The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-01-06
AN AGUADoREs MULE.
Made a Weak Man of Hardy
Soldier.

One day q corporal by the name of
Jack De Forrest went to Gen. Duf1ield
and asked him for a mule to ride over
to Ell Paso, about eight miles from
camp, to get some tobacco.
"Well. my boy" replied the general,
you can take the mule if you will
promise to bring him back"
The corporal's sense of honor was Of
Tended Immediately. "Why, certainly,
general; will return him within two
hours"
The general bowed and smiled his
characteristic smile, but said nothing
more, and the young man went off to
the corral and, after selecting small
gray beast with very large ears and very
little tail, he succeeded in lassoing him,
and after securing his rope in the shape
of bride, jumped on his back and rode
of down the hill at brisk pace, as hap
py and gay as bluecoat could possibly
be on bright, sunny day in Cuba. AS
he rode along under the scanty shade
of the palmetto trees, through the chap
keA "a uhA AOJ al Pol1hSS AC sang
of patriotic songs and whistled cyan
kee Doodle" and '"ThereIl be a Hot
Time" until he reached his destination.
The town is built on two cross roads,
the one leading from Santiago to
Siboney and the other is the bog road
from Ell Caney to Aguadores.
When Jack had purchased his "smok-
in" and "sassed" the "refugs," he went
back to his mule, which was quietly
eating Ceiba bark from the small puny
hands of a reconcentrado child, and
when the corporal gently stroked his
head and called him good mule" and
a "fine trotter," lone of the best ami
mails ever created" that docile beast
switched his tail in an appreciative
way and looked wise. Alas for the cor
poral's f1attery! It turned the mules
head. No sooner had his dignity
mounted upon the back of this good
mule" than his rear legs went up in the
air and Jack landed in small, muddy
bog hole head first. OF course, the cor
poral climbed out, patted the mule on
the head and thanked him for the cour-
teous manner in which he had treated
him. ITO cuss a stubborn mule will
make him wuss," an old southerner had
told him, and he used all his powers of
tact and delicacy to show the conceited
beast that he (Jack) was not at all
angry with him for upsetting him, con-
soling himself with the fact that it
must have been the result of Cuban
gnat bite. Once more did the young
and brave soldier mount his gallant
steed, and turning the long neck
towards camp. the two trotted Off at
lively gait, much to the amusement of
the curious crowd left behind who had
gathered to see the throw"
Jack thought his trouble was all over,
and joyfully took chew of his weed.
recently purchased. At the intersec-
tion of the Aguadores road, strange
fancy took possession of the "fine trot-
ter" and with triumphant whirl he
started off at dead gallop towards the
last scene of the Spanish-American war
In vain did the corporal cogitate with
the strong-headed beast. In vain did he
remind him that the Cuban sun was
sinking fast, and that if they did not
return that he (Afr. Mule) would miss
his supper, and that he (Jack) would be
This only increased
the gait of his noble -nibs into terrific
gallop, which obliged Jack to ''lay over"
and "hold fast" on the "starboard side"
for fear of keeling" Soldiers at the
side of the road hailed the two as they
passed, but the mule desregarded their
words of passing welcome. Guards
with fixed bayonets on their guns had
no terrors for this good mule" and up
and down hill and dale they flew as if
a Spanish body of cavalry were pursu-
ing them. Jack in his flight was obliged
TO be dragged through Cuban grave
yard, and saw the bodies of persons
floating on the tops of the watery
graves. The mule did not stop long
enough, however, to allow him to take
their names off the headboards in order |
TO report the matter. They were near
ing the ocean, and the laundering roar |
of the breakers could be heard dstict- |
ly. would that blankety blank mule |
never stop?" thought the now terrified |
Jack.
Out upon the beach the noble animal |
rushed, and dashing forward to the |
edge of the rolling surf, he stopped |
much in the same manner a street car
does when the brakes are applied sud- |
denly. Five minutes later there |
emerged thoroughbred Baptist from
the ocean in the shape of dripping |
corporal belonging to the Seventh
Massachusetts, with an awful VOW on
his lips to take that id mule back to |
Gen. Duffield dead or alive. He did; |
but it was six o'clock next morning |
when the general, standing in front of |
his tent, saw coming up the hill de-
jected corporal wearily leading small
gray mule by long rope. Jack sa-
uted the general and said in faint
voice: "If you please, sir, l brough him
back" and dropping the rope, he gave
a savage look at the now docile beast |
and hurried off to his quarters.-Toledo
Commercial.
These are dangerous times for the |