The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-05-20
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 postmasters' accounts cur
rent" "about the bluest time | ever saw,
and most Of you are aware | amt nc
epring chicken, was when | surrendered
with Johnston in Moth Ca'lina and
started for home.
"Tell us about it, colonelp' said the
boys.
"Well, you see it was this way. Durin
the wah I'd left the old woman on the
plantation down in South Ca'lina, but
when the surrender come hadn't heard
word from home for 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 left anything of the old place more
than just the naked dirt
"Well, | started off 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 large, variegated and pic
turesque experience in that particular
line.
eve 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
SIT took us couple of weeks to get
through the job, and when l was getting
ready to start the colonel in command
said:
"'I 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 a
good thing for you; and l guess the gov
eminent will be able to stand it.
"Well. Won follows here who know
my liberal disposition VI! ir>-s22hh45iy
agine | want slow to take a hint like
that turned in my crow bait and took
the best in the lot, and fatter myself
know 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 bag Of it.
'Well, sir, half 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
v-iobaSt ,,,o,, II, ba 1o+a Non
II travelled by myself ON the first day
out-just me, and the mule and the bag
of coffee.
81 got along all right until along
toward dark, when began to look out
for place TO put up for the night 1t
was the dlsmaleSt 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.
cat last saw light, and rode up to
a cabin by the side of the road, and
found an old woman sitting in the door
smoking a pipe. | boned her to let me
stay all night She fetched her old pipe
a few more whiffs, and finally said:
you'll halter gwy on to the next
house, stranger
"'How far is it,
Puff, puff, Bout four or five miles
mebbe six.
"But, my good woman, am tired and
my mule is tired-let me stay. if have
to sleep on the floor.
"Puff, puff 'Hain't got no grub.
81 do not care for myself, if you can
only give my mule something
Puff. puff Haint got nothing for
the critter.
"'Well, 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 up her station
by the fireplace, where she continued
her labors with the pipe, as if that were
the chief end aud aim of existence
81 took off TIE saddle, tied the mule
10 the door jamb. spread my blanket jus.
inside the door and lay down, with my
precious bag OF coffee for a pillow.
"There didn't seem to be another soul
un the place, but | asked no questions
TOR consclence's sake. just laid there
l-wishiug for bite to eat, and a-watch-
Ing that old woman Numbered over the
fireplace smoking like tar kiln.
swell, | kept on a laying there trying
% forget how mortal hungry was and
nebbe catch forty winks of sleep, but
he mule outside was as hungry as was
md every now and then he'd fetch a low
rind of whickerin' he-haw, and then
led let in TO knaw on the door lamb