St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-06-25
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wounded him, and he determined on re-
venge. After day or two he slipped
his halter and made his way on the
reutral ground. The videttes and pick
cts on both sides tried to capture him,
hut it was no 60. On the second night
Of his liberty, just after the midnight
charge of pickets, the mule suddenly
"opened fire" against the federal lines.
He came down on the lett flank at a
gallop, braying as he came. and inside
of three minutes he had routed out
5000 soldiers and got them into line. In
the ears of the half-asleep men his
brsys sounded like cheers, and our lines
had scarcely been formed when we be-
gan firing. A minute later the confed-
crates were under arms and blazing
away, believing it was night attack.
and it was subsequently figured that at
least 10000 bullets were fired by both
sides. Not one Of them even grazed
that mule. Our fire halted him for a
time, but bracing up to the occasion he
presently came charging into and over
The lines, knocking men right and left
ard almost starting panic. When he
was finally captured, the soldiers de-
manded that he be instantly wiped of
the face of the earth, but discipline pre-
vailed and he was turned over to the
guartermaster and shipped back from
whence he came. Gen. Torbet said Of
the animal as news came that he had
gone.
II want men and horses and mules,
hat I'll be hanged if the government
can work off any geological garden on
my command until we get into winter
quarters!"
working Out OF the Army.
After the first two or three battles
men began to discover that war was
not a picnic, and as a result certain
per cent. of officers as well as OF the
rank and file began to lay plans to get
out with honor. Few officers dared for
ward resignation without certifi-
cate from the surgeon, and as for an
enlisted man, he had TO be sharper than
fox to produce any ailment to battle
those who must sign his application.
Rheumatism was favorite complaint
fer awhile, but when it would work no
longer and men with liver complaint
ard consumption were stood out on ex-
ira duty to be cured, the homesick
chaps had to 60 down deeper. Then It
came about that they suddenly went
deaf or lost their voices. The surgeons
were put to no end of trouble by these
maligners, and when a soldier had
hung out for any length Of time he was
given some severe tests.
We had in C troop q man named
Hope, who proved himself good fight
er until homesickness overcame him.
His was the first "lost voice" heard in
our brigade. He went out on sentry
one night, and at the end Of two hours
came in with his voice down to whis-
per. 1t was supposed to be hoarse-
ness which would soon disappear, and
Hope seemed very anxious to be cured
as speedily as possible. As his case did
not yield after few days he was care
fully examined. His lungs and throat
were found to be all right, and the sur
geons were puzzled to know what was
the matter. A soldier who can't speak
aloud is of no use, and at the end Of
three weeks, as Hope had not got his
voice back. there was talk of discharg-
ing him. Then somebody broached the
idea that he was "codding," and he was
taken in hand to experiment on. He
must have realized what was up, and
he must also have keyed up his nerves
to stand the strain.
One of the first experiments tried on
Hope cost the experimenter pretty
dearly. By advice or order of the sur
geon one of the company fell in behind
him as he was walking up and down
and gave him kick. It was kick in
earnest, and one calculated to make the
victim cry out, but Hope uttered no
word. He simply turned on the kicker
and blacked his eyes and broke his
nose. Then tacks were put under the
saddle Of a horse and Hope ordered to
mount him and ride off with message.
The horse kicked and bucked for five
minutes, and then threw the trooper
over his head, but there was never a
yen. They made him chew soap to
grease his vocal chords, and they fol-
lowed it with whatever was nauseating
In the drug line, but he made no COM
plants. Things were even carried so
far that a bullet was fired through his
hat, but that lost voice Of his could
never be found. When the poor fellow
had been harrassed for a month or
more, and when everybody began to
believe that his case was genuine, one
Of the experimenters accidentally dis
covered that Hope had been n prize
fighter before enlisting. This fact was
taken as the basis for a new experi-
ment.
We were in a remount camp, with
discipline rather lax, and two men who
had grudge were given a show to
fight it out with gloves. Hope was not
only on hand, but acted as second for
ore of the fighters. The battle was
hardly begun when he became excited
and as his man was getting the worst
OF things in the second round the voice
less man suddenly yelled ont in tones
which could be heard half mile away:
Swing on him with your right, jim
my-swing on him with your right"
Hope got 30 days in the guardhouAe
and was then returned to duty. and no
ether trooper in that regiment ever lost
his voice for more than an hour at q
time.
Beginning Early.
Il have heard . good deal about peo-
pie who borrow trouble, but think my
wife is champion in that line"
why, I thought she was always
cheerful and contented with her lot ?"
"She was until our baby was born
j.