San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-10-17
A BAG OF COFFEE.

Talk about feeling blue" said the
colonel one day, when the blue pencil
brigade rested at noon from their labors
of editing posAnaSters accounts cur
rent" "aboat the hlli-st time ever saw
and most Of you are aware | amt no
spring chicken, was when surrendered
with Johnston in Moth Ca'lina and
started for home"
Tell US about it, colonel!" said the
boys.
Well. you see it was this way. Durin
the wah Id left the old woman ON the
plantation down IN South Ca'lina, but
when the surrender come hadn't heard
word from home tor more than six
months. an didn't have the least idea
whether there was soul left alive on
the place. nor whether Sherman's army
had lett anything of the old place more
than just the naked dirt
Well. started oft for home, or to-
wards where thought home ought'r be,
with my parole in my pocket. and riding
the poorest, ornerieSt mule it was ever
my misfortune to become acquainted
with; and do assure you, gentlemen, !
have had a large, variegated and pic
turesque experience IN that particular
line.
I'VE moseyed along, the mule and
and one or two of the other boys, until
we got down to Charlotte, and there the
officer in command pressed me into serv-
Ice to help him parole big lot of the
prisoners.
at took US couple Of weeks to get
through the job, and when was getting
ready to start the colonel in command
said:
~ can't pay you anything for your
services, but think if you were to take
that beast down to the corral and swap
him off for better one it would be
good thing for you; aud guess the gov
eminent will be able to stand it.
We'll you fellows here who know
my Liberal disposition will probably i'm
agiue | want slow to take hint like
that turned in my crow bait and took
the best in the lot. and hatter myself ]
know Il good mule when see one.
"'Purty good animal you got there,
said the officer when | rode up to his
quarters. theirs some coffee down in
the commissary. and that mule looks
strong enough TO carry a bag of it.
We'll, sir, hylf an hour later | left
town on the best mule ever straddled,
CARRYING bag of coffee worth $3.50 in
gold. and altogether feeling like the
richest man in the late Confederacy.
Il Travelled bv myself on the first day
0ut-Just me, and the mule and the bag
of coffee.
"a got along all right until along
toward dark, when began to look out
for a place to put up for the night. 1t
was the dIsmalest prospect you ever saw
the poorest pine barrens-it made you
hungry to just ride along and look at
the country; and the houses were mighty
wide apart.
AT last saw light, and rode up to
cabin by the side Of the road, and
found an old woman sitting in the door
smoking pipe. boned her to let me
STAY all night. She fetched her old pipe
a few more whiffs. and finally said:
"'You'l halter gwy on to the next
house, stranger.
How far is itr
Puff, puff, Bout four or FIVE miles
meDbe six.
But. my good woman, am tired and
my mule is tired-let me stay, II have
RI SlaaD ON the floor
Puff. puff Hain't got no grub.
al do not care for myself. if you can
only give my mule something.
Puff, puff 'Haint got nothing for
the critter
We'll. we will both do without if
we can only stay do not want to lie
down by the road and maybe wake up
murdered by some guerrilla.
she finally consented to this-moved
out of the door and took mp her station
by the fireplace, where she continued
her Iabors with the pipe. as if that were
the chief end and aim of existence.
Il took off the saddle, tied the mule !
to the door Jamb. spread my blanket just |
inside the door and lay down, with my |
precious bag of coffee for pillow.
There didn't seem to be another soul |
on the place, but | asked no questions
for conscience's sake. just laid there |
a-wlshing for bite 20 eat. and a-watch- |
- that o'4 woman Numbered over the