South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-11-21
Prescription For a Balky
Mule.


Prescription For a Balky
Mule.
Several veterans OF the late war
were telling OF their experiences at
Ron6out, N. Y, few days ago.
One related tie following amusing
Incident:
Our regiment was In camp al
la per's Ferry w. Va, aud one day
comrade and secured permission
to pay visit to farm. house some
distance away. where we knew there
was poultry. We rode horses and
bad some money in our poke to
purchase what chickens and turkeys
we desited, for on this occasion we
had made up our minds to forego
foraging, but later on circumstances
arose that quickly made us forget
our good resolution. A short dis,
tance from the farmhouse was q
grass field iuto which ne turned our
hOr' es to Craze al will.
We then proceeded to the resi-
dence on foot and met the farmer on
an old fashioned perch that ran the
whole front Of tie quaint farmhouse
l told him We had come TO barter for
some chickens and turkeys. This
proposition seemed 10 fire his South
ern blood. BE sswore he'd rathe,
see every fowl on his premises TO,
before he would sell them to any
Yankee for one hundred times their
weight in gold. That settled it with
ug. Our Northern blood had reached
as high boi ing point as that CT The
old southerper. We could not etand
such On Insult, and went straitwav
TO the barn, where fine lot of fowls
w.re pecking grain.
1T did not take US long TO tic the
legs of good!y number Of chickens
and turkeys. AS | was in the act Of
ty ng up tie legs Of a proud gobbler
l looked up, and to my dismay saw
Coming up the laLe q small company
Of rebel cavalry. took In the stu.
alton at q glance. l knew we had
not time TO reach our horses, and to
escape On foot was impossible. In
the barn'yard were two sleek mules
thrc wing my string Of poultry over
the back of one and jumping asttide
tue animal l shouted to Bill-that
was the first name of my comrade-
TO follow my exmple. He dill so,
and l took the lead for the camp.
The mule was on had taken bat
few jumps when l heard Bill shout:
"Gfeat thunder He's baked,
jim
i looked around, and sure enough
the mule had baked. The Johnies
were close at hand, and | shouted
back Crawl on his neck, Bill, and
chew his ear
Bill lost no time in trying the Cx
pertinent. He got the end Of one Of
the animals long ears into his Mouth |
a d began operations. The mule
gave a squeal like that of a stuck pig |
and rushed after It's mate, which ! |
was riding on for dear life. Sudden
y saw something loom up and rush |
past me. II was Bill and his mule. |
Bil's teeth were imbedded in the an
imars ear, and blood trickled dow0 |
the side of its head. Bill was al |
bumped up On the back Of his mad
steed, and presented a most ludicrous
sight Tie turkeys Tapped their
wings and the chickens made O ter.
Ii.le CHATTER, which only served to
make the mule go faster. ] heard
the JoLnies behind Us laugh. They
fred at as, but We were not bit. /
am sure they could not have hit Bill,
Tor be was being carried along at
great speed,
Through the picket line Of our
regiment and on through the camp
went Bile mule, the poultry bobbipR
up end down at every Jump. AS
soon rs knew we we're out Of reach
Of enemy gathered all my lung
power and shouted:
Let go the mules ear, Bill; we're
safe
Bill heard me and let 60. He e.
uelly succeeded in stopping The mule,
whose sides vent IN and out like big
bellows. An examination showed
that Bill had cheWed over half the
mules car IF. Bill allowed it was
the toughest bill Of meat he had ever
tackled, but that night be got square
on roast turkey and chicken. We
list two Of tie best horses ia our
eau o. Camp Fire.
a~sas---
II il sometimes said that men ~
public positions, who must mingle