The National tribune., 1886-03-25

be glad of it. These stationed themselves at
convenient points to yell at the mules, this
department of especial usefulness being still
unoccupied.
Are you ready? Now altogethcr-GH!"
shouted the WagOnmaster.
Company q, one man, set up q wild, un-
earthly yell and braced themselves for the tug.
Like fusillade of pistOl-shots the teamster
cracked his whip as he touched mp alternately
the leaders" " and Swings" at the same time
plunging his long spurs into the reeking sides
of the saddle wheeler" while from somewhere
in his interior there came forth a series of
piercing whoops that would have done
credit to a Comanche warrior The Captain Of
the company pranced up and down the hill,
cleaving the air with his sword and fairly
screaming to the men to remember their suffer-
ing country. He confdentially informed the
First Lieutenant that if he should accidentally
get in range of mules heels during the en-
gagement, he wanted to be wrapped in the old
flag and buried where he fell.
1t would have been strange if such a union
of vocal and muscular forces did not yield i'm
mediate results. The wagon went up that hill
almost as quickly as if il had been shot out of a
mortar. When the summit was reached and
the laurels of victory, as it were, crowned the
pcrspiring brow of Company Q, there went up
one tremendous shout of triumph.
"Now for the next one!n said the Wagon
'em all up in jest no time"
The boys hadn't thought of the dozen wagons
to be pulled up and their hearts sank within
them at the prospect. But in an hour or so
the job was done. The rope was fastened to
each wagon successivey, and was "yanked
up by the tugging and yelling process already
described. The teams had however an Obyi
Gus advantage over the, men. Each of them
had to pull up but once, while the men had to
apply their energies dozen times ST klegg
noticed this odi0us discrimination, and it led
him to remark to Shorty that on the whole he
believed he'd rather be mule than soldier
Once the experiments Of doubling teams was
tried, and II mules were strung out ahead of
the wagon. But they proved unmanageable,
plunging and kicking and tying themselves
into n knot that it required the combined in
genuity of half dozen talented tcamsters to
straighten out.
BY the time the last wagon was at the top
the men were thoroughly "tuckered out, as
they expressed it. The day was warm and
perspiratiOn streamed from every pore. But
there had already been so much delay that
there was 10 time to he lost. Singing their
loads upon their aching backs they started on.
1t was not long till the road led down the
other side of the ridge The descent was so steep
that it was not considered safe to trust to the
brakes, and the former operation was reversed
The rope was fastened to the rear Of each wagon,
of retarding its speed. They went dragging,
slipping and skating along on their gambrels
rs the wagon pulled them to the bottom. 1t
was, if possible worse than the getting-up pro-
cess.
dire calamity befell the Colonel's wagon.
Near the foot Of the hill one forward wheel
went into rut and the other struck stone,
and the effect was instantaneous. The wagon
toppledfor an instant, balancing on two wheels,
and then before aid could reach it, went over
with mighty crash. The cover and bows
were dashed away like straws, and there was a
general spill of the load. The Colonel's mess
chest and sundry bags and boxes containing his
table supplies were broken open and their
tempting contents exposed to the gloating eyes
of the soldiers. There were cans of preserved
fruit. and vegetables, and pickles, and Holsters,
the sight of which drove the boys half crazy.
There were also some dark looking bottles, but
what was contained therein is not known to
the chroncler.
1t was not in human power 10 withstand such
n temptation. We hope, and believe, that the
recording angel turned away his face and put