Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-20
A TEXAS MULLIGAN.

BY the Author of Convict Bob.
For the Gazette
| Because of the vast area Of the Lone
| Star State, and the multitude of crimi-
mails that infest its territory, large
number of men find employment in or
about the penitentlaries proper on the
| outside forces that operate farms, wood
and coal camps in different parts of the
| state. Much OF the convict labor is
| utilized in railroad work, and to guard
| all these criminals requires small army
| of men who are distinctly class by
| themselves STYLED by common consent in
| this, as in other states, "Mulligans. ~
| From the fact that q certain amount of
| danger is attendant upon :he exercise of
their duty, there is that fascination at
tached to 1t that attracts many to I'LL the
| ranks of those that fall out of line either
of their own free will, the Will of their
sergeant, or lose their life in the breaks
| that naturally must occur i'll the convict
| business.
For such a life with lis element of
| danger, its independence and its S25 per
| month, yearned the spirit of the hero of
my sketch-John Wesley Brakeway.
| The tame and mouotonous life of
FARMER WAS uusulleu 10 MS dUNeuluTOu5
| and heroic nature, and he longed to eX-
| change the whip of the plowboy for the
| shot gun of the Mulligan. Hitherto pa
rental authority and maternal solicitude
had withheld him from fulfilling his
| hearts desire, but on the bright and
particular day of which 1 write, nothing
interposed between him and his cherished
hope. The eventful day had arrived
when his own will must be consulted,
and foolish qualms OF tender hearted
mother, and selfish wishes of stern father
could be safely ignored, for the rubicon
had been crossed-the rising of
the sun on this bright November
morning had proclaimed to the world
that one more legal voter was added to
the list going to swell Hogg's majority.
John Wesley Brakeway was a man!
So we find him trudging along the road
that led from the little town of k
to the convict camp some two miles dis
tant. He had chosen this place for the
scene Of his debut as a Ii ulligan. be-
cause of its proximity to his fathers
farm, for our hero was discreet with all
his heroism, and believed in the maxim
that in case of accident there was no
place like home. He arrived at the
camp In due time and was told by one of
luc ou uhty ~ ehC tuat
by waiting over until next day he could
no doubt secure job, as the guard force
was somewhat short handed, more
especially Is some half a dozen
were securing the adjacent country in
search OF an escape, who had killed
several guards, and made off TO the
woods; and, as he was heavily armed
and very desperate, the chances were
that there would be a number of vncau-
cies by the time what would be left of
the searching party when If should re-
turn. OF course, all of this cheerful
Information was most encouraging 10 the
embryoMulligan, who finding his cOmpan-
ion quite willing to talk. proceeded to
satisfy his curiosity and enrich his own
mind with experience for future use.
BY the time he had talked with his new
found friend-Mr. Fish by name-some
ten or fifteen minutes. he began to de-
bate if the life of a farmer did not after
all possess certain attractions that
he had overlooked, principal among
which appeared to be an immunity from
danger and regard for human life that
the average Mullgap to the
glib talk of his informant-in no way
possessed. Had it not been for fear of
the derision of the home folks aud the
placed upon his conduct by euvious
neighbors, it is certain that Mr.. John
Wesley Brakeway would have quickly
shook the dust of this camp off his feet
and HE'D him swiftly homeward; but he
had burned too many bridges behind him
TO retreat at this stage of events, and
most valiantly but unwisely determined
to ''stick her out.
He spent the day around the camp and
made the acquaintance of several
smore of his future companions
in arms, ell of whom gave him
a most cordial welcome and
whiled away the time in relating
blood curdling tales regarding this life
business, and the many dangers attend
ant upon it at any place, and mora es-
peciaiiy at this particular camp because
of the escape Of "Nosey, - who was de-
scribed as being most blood thirsty
and desperate william liable to steal into
camp most any night and butcher them
all while they slept. Then the talk be-
came more personal and j. W. found
that the guards, most of whom were out
on the works with their squads, were lot
living together IN that spirit of brotherly
love that he had always supposed existed
among men exposed to mutual danger.
and living together apart from the world,
Ms it were. As the men dropped in
from the works, this became more |
apparent. and several encounters
took place over wash pans and |
towels, thSt sayored strongly |
of bad blood. After supper when the |
convicts had been locked up for the |
night. matters quieted down somewhat.
most of the men going to their quarters |
10 read, write or sleep.
Mr.. Fish conducted John W. to one of !
the buildings, telling him that he would |
have to bunk there that night, until |
other arrangements could be made, and |
for him 10 try and make out; |