Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1896-03-20
The MULES WERE PETS.
And Uncle Sans Teamsters Hated to See
tho Faithful Workers Sold.


tho Faithful Workers Sold.
AT Is! At 49, Going at Is!
Who says the half? DO 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 | am offered-can't
get the half? Fifteen once! Do l hear
the half? No? Fifteen twice Third
and last call, and sold to Mr.. Carl for
$15." And the auctioneer, who was
also the civilian clerk in the post
Iuartermaster'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 II. 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 1914.
Two years ago the quartermasterh 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
lie had yielded to their entreaties. Last
year again he had marked them for the
list, but again gave way to the team.
sters. But this time the chief quarter
master stepped in with his authority,
and, remarking that there was no place
in the quartermaster's department for
sentiment, ordered Wench and Jim to
be condemned and sold.
For more than 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 q
night?
AS the sale went on the teamsters
stood on one side like mourncrs at a
comrades burial; on the other, the
farmers and ranchmen and contractors
and lumbermen from 20 miles around
all there to sid in as cheap as possible
the mules the quartermaster's depart
ment was dore with. Against the name
of each mule on the list stood the
legend, "old and worn out in service"
There were old Rooney and Bevis
and Boss and Schaeffer, and the rest OF
the Transfers who have driven AMI
packed these mules over thousands of
miles of mountain and prairie. Are
they to be laughed at for wearing sad
faces now? Net they bore the ordeal
like men good and true, until Jim was
led out. Then you could see their
Ie,la nft M ha, II
their eyes.
"This here's awful, boys" old Rooney
remarked. IL can't stan it.. I'd rather
see the government bust than see them
) two mules sold"
you're right, Rooney" old Bcvis
spoke. "a government mean enough to
sell them two mules amt fit to stand;"
! but their comments were stopped by
the auctoneers third and last call on
poor little Jim.
After the sale was over, farmer
wearing canvas overcoar that he had
bought at previous snle Ct condemned
stuff, and that bore in the middle of the
back the big black letters, 81. c.
stepped up to the transfers and asked
why they hated so much TO see the last
two mules sold.
'Why?" asked old Schaeffer, hall
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 was wiped out
, They toted packs during all the '76 ant
N campaigns gin the Indians. They're
| the best pair of leaders that was ever il
this corral; they can drive the'selve'
and in their young days, wheneve,
there was fight or skcery place to G,
through or hard pull to make, the,
6 was the first ones called for. The,
he'ped haul the Seventh from here t.
Riley and the Eight from there NJ
here. There's never been a campaign
or n march from this post them mules
, amt gone on it. And they've neve,
9 been separated till to-day; an durnet
ii b'lieve they'll work lick by the
$ selves, do you, Bevis@
v Il sho' hope they won't" this old fcl
!. low answered bitterly. And the,
4 walked away to the Transfers mess
n. Y. Herald.
' Vinegar by n Quick Process.
= Vinegar may be made in very shor
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