Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-10-22
Weigh Mule.

The Union and Confederate armies
were encamped some little distance
apart, divided by q strip of timber.
The weather was inclement, the atmos-
phere chilly, and fuel was necessary to
preserve comfort. 1t was agreed, there
fore, that each army should, unmolest-
ed, cut wood and haul it to camp from
this strip of timber. The Yanks and
Johnnies detailed for this duty would
meet in the forest, and selecting tree,
standing straight as flagstaff, would
make this agreement: Said Yank:
Johnny, you chop on your side of the
tree and l will on mine, and if the tree
falls toward your camp it's yours; and
if toward our camp it's mine"
The bargain was made and the blue
and the gray whacked away. Now, us
Yankees always had an idea that if one
wanted to force tree in any direction,
he could do so to some extent, by cut
ting the kerr little lower down on the
side which he desired to have the tree
fall. Well, Johnny would strike in,
and Yank, true to his nature, would
cut little lower and, if possible, get
his half dnns FIRST. The result was
that the tree generally fell toward the
Union camp and the discounted reb
would have to cut another tree all
alone.
After the wood was cut mule teams
were employed to haul it into camp.
The roads were not the smoothest or
best in the world, and sometimes old
logs and small timber lay across the
same. One day the Yanks heard q
terrible commotion in front of their
picket line, and presently they saw a
baggage-wagon and mule team ap-
proach at fearful speed, bounding
over logs and careening first to one
side and then to the other, while
Johnny gray sat on the nigh mule,
shouting at the top of his voice, "Yeigh,
mule! Weigh, mule!" and constantly
jerking the rein with that quick pull
which the army mule so we'll knew
meant to go ahead. Our men promptly
commanded "Haltl" Still the mule kept
right on, Johnny shouting "Clear the
way; I can't stop; these cussed brutes
bound they dashed through our line
and sped away toward camp. Arriving
in camp, with one long, steady pull on
the rein, the Confederate driver shout
ed "Yeigh, mule; whoap and the team
stopped. The driver then inquired for
the Generals headquarters, and was
Immediately escorted thereto with his
team and small load of wood.
"How came you here?" asked Gen.
NJ, with that mule team and load of
wood"
WELL" said Johnny, II was out in
the timber after wood for our camp;
had my load partly on, and there not
being any one close at hand to watch,
the COMPOUNDED mules took it into their
heads to run away from the Confeder-
ate service and join the Union. I
couldn't stop them until they fetched
up here; and being as I'm here with
the wood / thought 1 would haul it
down for your use."
"Do you wish to return to your
campp asked the General, "and take
your team with you. If so will detail
an escort to conduct you safely outside
our lines again.
"Being as I'm here now, Mr.. General,
/ guess I'll not trouble you for an es-
cort. 1 think I'll try it this side of the
line for while, if you have no objec-
tion," said the Johnny.
"Ol no, sir not in the least" replied
the General, "ahd if you so desire we
will allow you a certain sum for your
team, harness, and wagon"
Agreed" said Johnny, and the
team was turned over to the Quarter
master, the gray received his check
and skipped North, seeming quite sat
isfied to shake the dust of rebellion
from his feet. At the proper Office he
presented the check and received the
cash which gave him start in Yankee
land, and never again did we hear his
voice crying, "Yeigh, matle"-RiUer-
side Enterprise.