Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-04-27
SILL LET GO OF THE MULES EAR.
but Not Until He'd Added n Chapter to th
History of the War.

I History of the War.
/ In the rotunda of the Auditorium ho-
/ tel several veterans Of the war of the
/ rebellion were seated around in q circlet
/ telling of some Of their war experiences,
ono of them relating the following in
cident:
"Our regiment was in camp ut Har-
I per's Ferry, and one bright morning n
conlrade and | secured permission to
visit a farmhouse some distance away.
/ where we knew there was some poultry.
We rode horses and had some money in
our pockets TO purchase the chickens
/ and turkeys we desired, for on this oo-
/ casion we had made up our minds to
/ forcgo foraging, but later circumstances
arose that made il necessary for us to
! forget our good resolutions. Turning our
/ horses into grassiield which was but
/ q short distance from the house, we left
/ them to Craze at will. On reaching tho
house we met the farmer on AN old fash
Toned porch that ran the whole front Of
the quaint farmhouse. told the farmer
| that we had come 70 buy some of his
poultry, at which his southern blood be-
gan TO boil. He sworo he'd rather sec
every chicken and turkey on the place
rot before he would sell them TO any
/ id Yankee for thousand times
what they We're worth.
THAT settled it with us. We could
not stand such an insult and went
straightway to the barn. where fine
lot of fowls were pecking grain. Ii did
not take las long 10 tie the legs of q
| goodly number Of chickens and turkeys.
As was in the act of tying up the legs
Of ptoud gobbler looked up. and to
my dismay saw coming mp the lano a
small company of Confederate cavalry.
took i'll the situation at glance.
knew we had not time to reach our
horses, and to escape on foot was impos-
sible. In the barnyard were two fine,
sleek mules. Throwing my string Of
fowls over the back of one and jumping
astride the animal, shouted TO Bill
that was the first name of my comrade
to follow my example. He did So
and took the lead for the camp. The
mule that was on had taken but few
jumps when | heard Bill shout:
I1OiN > uilktu, Jim.
looked around, and sure enough tho
mule had baked. The Confederates
were close ut hand, and / shouted back
TO Bill:
Crawl Oh his neck. Bill. and chew
his ear -
Bill lost no time in trying tho oxper-
iment He got tho end of the animal s
/ Iona, aor into l,;o ,nouti, aud bo1o, orar
ations. The mule gave squcal, like
that Of stuck pig, and rushed madly
after its mate. which was riding on,
for dear life Suddenly saw something
loom mp and rush past me. IL was Bill
and his mule. Bits teeth were i'm
beddcd in tho animals ear. and blood
trickled down the sido Of its head. Bill
was all bumped up on the back of his
mad stocd and presented most ludi-
crous sight. The turkeys Topped their
wings. and the chickens made terrible
chatter. which only served to make the
mule 20 faster. heard the Confeder-
atcs behind us laugh They fired at us.
but wo were not hit. l am sure that
they could not have hit Bill. Tor he was
being carried along at great speed.
Through tho picket line Of our regi-
ment and on through tho camp went
Bills mule, tho fowls bobbing mp and
down at every jump. AS soon Us / knew
We were out Of reach of tho enemy l
gathered all Of my lung power and
shouted:
Let go the mules car, BIZ; we're
safo!'
Bill heard me and let 60. He finally
succeeded in stopping the mule. whose
sides went in and ont like big bel.
lows An examination showed Bill had
chewed over half the mules car Off.
Bill allowed it was the toughest bit OF
meat he had ever tackled. but that night
he got square on roast turkey and chick
en-. We lost two Of tho best horses in
our army Chicago Tribune.