The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1899-07-06
A NIGHT OF MISERY
Riding in Box Car with Two
Scared Mules.

and began to throw in handful o
type, ''if diin't have time Of it get.
ting down here out of those mountains.
"Been up in the minea?" inquired
Slug Seven.
"Yep," replied the Footprint. Gus
came out Footed it from Angles I,
Milton yesterday and rode into Stock
ton on s'le door sleeper last night. A
side door sleeper, continued the Foot
print, is not the most comfortable mod,
Of travelling Personally / prefer tc
ride on red cushion, but the heartles,
and exorbitant demand of the railroad
trust for spot cash compelled me tc
walk or come as freight. came n,
freight"
"Sure, said Slug Seven
"The unpleasant feature Of the trip, u
continued the Footprint, twas the base
betrayal OF confidence on the part oil
the brakeman with whom | negotiated
Tor an undisturbed passage. For cash
consideration OF six bits and drink OF
liquor he verbally contracted TO waybill
me from Milton " lhU division end at
Stockton. We went up the street to
take the drink iud-you know how one
word brings on another By train time
the 81 had sunk in my jeans had been
fished to the surface and sent across the
bar for red liqror
"The breaknlu was full when he left
foT the yards 50 was | when | started
after him. The brakeman confded to
me on the way through the yards that
he owned the whole train and / could
ride anywhere aud anyway | wantod to.
told him that was surrounding at
least quart Of Milton whisLey aud it
il was all the same to him and he had q
uice, dry, empty box car would be
shipped rs an unbroken orlglonal pack
age. He agreed, and went over where
the train WAS standing made up, to find
that empty The breakman ran a door
open gave inc a hurried boost in then
ran the door shut and locked it,. After
q bit struck match TO look about and
what do you suppose that cuss had
doneY'
give it up" said Slug Seven
"Bllled me as live stock, my gum
Fact There ! was locked in Il box car
with two mul's, both loose, and.ull OF us
good to keep company to the division
end. What was that Sherman said
about war? Said il was hades, didn't
he2 Well it amt! It's only an imitation
The real, orthodox, rose colored hades
ifto spend the night in locked boxcar
with two mountain range mules"
1T isn't long run from Milton in,
and concluded after the train had
pumped along about three miles and
those scared mules had begun to
charge around and kick n rat-a-tat-ta
ON the sides of the car, that the only
plan OF campaign:leit 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 itwuuld he safer than lodging four
rapid flre hind heels unlmbered for ac-
ton got on the mule all right and
after little bucking he steadied down
tolerably well The animal was eyi.
IDENTIFY scared to death and seemed to
take comfort in being slraddled DO a
rider.
well, | was just chrckling 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 breakman would open tn,
door, when the train stopped, evidently
at siding, rs 1 knew we weren't neal
a station We bumped about bit an,
took double wrap in the mules ear
then we stood still while some olhe
cars were bumped about and then
heard two short toots Of the whistle ant
arumble that gradually grew iointer
The train had pulled out and we wer
side tracked.
1--WE stood there till worning, too
and rode the son Of u jackass, with
backbone like the ridge OF church roo
up and down and around that car every
weary minute Of all that weary night
To quit ridiuS meant to 90 to sleep, fal
off and have the liver and lights am
half tones trampled aud kicked out Q
me by twoscared mountain mules.
81 estimate that rode that mule l3'
miles and three iurlcngs in that car, an
the car Travelled II miles before bcin
Side tracked The remaining tire
miles OF the 20 between Milton an
Stockton | made on foot, thus complct
ing journey of 1856 miles 3 iurlongs in
straight line between two given point
that are but 20 miles apart
mathematically impossible feat, &C
complishei by one jackass with the nj
- q T., 10 q 4.