The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-04-13
HOW A MULE WAS STOLEN.
A Rebel soldiers Theft I'm the south
Carolina swamps.
An Animal No sooner Obtained than Lost--A
Troopers Experiences In War Time-Mr.
PeebIcs's Caution and Avarice-A Sick
Negro Woman and an Idiotic Boy.

II must be Archibald Forbes who In tn
last No. Of Biacktoood writes In such cari
tai style "The Adventures OF q War Cor
respondcnt.v In most Straightforward
way he tells that ut one time his.pcrcep
lions OF ,nctf,n and tuum were quite vague
and how under the influence OF this mora
obliquity he lifted French horse or tive
and double set OF harness. When wal
correspondent IN the pursuit Of his voca
ton lays hands on what does not belong Il
him. then the interests OF his publisher
his Journal, and the tens OF thousands o.
readers are OF course paramount to any
considerations OF conscience. May not
then, the peecadillo Of the regular militant
be forgiven
once stole mule. have tried several
times and again since this rapt OF the mule
10 convince myself that did II because
wanted to harry the enemy, but after-cOn'
siderations force me 10 believe that stole
that mule because II was the most tempting
mule ever saw, for fell in love with il
at sight. Some very honest and pious men
rcvcrcd for their good works, have told
us that all their lives have been one
struggle against temptation. Jean Jacques
had all the elements OF low thief, and
did not restrain this penchant. | knew
a literary man, since passed away, oil
excellent standing, who has told me Of his
eccentricitics. His desire TO purloin small
things was an irresistible impulse. He
would crib your favorite pen-holder, your
paper-knife, even your ragged bit OF a
blotter, and would scheme for their posses
sion sometimes for weeks, like head
hunter. Once these tri0es obtained, after
using them for awhile he would return
them, and coniessing with contrtion the
theft. would tell you "he could not help
IT." and would then instruct you to look
out for your pocket-knife, for he was going
to appropriate it. never had any decided
symptoms Of kleptomania before the day
when | saw that mule. never prigged q
handkerchief nor an umbrella. Once,
when very small child, i purloined a
tiny brass cannon. After | had stolen it
buried IL in n garden, and the conscious
ness of my guilt prevented my going near
a sertain flower-bed forever. Like Eugene
Aram's victim
Though he's buried In a cave
And trodden down with stones,
And years have rOttcd off his hesh
The world shall see his bones"
that cannon, not baby's finger long, am
quite positive, never was converted into
verdigris, but remains in the hole | buried
it In, as bright and shiny as ever, as last
ing record OF my crime. In older life that
cannon has often sounded its alarum, but
Us to that mule, somehow or other, | am
perfectly calous about il. / was on the
wrong side in the civil war. and to-
ward the close OF the contest com
manded scouting party in South Caro-
lima, whose business was TO collect
information, keep up communications,
and in an incidental way to bother all
1t could the outposts OF a Federal corps.
or course. the colonel, who commanded a
regiment OF United States cavalry, under
stood his business thoroughly, and, always
on the aggressive. generally took the initia-
tive. 1t is wonderful TO think, however,
what solid amount OF annoyance small
body OF men can inlict, provided they are
well mounted and know the country; and
as to the horses OF our little body, they
were all excellent.
Dear 10. He was as black as q silk hat.
When bought him for a song, with bad
ripping shot wound i'm his flank, he had
been given over TO die. But a fortunate
halt and good care brought him round.
He had all the advantages of thorough
education acquired in the ranks, for,
though but six years old, half his life had
been spent in camp. Such accomplish
ments were special. ImprimiS, was his
care OF No. /. How often have / seen
10, when turned loose with fifty
other horses in q plantation yard-a
single manger containing only corn
enough for ten-how he would take his
share. and the lions share at that. Ii fair
means did not insure him his bellyful he
employed foul. He would side into Che
mob, quietly at first. elbowing his way, as
il were, until he sighted the feed. Then,
from the meek manner OF an humble So
licitor he would at once assume the mien
OF hippo fiend. His lips would curl, his
ears would be glued TO the back OF his
head. and with plunging fore feet and fly
ing bind ones, he would drive right
through the ruck and secure his place at
the manger. Other horses might Starve,
while 10 always kept in prime order. He
was not good-natured horse to most men.
and brutal with his own kind. His bad
temper undoubtedly arose from some
thoroughbred cross, which was per-
ceptble in his clever, spare head and his
lustv shoulders. He was rs near as posi-
BILE i'm build TO an English hunter. with the
same endurance and intelligence. Catch
10 throwing himself with his halter! The
cleverest horse will get snarled sometimes
with lariat. | have seen 10 tangled up
like an eel-line; then he never showed inn
patience nor pulled nor ierked. He worked
at knot as methodically as would clever
child at n cats cradle. Believe it or not,
saw 10 once, after working patiently for
twenty minutes on a bad snar in his halter,
deliberately pull up the tent-pin with his
teeth and so free himself After that
always had to bury his hitching iron.
must say that knew my business, and
was always a" saving" my horse. | ecOno-
mized him for special bursts OF speed,
which more than once saved my neck. He
was only fair, not good, walker, and TO
look st him Jogging along you never could
think that there was anything Of the mare
Swallow about him. l rode q heavy
Observation-Disclosures and all 200 pounds.
Still. the enduring qualities OF the man are
greater than those OF the horse, for have
ridden 10 TO stand-still, and felt myself
little the worse for 1t, aud that was on q
thirty-three-hour ride, night and day. with
only two feeds for 10, which he carried,
while his rider had three small bits OF
corn-bread, but endless smokmg-to-
bacco. remember once when, coming off
long scout OF twenty-six hours. where
had played the dsagreeable role Of a human
COX, having had for four hours hot and
close after me a pack OF eager hounds,
joined my division. just as | had turned
in my report--an important one-to head
quarters, an attack was threatening. An
idiotic lieutenant, seeing me dismounted,
ordered me on picket-duty. lie would
listen TO no explanation. ~ am so fa-
tigued,V / said, "that il the enemy were to
come now | should fall asleep on post.
can't fight against nature" "You know
the penalty--death for sleeping on post"
he said.
was hot-headed In those DAYS and irri-