The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-12-02
A NIGHT OF MISERY.
RIDING IN A LOCKED BOX CAR WITH
TWO SCARED MULES.

tion of "a Sunday school Picnic.
"Well, " said the Footprint to Slug
Seven as be settled down on his stool
and began to throw in handful of
type, "if didn't have time of it get
ting down here out of those noun
tains"
"Been up in the mines2" inquired
Slug Seven.
"Yep, replied the Footprint "Just
came out. Footed it from Angels to
Milton yesterday and rode into Stock
ton on a side door sleeper last night. A
side door sleeper" continued the Foot
print, sis not the most comfortable
mode of travelling. Personally prefer
to ride on red cushion, but the heart
less and exorbitant demand of the rail
road trust for spot cash compelled me
to walk or come as freight. | came as
freight. "
"Sure, said Slug Seven.
"The unpleasant feature of the trip.
continued the Footprint, "was the base
betrayal of confidence on the part of
the brakeman with whom l negotiated
for an undisturbed passage. For a cash
consideration of six bits and drink of
liquor he verbally contracted to waybill
me from Milton to the division end at
Stockton. We went up street to take
the drink and-well, you know how one
word brings on another. By train time
the "a had sunk in my jeans had been
fished to the surface and sent across the
bar for red liquor
'"The brakeman was full when he
started for the yards. So was l when
started after him. The brakeman con-
fided to me ON the way through the
yards that he owned the whole train
and could ride anywhere and any way
l wanted to. l told him that was sur
rounding at least a quart of Milton
whisky and if it was all the same to
him and he had nice, dry, empty box
car would be shipped as an unbroken
original package. He agreed, and we
went over where the train was stand
ing made up to find that empty. The
brakeman ran door open, gave me a
hurried boost in and ran the door shut
and locked it. After a bit l struck a
match to look about and what do you
suppose that cuss had done?"
"Give it mp" said Slug Seven.
Chilled me as live stock, by gum
Fact There was locked in box with
two mules, both loose, and all of us
good to keep company to the division
end. What was that Sherman said
about war; Said it was hades, didn I
he2 Well, it amt. It's only an imita-
tion. The real, orthodox, rose colored
hades is to spend night in a locked
box car with two mountain ranch mules.
'It isn't a long run from Milton in,
and / concluded, after the train had
bumped along about three miles and
those scared mules had begun to charge
around and kick a rata tat-tattat on
the sides of the car, that the only plan
of campaign left to me was a flank
movement and sudden mounting OF
one of the animals. 1t wouldn't be a
dream of pleasure on that mules back,
but it would be safer than lodging four
rapid fire hind heels unlimbered for ac.
after little bucking he steadied down
tolerably well. The animal was evi
IDENTIFY scared to death and seemed tc
take comfort in being straddled by a
rider.
"Well, was just chuckling to my.
self over the state of affairs in the live
stock department of the Espee railway
and figuring that another hour would
see us in the division yards, where my
friend the brakeman would open the
door, when the train stopped. evidently
at a siding, as | knew we weren't neal
a station. We bumped about bit and
| took double wrap in the mules ears
then we stood still while some Other
cars were bumped about and then
heard two short toots of the whistle an(
a rumble that gradually grew fainter
The train had pulled out and we were
side tracked
"We staid there till morning. too
and l rode that son of a jackass, with {
backbone like the ridge Of church
roof. up and down and around that cal
every weary minute of all that weary
night. To quit riding meant to go t.
sleep. fall eff and have the liver ant
high lights and half tones tramplet
and kicked out of me by two scared
mountain mules.
81 estimate that rode that mule i3t
miles and three furlongs in that car
and the car Travelled II miles before be
ing side tracked. The remaining thre,
miles of the 90 between Milton anC
Stockton | made on foot, thus complet
ing jour ey Of 156 miles 8 fur
longs in straight line between tive
given points that are but 90 mile
apart, matLematically impossible feat
accomplished by one jackass with tn,
aid of two relatives ON the male side O
the house.
The Footprint sighed as he paused t.
bite off chew of tobacco, and Slul
Seven took advantage of the opening t.
remark that man who had Travelled 81
far under sr IN circumstances must b.
dry. Chicago Inter Ocean.