The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-04-13

bushels OF corn and bundles OF forage-tne
dried stalks and leaves OF the Indian corn
and there were fifty pounds OF NANCY
bacon. Here was sweet business. we
were in trap with hardly food enough for
the animals Tor three days. the enemy
skirting the swamp, knowing we were In,
and waiting for us to go out. There was a
place OF egress, bad enough when the
waters were low, and barely passable
when the food had get in. Our instruc.
tions were very positive. We were TO hold
the ground and keep up communications
until the very last, and General w. allowed
no Sinking OF duty.
We stayed in that hummock two days
outstanding our resources, my greatest
worry being about the horses. The condi-
ton became so distressing that made up
my mind that corn must be had. Eight
miles ahead OF us was what was known rs
the border or dcbatable land, which skirted
the Federal lines. We had friends there,
so we believed, though with the advance
OF the United States troops from Charleston
they might have left. What we were
well aware OF was that there were several
families there who were quite lukewarm In
the Confederate cause. i could not trust
any OF my men, as, having been recruited
there, they would be known. IL was a
desperate venture. either had to get food
or decamp. | started out with 10 In the
gray OF the morning, swan half-dozen
water-courscs, took the exit to the swamp,
then had 10 retrace my line OF direction,
edging the sloughs until j neared Goose
creek. Eight miles further on hoped to
find my base Of supplies.
II was deserted country, burned and
blistered by the war. All human industry
seemed to have come to stand-still. I'm
der the pine trees remained the troughs to
catch the sap, and they had not been
touched for year. 1t was desoiation and
drearincss. / was wet to the skin and
hungry, and 10 seemed to be wanting in
vvacity. i invariably relied ON 10 for in
formation as to the presence OF any one,
for IL he wiuded any human being his ears
told il me. 10 worked his ears, and ! was
on the alert, and rising in my stirrups, at
once made out colored boy mounted on a
handsome mule making a cut across n
struggle OF brush. | halted him at once
and questioned him.
"Docs so-and-so live about here?"
asked.
"No, sab they hab all gwine away.
Kase it is Citing too hot for dem, and there
amt nobody around"
"And, pray. to whom do you belong?"
asked Then / really noticed his mule
pearl OF mules, an Andalusian mule,
dapple-gray, with big, lustrous eyes, tow
ering ears, round and full IN body, with
antelope legs and dainty feet.
The boy saw my admiring eyes, when he
at once said: "Gor-a-massy, you isn't
ewine 20 take this yer mule?"
"To whom do you belOng?" l in
quired.
"Don't b'long hea' at all. Up-country
niger. just drifted down hea' dis away"
'Don't lie to me, boy. Don't pretend
to fool me, or / will have to find out the
way to make you talk sense"
'1Done tell you for true, Mas'r all about
it. Pse took up with Mas'r PEBBLES for q
while. This hea' mule isn't his'n. He
don't have nothing, nor corn, nor long
fodder, nor meat, nor nOthin'. We'se half
starved, we is"
His excess of zeal ruined his case.
sternly babe him show the way TO Peebles's
house, and he reluctantly kept alongside Of
me.
"You isn't ledge Of mules" said he.
"No," said | /; "never owned one"
"This hea' one is glandered, and that
there cussed that he amt wuth his feed.
Don't you never, Mas'r, have nothin' to do
with mules. They isn't lucky TO them that
owns dappel mules" The boy was taking
a winding path, and evidently was trying
TO lead me off. / had no time to waste.
Dismount, you rascal" | said suddenly,
"and follow on foot. Give me that mules
halter.v He did so, sliding off all in a
heap.
/ held the mule loose by his halter, who,
following his instincts, at once turned sharp
round, and in five minutes | saw the Pee
blcs mansion. IL was IN Indifferent struc-
ture, but the barn gave some hopes. A
well-fed mule was proof sure in those days
of abundant corn somewhere.
My coming, fortunately, had not been
anticipated, for the ground was so wet that
the clatter OF our animals had not been
heard. "Take me to the barn. | said,
"and now, my boy, no nonsense. have fifty
men within call" | tied up the mule, and
bidding the boy go with me. went straight
to the house. "You stay with me, and
don't, If you value your ears, 80 back TO
that barn." and, with the boy on my right
hand side, still mounted, rode up to the
PEBBLES house. At once the front door
was opened on a crack, and simultaneously
an upper window. From my position
looking down / could see shotgun lean
ing on lot OF hOe-handles.
81 want 10 buy some corn and bacon;
! am prepared TO pay for it, Mr.. PeebleS,"
| said.
CANT got none, and Confed. money
amt no use, anyhow" was the reply.
+ Then a sharp voice from the window
said "Skat man alIvel This amt no time
to 90 dickerin' around for corn and sich.
Skat man
"Will specie buy your corn 2" | said.
cit mought," squeaked the voice from
the window. at would be & in silver a
bushel; right down, and you to tote it,"
GLOW much can your mule carry:"
"We amt got no mule"
"What is the Use of lying, Mrs. Pee
bles; you have fine mule. He will carry
easily ten bushels Of corn. / will buy that
much corn, and you will have to load it
for me, and the boy will lead the mule to q
place designate, where you will be paid"
/ should have paid her in Confederate
money at $500 bushel, for, saving silver
quarter, a pocket-piece, | had seen no sill
yer nor gold for three long years.
II amt one of them kind. No, sir.
It's money down on the nail. Bartholo-
new, shet that door,"
Then determined to steal that mule. |
was mad enough TO have proceeded to
force, but what was the use? | could not
hamper 10 with corn. He had enough to
do to carry me some fifteen miles back
again.
81 must have feed for my horse, any
how" | said, looking askance at the man,
sand l will pay for it with silver quar-
ter"
The window opened, and shrill voice
said: "Let the bothering man have it, Bar
tholomew. and try the quarter first atwixt
your teeth, and pass it up to me after