The Red Cloud chief., 1882-04-27
4 tontraban,i Mule.

Z" Andy. l"t'~ 20 a-~u INNING"
We'll. Harry. | don't know about
that III Elc {" take a good plume.
bat. l"u -,". there's picliiug huw soon
"" MAY HiuNc.
IL WA the afternoon Of Tuesday. Jun.
II. 1851. We had hcrn marching and
lighting almost c~uutluuall, for five
weeks and more. from the Wilderness
10 ~Poit~l l'auia. over III" North Anna.
IN al Gold l~!ar"ur. arro>~ the Pamunky
and over the cui,hahumiN 10 the bank,
al the .IImr- kRrr. about 4 mile and a
hall from which We W.Is. now kin~,
al"u" "a dust, road. We were sun
burned. covered with dust. and general
IL used up. :" that 4 swim in the river
would Zee u rrirc>Ilm"nt indeed.
Having learned from one of the ofli-
GERS that the intention evidently was to
remain where Ne then were until the
entire corps should come NJ. and that
"" should probably cross the river at
or somewhere near that point, we re-
solved la risk il.
So. over a c"rn-iirld We started nj :
good pace. We had not gone far when
"" discovered a mule tirdup ina clump
Of bushes. with a rnp" around his neck.
Aud this Ion" cared animal. somewhat
gothic in his style of architecture.
We decided. after = solemn council of
war. la declare ~Couirahaud. and forth
with We impressed him int" service. in-
tending 10 return HIM. after "ur bath.
ou our WAY back - camp. iutyiug
Eucrphalu> from the bush. we mount
ed. ANDY in front and | on behind. each
armed with a switch. and we rode aluny
TaNly enough. with our feet dangling
among the Cnrn-~tIlk~.
For a while all went well. We fen
t" talking about tn" direction We had
come NICE leaving The Pamunky: and
tudN. who WAS USUALLY such an author
ity on matters geographical and a>tro-
nomIcal that on the march he was
known in the company A. the com
pass. confessed L. M ~ Ne rode on
that he himself had been somewhat
turned about. III that march over the
thj,Aahom!ny swamp
And AZ for me" said |. Il think
this l. the awlUllc>t country 20 get
turned about in that | ever did see.
" hy. Andy. while We were living over
there in the road il seemed 10 me iha;
the sun WAS going down in the east.
Fact, But when | took my cantccp and
went over a little ridge Ia the rear Ia
look for water for coffee. | found. on
looking up. that on that side Of the
ridge the sun was all right. Yet when
| got back ~ the road and looked
around. Judge of my surprise when |
found the whole thing had somehow
swung around again. and the sun WAS
going down in the east"
Whoa dar' Whoa dar. Whar ven
gwine Wild dat are mule u mine? Whoa,
Pete"
The mule stopped stock-still "a we
caught sight Of the black head and face
Of a darkcy boy pcerinC forth from the
door of 4 tobacco house that We were
passing. Possibly he Was the owner of
the whole plantation now. and the mule
Pete might hc his only livestock.
Where are We going. Pompcy:
Why. were going on IL Richmond"
"on ter Richmon'. An wild dat daI
mule q mine. | 'clar 10 goodness.
>ndger>. cant Git along widoui dat mule.
better git oil dat Gar mule
w Whip him up. Andy shouted l..
Come up. B~ucephalus." shouted
Andy.
And We both laid on RICH; lu>,ilv.
But y an inch would thai miserable
mule bulge from the position he had
taken on hearing the darkey'S voice.
until all Of a sudden. II if a mine had
been sprung under Il feet. there WAS
such a striking out of heels and such an
uncomfortable elevation in the rear. the
of which was only increased by
increased cuiycling, that al la>t. with /
an enormous spring. Andy and l were
sent flying of into the corn.
vi. vi. Vi. Didn't | say better gi:
of n dat dar mule q mine? u. Vi, VIZ
Laughing Is heartily as the darkey a.
our miSadyenture. We felt that it would
be safer 10 make for the river afoot.
We had 4 glorious plunge in the waters
Of the James. and returned TO the regi-
ment Al sunset. greatly refreshed
Harry ". hteftr. az 81, IIGis!aS,