The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-22

Anecdotes, Serious and Humorouss Aboae
-, the IA&e Gepsrai Joo Shelby.
General Shelby und Judge John +.
Phillips Of The United Statescircuit court
were great friends for many years. In
fact when they were boys in Kentucky
they both clerked in the same store.
During the civil war they were ON OPP
posite sides, and as they were often near
each other they have many stories about
those stirring times.
Several months ago they were riding
ON train together in the central part
Of the state, when Judge Phillips sud-
denly pointed out Of the window and
said:
General. do you remember the time
we came very near to catching you over
there?'
"No, sir" said General Shelby. "but
I remember the time nearly caught
you there. IF it had not been for the in
fernal stupidity Of the man I sent out
to tear up that track, we would have
had you sure.
At that time Shelby's forces were
known to be in the immediate vicinity
and Judge Phillips-then Colonel Phil
Gps-had taken an engine and gone up
the railroad few miles to see il he could
learn anything Of the movements Of the
opposing forces. He was accompanied
by Colonel T. T. Crittenden, now con-
sui general Of the United States in the
City of Mexico. Shelby had received
word Of the little expedition, and as
soon as the engine passed going up the
track he sent adetachment of men, COM
manded by subordinate officer, with
instructions to tear up the track and
thus prevent the colonel's reaching the
base Of supplies.
The officer reached the track just in
time to hear the engine approaching
from distance, and instead of doing
anything to prevent its passage he sat
on his horse and watched it fly by him.
When General Shelby found what had
happened. he was thoroughly mad, and
| at once reduced the officer to the ranks
1.-THE worthless blockhead," he said.
eff he had only possessed sense enough
to shoot horse and let it fall across
| the track, he would have nabbed those
fellows. With even the slightest OBJ
| struction on the track they would have
been unable to pass, and we could have
captured them.
Withal, the general loved joke, and
| even though it were ION" himself, he
never questioned its humor. though he
might reserve the right to keep it to
himself If permitted to by circum-
stances.
Old Aunt Sarah lived with her hus-
band-or perhaps he lived with her
would be more corrcct--over ON the
| Kansas side. Aunt Sarah was General
Shelby's washerwoman.
| One day Jim appeared at the gen.
erals Office in the federal building with
tears in his eyes and a sad, sad story.
''Mistah Shelby. he said falteringly.
"Sarah's gone"
"Gone where, Jim?' said the gen.
eral "She amt run OFF,"
"No, sab, )" said Jim, as he wiped his
eyes with the ball of his hand. Dead. I"
1 General Shelby whirled straight in
his chair. ''What?' he exclaimed.
"You don't mean to tell me Sarah's
dead? Why, she just did our washing
last week..
"Ah knows it," said Jim. "Ah
knows it, Mistah Shelby, but she done
gone now, an hahn got money enough
to bury her decent. c
This was one of the tender spots.
"Why, bless your old black heart,
Jim," said the general, with tears in
his eyes, "I'll fix that for you" And he
wrote out check for $40.
Jim took it and went away, and the
general wiped his eyes and turned to
work again.
The following Monday morning Gen
eral Shelby had not yet left home for
his office when the washerwoman came.
1t was Sarah.
| For Just one minute the general did
| not say word, and he never did SO far
as Jim and Sarah's deaths were con-
cerned.
One winter during the war General
Shelby and his command of soldiers
were stationed for the cold weather at
Washington, Ark, where there was a
Confederate post.
This was just about the time the
mule joke was at its height. It grew
out of the generals q connection with the
Price raid, and some enterprising joker
put it into verse and set it to tune.
Almost any hour in the day it stirred
the Arkansas air as follows:
Joe Shelby q on the Missouri shore. awsA
Hide your mule. tt tr ~
| Oh, hide your mulsi FtIIE
He'll ride him tiii his back Is sore,
Then turn him loose And steal some more
Oh, hide your 'mulei Ff
The song was broad and loud and
pleased the general immensely.
Mrs. Shelby was there with him for
the winter and had brought her phaeton