read his partners last letter to us
fellows. 1t went like this:
"'DEAR JOEL am busted. This mule is
all that I've got left, and l send him to you
and faithful partner. TOM EGAN'
And there stood the mule. 1t was one |
of them little, Notwithstanding runts that |
are so tough that nothing can't wear them |
out 1t looked SO ridiculous, as it stood |
there, that us fellows broke out into laugh. |
just let up on that said Joe. This |
animal was the last gift of my late partner.
and I'm bound to have it respected
What'll you call it. joe said one.
well. that set the boys to talking. Some
was for General Scott, and some for Jenny
lind, and one fool suggested Columbia,
Ehlch want at all appropriate; but Joe cut
hem all short.
"'Gent'emen.' says he. 'thi. bronco is
nine. and l expect to have the naming of
t. This being so. shall call il Busted. in
memory of the financial condition of my
ate partner at the time Of his death. And
low let's 20 into Manwels and drink
Susted's health
well. sir, it was Jus: astonisiin. to see
ow attached he grew to that bronco. He
ever spoke cross to him and never seemed
D get mad; and tina. mule. though he had
ONE low ways about him, set great deal |
Y Joe. But the Others didn't like him
luch, and MARVEL especially was very
own on Linn. And suppose Busted was
ne cause OF the quarrel between him and |
oe, if the truth was only known: for one !
ay MARVEL was feeling pretty ugly about
and Busted was standing there
front of his store. and he began to swear
him in Spanish But, though it was in
parish, it made Joe alfred mad.
"'Just look here, Maxwell said he, none /.
your swearing at Busted. won't have !
"Well, MARVEL got his back Up at that.
Id drew d knife on Joe: but Joe was too :
lick for him, and he did just give him the
ost wellheeled old thrashing that you 2
er see. After this MARVEL was mighty
but distrusted him. The Mexi.
Ms. with all their cara oinJ and caramber. Il
9. are nothing to be frightened Of if you u
Get them boldly; but they are treacherous o
can be. and If they can hurt on the sly Z
ey will. Well. Joe and I. we determined t.
60 out over the Amargosa way prospect. &
:. AZ was d WIG goose chase anyway, u
d we knew it: but still we went. How Il
suffered! We got into q canon. and | c.
mo to place where there was first a | 81
,ep wall OF rock tweL.y feet high, We It
d our animals down. ! had horse and ze
e had Busted. and there we was. We al
MT along little further and came TO an. ! 4,
er precipice 200 feet high. Well, of hi
lrse, we couldn't do nothing with that. he
| so we just back and climbed I'D again, | pa
jook US day to get over the mountain. 10
then we came down into another canon. vi
ID and shale on every side. Our can. kr
1s had given out and we had no water, Pa
D hours after, while we were next to So
1g with thirst, our tongues swollen SO N.
/ we could hardly speak, my horse I'M
out, and there we were. Night was st;
ing on, and We were just played out. on
English says Joe, we must take a tn
You and l can take a sleep of an ih
:, and then, perhaps, we can get little ia
her, Busted will hold out for some ia
g yet IN
md Busted did You could see that he pa:
wanting water dreadfully; but he asl
t seem wore out none, and just kept tne
ing slowly and slowly along, in a way ms
was Just ridiculous and nothing else. nm
we tied him to tree, and then Joe luil
slept. In little while after 1 shut wa
wee. as it seemed to me, though it must MN ~
been ell of two hours, woke up, with we
.hing shaking me like mad. 1t was as
I cok here said he, English, we're