The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-12-07

=: sss..s :. .ylll
mo. ssh; tAsy his % svine away. xsss
IL ID getting too hot Tor dem. md there ant
nobody around"
And pray, to whom do you belonsr",, I
asked. Then ]. really notiosd hia MULE
pearl Of mules, an AndAlusiAn mule, dapple
gray. with big, lustrous antelope legs and
dainty Feet. .'
The boy saw my sdmirinR eyes, when he
at once said: "Gor.a.massy, You isn't gwine
to lake this yer mule?"
ITO whom do you belong? I inquired.
Don't b'lonR hea at ill. p-country
Niger. just drifted down sa' dis way"
"Dont lie TO mo, oy. Don't pretend to
fool me, or will have to find out the way
to make you talk sense.
IL. Ise took up with Nas'r PEBBLES for .
while. This hea' mule isn't his'n. He
don't have nOthin'.. We'se hall. starved, We
is. sq,-
His excess Of zeal ruined his care.
sternly babe him show the way to PEBBLES
house. and he reluctantly kept slongside of
me.
"You isn't jedge Of Mules" said he.
NO" said I, never owned one"
This hea' one is glandered, and that
hiere cussed that he aint with 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 wnd ing path aud evidently was trying to
! lead me off. l had no time to waste.
'Dismount, you rascal" I said suddenly,
and follow on foot. Give me that mules
halter.' He did go, sliding of all in a
heap.
I held the mule loose by his halter, who,
| following his instincts, ut once Turned shan,
round and in five minutes saw the Pee.
bles mansion. 1t was an Indifferent struc-
ture, but the barn gave some hopes. A
well-fod mule was proof sure in those days
OF abundant corn s0me where.
| NY coming fortunately, had not been
anticipated, for tho ground was so vet that
tho chatter OF our animals had rot been
heard. Take me to the barn, I said,
and now, boy, no nonsense. I have 81
men within call" I tied up the mule, and
bidding the boy go with me. went straight
to the house. "You stay with me, and
don't il you value your ears, 60 back to that
barn, and with the boy on my right hand
\ O1VcS otllA UVU1SoU, \ IVU0 up 70 tQG
PEBBLES house. At once the front door
opened on a crack, md simultaneously an
upper window. From my position looking
down could see u shot. gun leaning on
lot Of hoe handles.
II want to buy some corn aud bacon; 1
am prepared to pay for it, MIR. PEBBLES, )"
said.
"AiD't got none, and confed. money ain't
no use ANYHOW, was the reDly.
Then a sharp voice from the window
said: "Skat man alive! This amt no time
to 90 dickerin' around for corn and SIGH,
Skat mani 5
will specie buy your corn?" said.
at mought, stiueaked the voice from
the window, 1T would be - in silver a
bushel; right down. and you to tote it.
allow much can your mule carry?"
ave amt got u aule. ~. 90,
What is tie use of lying, Mrs. PEBBLES;
VOL, have line mule. He will carry easily
~ 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 place
designate, where you will be paid.n
should have paid her in confederate money
at $500 q bushel, for, saving silver quar-
ter, n pocket piece, had seen no silver MOI
gold for three long wears.
1
money down OH the nail. Bartholomew
shet that door,"
Then determined to steal that mule.
was mad q J1tgh TO have proceeded to forcs
but-wl was the use? could not hamper
lF150 with corn. He had enough to do to car.
ry me some sixteen miles back 0glin,
must lave feed for my horse, any,
how" Isaid, looking askance at the man
and i will pay for it with silver quar-
ter"
Tue window opened, and shrill voic.
said: Let the botheripg man haveit, Bar.
tholomew, and try the quarter first atwix
yonf teeth, and pass it up to me arterward.
The colored boy, who had been loungina
near, was Instructed by the woman to bring
me 20 ears of corn and not another one
We amt got none in the barn, and whal
little nubbins we has We keeps in til.
house." said Mrs. PEBBLES.
; The cars of corn were thrown on til,
ground, the q'laltcr paid, and Joe at once
ate them all up.
You are not very hosritable or 70,
would give mo Y bite of something said I
"wc amt in the giving line isst now
vittles is scarcer than the hens teeth, CT
about your business"
you area skiniliht," snid, enrsued
and have agreat mind to como in AM
help myself.
Bartholomew" said the voice.
III he dares to bulge an inch it will bt
the last of him." and I went in the door
and taking up along, old-fashioned, single.
Larreled ducking gun, l nncapped it, ant
broke the lock across fallen iron dog.
"Cyrus!" shrioked the woman, and the
boy made dodge up stairs, but I grahbe d
him. He might give the alarm, for there
was Federal outpost within mile or two
Cyrus was subdued at once.
Now" said TO the boy. scome with mo
can't afford to let you run loose this way
anl going TO tie you up. wont hur
you. :
"'Fore God, AIas'r, the mule amt wo-tt
nothin' ] had to hold him tight, an6
with JOS bride in one hand and Cyrus'l
head under my arm marched TO the stu
N
The objective point WIS the mule. With
that mule saw unlimited corn and provis.
lons for my men. Get that lovely animal
IL Or near my quarters aud it is. worth
bushels of corn. stacks Of bacon and Lash.
lngs Of tobacco, ! had only to forward that
mule ~ miles north Of us, and there was
abundance III the future, for NO Copfeler-
ate coMmlssary ever gave Us q thought.
tied Cyrus by the arms and legs to tho beam
OF IN Old cotton press, and said:"I have
surrounded this place. Ny men are as
thick around as bees. If youopen your mouth
before nightfall you are u goner. You amt
bad boy. and keep on being goud. +" Their
! unhitched that mule and wen, off will:
MN, mud rode lar into tho night. lie was
an able mule, not a bit contrary, and con-
scented to be led like lamb. He even
showed speed, keeping we'll up with 10.
II could not take him to our hummock,
put az midnight tied Kim securely toa blazed
tree. as well known to us in the swamp
as st. Michael's church.
An hour or two afterward was on the
4lmmock. My adventures were soon told;
had mule. The use Of that lovely mule
! explained. At once G. r. a man from
Aiken, wills ordered by me to take his horse.
go to the mule, carry it to-, who would
advance corn aud meat for us, and the nan
was to iind team and land our stores for
us. We could hold out 4S hours more. He
was to be sure to bring tobacco, some pipes,
aud book or two, and above all some aui.
| nine, j leHrrihe1 ox ,ct11, %ko ,,1ooo ,,,VsD~o