The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-26
the ice so long as there was enough to keep the
beer properlv cold

MS judgment OF an unprecedented American
thirst was justified by the returns. Across a
plank stretched from one barrel to another
men in dirty brown or blue threw silver ouar-
tors at thin. and he threw bottles of Rochester
beer back at them. And the men who were
giving up the money considered that the ex-
mule driver was doing them q favor TO sell It so
reasonably. When the heroes of the Santiago
battlefield came to this place they usually
stayed till they were out Of money. They never
got drunk. be II known they never had money
enough. between consignments the dealer
would sit In his door and lament with passing
inquiring thirsty soldiers the inequality of de.
mand and supply. When the soldiers broke
camp for home late in August they passed this
dealers rlace on the way to town. In answer
TO many touching pantomimic appeals he re-
Piled In expressive gesture that he had lust
sold out.
Great business" he called out after the last
lilies. As the men looked regretfully back they
saw him waving an arm that moved only half
way around. 1t is said that he moved into the
heart of Santiago after the original army went
nome, No doubt his American enterprise is
being duly rewarded down there. Certainly
tn" arny of Santiago will hold him in sweet
remembrance us n benefactort to his comrades.
As that connoisscur in malt liquors. Corporal
Dan Hogan. put it:
olhp US ltllpWS can truly appreciate the
good that man did. II takes dry-tack. salt sow
belly and San Juan water under a tropic July
sun to give II man the RICH thirst. / wish 1
had it now. My happiness would be to come
up to that mule drivers shack with that sign
lce-cold American beer looking down at me
and three months pay in my pocket. | wish"
concluded Corporal Dan wistfully. Il was
lust there now. I'd camp in the road outside
his shack and read the sign al day long. know
ING | had the price with that thirst. / would"
One class Of men who participated fully in
the dangers. but only slightly in tn" glory of
the Santiago campaign were the mule drivers
employed by the Commissary DEPARTMENT.
Nobody connects them with desperate charges
on trench or blockhouse: yet they did their
little bit" to quote Corporal Hogan. toward
the quick determination of the Spaniola"
\ mule driver was mounted on the nigh
wheeler Of a six-mu team or on the seat Of a
four-mule wagon. Ho got $50 n month.
With this money no should have received
medals for his labor alone. to say nothing OF
the danger. As regular drivers were not en-
listed men. they were not armed by the Gov
eminent They generally carried arms. how
ever. Some bought arms for themselves:
others. more provident. managed to gather in
the equipment of some poor soldier who
had been put past the need OF them. The
boss OF n mule train, the Jaunty man
who rode ahead to prevent possible entanRle-
ments with a train coming the other way.
always went fully armed. He usually carried a
KraE carbine and a big revolver. and two
belts OF cartridges. one Of 30 and the other Of
40 calibre. These fed his two guns. In days
of danger he carried the carbine across his sad
die ready for a quick. long shot. His revolver
hung tight to his belt. handy to his dexter grip.
His was a position Of peculiar danger during
the early days of the Santiago campaign. His
duty carried him clear to the fighting line. On
the road he was obliged TO ride at times a half
mile ahead OF his train.
In the last days Of June it was not uncommon
for Spanish sharpshooters to perch themselves
in the rear OF American lines. we'll screened in
high trees. 1t Is easy to understand why a
marksman up a tree might sometimes refrain
from shooting into an advancing regiment. but
a lone man on an ambling mule-that was posi-
tive temptation. with small chance of being
caught up with at the moment. The most
gentle sharpshooter that ever smoked cigar
cites in the top OF a royal palm would be moved
to action at such a chance. and most Of these
sharpshooters were not the gentlest men in the
world. War was the game Of the moment. and
they were doing as they thought the Americans
would do by them.
The road from Siboney to the front was no
~, '"n = u I"afp %
"iueheu " Nv otu'o : an 'nlpa'.en'
reach their foes by the most direct way. Where
trees stood in the way they chopped them
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intoH stones were ie.' III .he ratn' pecause
'neie "eis y :" =. "e o'euD'
men III hurry ouluo Nele iet.' oecauSo
.ne' were 700 neasS W oe nov" y men ma
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