The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-29
thousand yards ahead, commotio1

thousand yards ahead, a commotion
among the wagons.
In their narration something Is to be
allowed for the exaggerated form of ex-
preston in vogue on the plains in that
day, and which is even yet not wholly
extinct. 1t is certain that the mnle went
very fast, and in the race to the train
badly beat the two good horses which
had long start.
The pursuing Indians never got nearer
the mule than when he started, and were
quickly left far behind. They were not
numerous enough to attack the train, and
stopped we'll out of rife range. Those
who watched from the wagons said that
the redskins had followed Frank but a
short distance, when they stopped and
sat motionless in amazement, watching
his mules performance. They gathered
in circle and remained long time pow
wowing over the prodigy which had
manifestly impressed them as "big medl-
cine"
Frank tried to rein in his mule
near the wagons, but could not. Fear
ing, he afterward said, that the mule in
tended to keep straight on to Salt Lake
City, and meant to get there that night,
he, as a last resort, pulled him into one
of the teams "head on" and Birthstone
came to q full stop in a tangle of
mules.
Frank kept on dozen or fifteen yards
farther, sailing, like frog to water, over
the wagon mules and describing a para
bola which met the prairie with thump,
a ricochet and roll. He got up, shook
himself, reached behind to make sure his
revolver had not been thrown out, and
walked back to his mule as coolly as If
that were his ordinary way of dismount-
ing.
When Birthstone was finally extricated,
the inspiring cause of his Jealous run was
fully revealed. Sticking from his hind
quarters was the long shaft and feathers
of an arrow, the head of which was i'm
bedded some three inches in the flesh.
have to say that the mule got no SYM
pathy; on the contrary, his plight was
looked on by all hands with unconcealed
satisfaction. His past conduct had not
endeared him to the "outft."
The question of getting out the arrow
head was not easily met. For, while there
were plenty of advisers in the matter,
there was no one so little in love with life
as to offer to operate surgically in the VI
cinity of those Gghtsome heels. The
operation was heroic one, as the blood
had softened and loosened the deer slnew
that fastened the shaft to the barbed arrow
head so that they came apart at the first
pull, leaving the latter in the. wound.
However, as it needed to be done, Pete
Ouray and Frank set to work with ex-
treme care, their instruments consisting
of a sharp knife and a pair of pincers.
To the astonishment of all, Birthstone re-
mained as quiet as lamb. A cut was
made, wide and deep enough to allow the
arrow head to be caught with the pincers
and pulled out. The mule WINGED under
the steel but did not kick.
The wound soon healed-there was, in
fact, no loss of Brimstone's valuable ser
vices. He was rather sensitive to ap-
proach for time, but & remarkable effect
of the wound appeared in his disposition.
Strange to say, this effect was favorable
one. From that date on he was differ
ent and better mule. 1t is not to be
wondered at three inches of arrow in his
haunch should have wrought painfully on
his feelings, and for time reversed his
usual habit of thought; but the gratify-
ing fact remained that the change was
marked and permanent.-YoutRs CON-
nnnnaina,