The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-10-23
A BAG OF COFFEE.

"lalk about 1eellnS blue" sal,
the colonel one day, when the blu
pencil brigade rested at noon from
their labors OF editing postmaslers
accounts currents" "ab0ut The
bluest time | eyer saw, and most o
you are aware | ain't no sprin.
chicken. was when | surrendered
with Johnston in Nth Ca'lina and
started for home"
Tell US about it, colonel" said
the hoys
"Well, You see it was this way
Dnrin' the wah | left the OF woman
on the plantation down in South
Ca'llna, but when The surrender
come hadn't heard a word from
home in six months, an | didn't
have the least idea whether there
was a soul lett alive on the place,
nor whether Sherman's army had
left anything of the old place more
than the naked dirt.
"Well, / started off for home, or
towards where | thought home
oughfr be, with my parole in my
pocket. and riding the poorest, on.
rriest mule it was ever my misior-
tune to become acquainted with !;
and | do assure you, gentlemen, |
have had large, variegated and
picturesque experience i'll that pur-
licular line.
"We moscyed along, The mule
and |, and one or two of he other
boys, until we col down TO Char.
lotle, and the officer in command
pressed me into service 10 help
him parole big lot of prisoners.
1T took us a couple of weeks TO
get through the Job, and when /
was getting ready 10 s;alt the col
Onel in command said:
Il 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 a
better one il would be a good thing
for you; and guess the govern
ment will be able to stand it,
"Well, you fellows here who
know my liberal disposition will
probably imagine | want slow TO
take a hint like thai-l turned IN
my crow bait and took the best in
the lot, and | latter myself | know |
a good mule when | see one.
"'Purty good animal you got
here" said The officer when | rode
up TO his quarters, there's some
coffee down in the commisSary,
and that mule looks strong enough
10 carry a bag of it,
"Well, sir, half an hour later,
eft town on the best mule | ever
carrying bag of coffee
worth $3.50 in gold, and altogether
ceiling like The rishest man in the
ale C0nfederacy.
Il Travelled by myself on The
irst day out--just me. and the
mule and The bag of coffee.
al got along all right until along
0ward dark, when began to look
nut Tor place 10 stay all night.
/ was The dismalest prospect you
ver saw-ihe poorest pine bar
ens--il made ycu hungry 10 just
ide along and look at the country;
nd The houses were mighty wide
part.
"At last saw a light, and rode
p 10 n cabin by the side of the
Dad, and found an old woman sit
ing in The door smoking a pipe. |
uned her TO lei me stay all night. {
he fetched her pipe few more
'hifis, and finally said: r
"'You'll halter gwy on 10 the a
ext house, stranger C
"'How far is iIr 4
Puff, puff. Bout four or five a
liles-mebbe SIX c
"Bm, my good woman, ! am n
red aud my mule is lired-let me o
ay, if | have 10 sleep on The L
oor.' il
Puff, puff. 'Hain't got no grub a
al do not care for myself, il You c
IN only give nay mule something Il
"Puff, pun. 'Haint got nothing 4
'r the critter.' 1,
"'Well, we will both do without a
we can only slay-I do not want a
} lie down by The road and may. L
E wake up murdered by some
lerrilla.'
''She finally consented to this a
owed out OF the door aud took up ID
er station by the fireplace, where h
Ie continued her labors with the D
pc, as if that were The chief end c,
I'd aim OF her existence. d
81 took off the saddle, tied the D
ule 10 the door Jamb, spread nv 4
anket just inside the door and II
Y down, with my precious bag of 81
flee for pillow.
There didn't seem 10 be another
ul on the place, but | asked no a
Iesiions for conscience's sake. rC
ST laid there a-wishing for a bite Il