Evening star., 1896-02-22

pea, a wagon was overturned and the
driver was killed. You see the spot when
you are far above it, you note the disturb
ed condition OF the snow, you remember
that the unfortunate Transfers head was
crushed and you guess at the rock with
which he SO fatally collided. Then a mule
slips and another one stumbles over a pro-
1ectlng stone. You are decidedly of the
opinion that either Jenkins or yourself will
be sacrificed then and there, and you, wick.
edly hope it will be Jenkins, because he
does not appear to be concerned a his sur
roundlngs, being intent on basting his off
wheeler With strap; that animal having
given evidence of Indifference to both the
light whip and requests to git epp." But,
beyond a marked increase in the off-wheel-
er's gait, nothing happens and you REIN
state jenkins on his Jehuistic throne with
an unexpressed hope that length of days and
successful reign be his. Strangely enough,
though, you find yourself rather eager at
times to tale the lines, so as to make as
suIance doubly sure, and when the mules
trot smartly around a perilous curve
dragging the ambulance down to what
looks like inevitable destruction-you are
inclined to question the accuracy of your
estimate of jenkins and you accuse your
self Of overhaste in matter of Importance
that did not call for a hurried conclusion.
Not Wide Enough for Two.
There are places in Soldier Canon where
the road is wide enough to admit of two
teams passing each other, but those turn
outs" are really OF no consequence because
fate has ordained that no teams shall
meet there nor cvertake each other there.
AS rule they come together in the mar
roWest parts Of the trail and thus conduce
to profanity of the widest and wooliest
varieties. If the opposing wagons are heav-
lily laden-and that is their normal cond-
tlon-then one Of the outfits must be haulr
ed backward to a point where passage may
be attempted with reasonable hope of sue
cess Should one of the teams chance to be
OF the ambulance or buggy sort then it has
to turn out. We turned out couple CT
times. and at the same time we came near
to turning over. Once we deficd all the
commonly accepted laws Of gravity, yet
survived, much to the aStoniShment OF the
teSmsters. VINO watched the mules scratch
up the side hill in front OF and above the
obstructing teams and then slide down so
clese TO the tail gate of the rear wagon
and to eternity that the situation was en-
tirely devoid of humor. For change we
had nice stretch of dusty road, succeeded
by mile or SO of mud, with Icy bouiders
so arranged as to interfere frequently
as possible with hoofs and wheels. But
Trooper Jenkins was imperturbable No
matter what the condition of the road he
was phenomenally silent. The average di-
rector of mules is given to bosterousness
and to the fluent use of language abounding
in expressions that to the uninitiated seem
harsh and improper. But Trooper jenkins
was not of that class. An occasional get
epp. once in a while shrill whistle, an
1nfrequent crack of the whip and a more
frequent application of the strap to the
more convenient portion of the off wheel
er's anatomy were the drivers only con-
tr.butions to the sounding harWonies of
the excursion. And SO it is with most
army teamStcrS. Consideration being had
for the sensitive natures of army officers
all army teamsters have been taught to
refrain, even when sorely tempted from
that eSubarance of utterance only too
easily acquired by the Ineekest of natures
v hen compelled to associate with mules.
The anti-profanity rule is strictly enforced,
even on long marches and during cam
necessary is done either by the quarter
mSsters or by civilian wagon masters
hired for that especial purpose.
The Trail Improves
Tlirty-fiye miles from Price is Lees; a
ranch carved out of the bottom of a canon,
in which the SUMS opportunity for shining
is so limited that you wonder how any
kind of agriculture can possibly succeed,
yet good crops are invariably raised, and
in conjunction with proper use of grazing
facilities, men and women make out what
they regard as satisfactory existence. You
stop at Lees for the night, and in the
morning you start out with a new stock of
hopes and fears, in which Trooper Jenkins
figures conspicuously For awhile there is
modified repetition of the experiences Of the
previous day, but there is steady diminu-
number of boulders; OF snow there is al
ways suficency and sometimes a super
abundance. The road foTsakes the side
hills as frequently possible, and the am
bulance is often running on all four wheels
at one time.
Southwest of the post, fourteen miles, is
the DuChesne bridge, where under ordi-
nary circumstances we would have Cauipcd
for the night-forty miles day is enough
for government mules-but waiting at the
bridge, with a light wagon and quartet
of fresh mules, was Capt. Day of the ninth
the same SMILING Daisy" so well known
in the army The welcome he extended,
hearty though it was, was no warmer than
that given a couple of hours later by Col.
Randlett, commanding Fort DuChesne
And Trooper William Jenkins the clever
est of mule drivers! He remained at the
bridge until the next, morning, when he
ratified into the post as modestly as an
amateur. 1t is probable that some of the
fancy coaching whips would outshine the
ninth cavalry driver at a horse-show eShi-
bition, but I wouldn't trust the best of
them with my transportation from Price to
DuChesne. Should I ever make that trip
again 1 want Jenkins to do the driving
GEO. II. HARRIES.
A Striking Change.
From the Chicago Record.