The St. Johns herald., 1891-12-17
Finnegan'S Mule.

lluQ GlIu6 HdLSllIS Idtu6I HSdEliy y upon their hands-and that the tai
 ent for storytelling is one that is cultivated to an alarming extent
 amongst them as means of mak-
 ing the braves go to their graves.
 Of course the natural result of this
 is that a great many dull anecdotes
 told by duller men are allowed to
 pass muster as means of raising
 a lazy laugh, now and again, but
 there is a diamond in the dullness
 occasionally, and it gleams all the
 brighter for it's dingy surroundings,
 Of such was story that 1 heard
 down in Arizona one day in sum-
 mer that I passed in the land of the
 sun. 1t was at one of the forts, no
 matter which one, and there was a
 group of officers seated upon the
 veranda of the largest and coolest
 house in the quarters, just at sunset.
 Beyond the blue mountains in the
 west there arose into the sky quiv-
 ering rays of red and green and vel
 low flaming to the zenith as though
 the sun were 10th to quit the valley upon which it had beat down so fiercely all the day long, and over
 the white sand that formed the soil
 about the post there had come a grateful shadow that was not yet relieved by the coolness of shade. Far out across the plain gaunt forms of cactus stood up like soli- tary broken columns ill some for gotten ruin, and closer at hand were
 a few gnarled and ragged mesquite
 trees under winch half naked In dians were lounging. It was the
 most pleasant part of the day the darkness drops down and envelops 1 the earth while the sunset lights are yet in the sky. Sudden monster jack rabbit loped gracefully out ill
 front of the veranda and paused for a moment, to gaze knowingly at the group of men who were loung-
 ing there, too lazy, absolutely, to attempt even to gratify the perfect
 ly human passion for slaughter.
 "That jack," yawned the Colonel at last, knocking the ashes from his cigar and turning half round in his big rocking chair, reminds me of Finnegan's mule. Ever hear the story of Finnegan's mule? You knew Ned Finnegan, Major. He was a contractor down at Tucson before the railroad was put through. We'll, you know the army people had wonderful idea of the climate of Arizona, in those days. Thought it was hell, literally-and after 20 years experience I am constrained to say that they are about right. We'll, Finnegan had the usual weak ness of contractors but he was real ly the most accommodating fellow you ever saw. He was killed by old Cochise over in Gila county, poor chap. But about the mule. You see there was great demand 1 for mules for ambulance services in those days-it was when 1 was I captain under old Colonel c., , the Apaches having a trick of run , hing off all ours they could catch, and the Colonel drew for the finest r pair in California for his own par t ticular use. We'll they came as far c IS Tucson, being consigned to the care of Finnegan there, and people c who saw them say they were the i argest and finest span that ever t came across the Colorado. They S were perfect beauties /! We'll, some 0 low, those mules never got to the e post and-although the Colonel t 'tormed about it, he never could " ret satisfaction out of Finnegan. f. The mules had disappeared utterly. ( We'll, you remember when General S on his famous tour of F through the west and yrote book about 1t, telling more things than ever happen il .d tO oOV twenty mon Ha cfrupL T