The Opelousas courier., 1896-04-18
THE MULES WE'RE PETS.
And Uncle Sans Transfers Hated to See
the Faithful Workers Sold.

Who says the half? Do I hear it
Only SIS for this mule? Wy
gentlemen, she's worth more'n that il
she never did another lick O work
Whoa, Wench, you little old darling
Fifteen dollars I am offered-can't
get the half? Fifteen once! Do I hear
the half? No? Fifteen twice! Third
and last call. and sold to Mr.. Carl for
S15.' And the auctioneer, who was
also the civilian clerk In the pos,
quartermaster's office, tenderly caressed
the face, gray with age, of the little
brown mule, and, brushing his hand
across his own eyes, walked slowly
back to his desk in the office.
Wench was led off to the blacksmith
shop to be branded on the left of the
neck Il. c. S.'-"inspected, condemned,
Sold Twelve other mules had passed
under the hammer ahead Of her that
morning, and then to the branding
iron. The last one before her was Jim,
whose neck was still smoking with the
burning mark of condemnation. He
had gone for 15k.
Two years ago the quartermaster had
picked out Wench and Jim to submit to
the inspector for condemnation, but
one at a time the teamsters had all
come to plead for their retention, and
he had yielded to their e]ntreaties. Last
year again he had marked them for the
list, but again gave way to the team
steers. But this time the chief quarter
master stepped in with his authority,
and, r%emarking that there was no place
In the quartermaster's department for
sentiment, ordered Wench and Jim to
be condemned and sold.
For more than a score Of years these
two little beasts have faithfully served
the government, and all this time they
have been mates. In the pack train
they logged along together; in the
wagon train they pulled over the same
spreader; in the camp they ate out of
the same feed box; in the stable they
stood in the same stall; IN the corral
they were always found side by side.
Tonight, for the first time in this
quarter century they will be apart; for
Jim was bought by Mr.. Hammond, and
Wench was knocked down to Mr.. Carl
and Uncle Sans exchequer is richer
by $1,000.
No place for sentiment in the quarter
masters department.. OF course not;
yet, "Breathes there the man with soul
SO dead that he does not believe these
two little dumb creatures will miss
each other this night, and many n
night?
As the sale went on the transfers
stood on n side like mourners at a
comrades burial; on the other, the
farmers and ranchmen and contractors
and lumbermen from 90 miles around,
all there to bid in as cheap as possible
the mules the quartermaster's depart
ment was done with. Against the name
of each mule on the list stood the
legend, "old and worn out in service"
There were old Rooney and Beyis
and Boss and Schaeffer, and the rest of
the teamsters who have driven and
packed these mules over thousands of
miles of mountain and prairie. Are
they to be laughed at for wearing sad
now? Yet they bore the ordeal
Ike men good and true, until Jim was
led out. Then you could see their
one after another, drawn across
their eyes.
This here's awful, boys I'D Rooney
II can't stan it. I'd rather
see the government bust than see them
two mules Sold"
you're right, Rooney" old Bevis
spoke. "a government mean enough to |
sell them two mules amt fit to stand:"
but their comments were stopped by
the auctioneer's third and last call on |
poor little Jim.
After the sale was over, a farmer,
wearing a canvas overcoat that he had
bought at a previous sale of condemned
stuff, and that bore in the middle Of the
back the big black letters, Il. c.
up to the teamsters and asked
why they hated SO much to see the last
two mules sold.
"Why?" asked old Schaeffer, half
angry, tossing the moisture off his
wrinkled cheek. Because they're the
best friends we ever had. Them two
mules was back with the pack train the
day Custer and his men vas wiped out.
They toted packs during all the rs and
II campaigns gin the Indians. They're
best pair of leaders that was ever in
this corral; they can drive the'selves
and in their young days, whenever
there was a fight or skeery place to go
or a hard pull to make, they
vas the first ones called for. They
haul the Seventh from here to
Riley and the Eight from there up
here. There's never beer a campaign
a march from this post them mules
init gone on it. And they've never
oeen separated till to-day; an burned
Il I b'lieve they'll work a lick by the
do you, Bevis?'
Il sho' hope they WON'T" this old fell
answered bitterly. And they
away to the Transfers ness
Y. Y. Herald.
Vinegar by a Quick Process.
Vinegar may be made in a very short