The sun., 1899-04-23
WORSE THAN WAR.
Footprints Night Ride In Box Car with
Two Mountain Mules.

Footprints Night Ride in Box Car with
Two Mountain Mules.
Well" said the Footprint to Slug Seven as
he settled down on his stool aud began to
throw in a handful Of tyne. III didn't have
time OF IL getting down here out OF those noun
tains.'
Been UP in the mines?" inquired Slug
Seven.
Yep" renlied the Footprint. Just came
out. Footed it from Angels to Milton yester-
day and rode into Stockton on a side.doo
sleeper last night A sGe. door sleeper" con-
tinucd the Footprint. rs not tho most COM
Portable mode OF travelling. Personally.
rrefer to ride on a red cushion. but the heart
less and e1orbitant demand OF the Railroad
Trust for spot cash and the war tax which
ulutocratic greed has put on whiskey COM
PEELED me to walk or come "a freight. ] came
as freight
Sure" said Slug Seven.
THE unpleasant feature OF the trim" con-
tinued the Footprint was the base betrayal
OF confidence on the part OF the brakeman with
whom negotiated for an undisturbed passage
For a cash consideration Of six bits and a drink
Of liquor he verbally contracted to waybill me
from Milton to the division end at Stockton.
We went u. street 10 take The drink and-well.
YOU know how one word brinEs On another.
had been lished TO the surface and sent across
the bar for red linuor. The brakeman was full
Thsa as ef tn" fs F9f TGe
to me on the way through the yards that he
owned the. whole train and could rlde any
that | was surrounding ut least a quart Of Mil
ton, whisks.y and II i was all the same 70 him,
Ia shipped as an unbroken original rack age
He agreed and We went over whore the train
Wa f;ta1ding made uG @ to fnd that empty
locked it,. After a bit struck match to ook
about and what do you suppose that cuss had
done:"
give It up" said Slug Seven: u,, ..
There l was locked in box with two mules.
10th loose. and all Of US % good to Keen Keen cpmpany
real. orthodox. rcse.colored, he'll is 70 spend a
ranch mules. 1t isn't long run from Milton
in. and concluded. after the train had bumned
%ns three miles miles and os9 seo
raj. a-tat tat tar on'the sides of.the car. that
the only plan Of ca~,paiCn, left to me was 2
pleasure on that mules back, but It would he
iimbered for a"ti!H., sot on the mule, ali
right, and after little bucking he steadied
oeraS well The animal was a. ey
comfort in being straddled by rider. :, .
Well was Just ch!Gklipg il,h y to my myself over
]
ment OF the Espee Railway. and figuring that
another hour would see us In the division
yards. where my friend. the brakeman, would
opcn thedoor. when the train stOpped evident
" at a siding. as / knew we wereDt near a sta
tion. We bumped about bit and I took q
double wra: in the mules ears then we stood
stl'l while some other cars were bumped about
and then heard two short toots of the whistle
and a rumble, thai gradually grew fainter.
The train had pulled out and we were side
tracked! We STAYED there till morning. 100.
and / rode that son Of a Iackass with back
bone like the ridge OF church roof. un and
down and around that car every. weary minute
OF all that weary night To quit ridnR meant
70 go to eleen fall Of and have the liver and
kicked out OF me ny two scared mountain
mules estimate that rode that mule l3G
miles and three furongs in that car'and the
car travelled seventeen miles before heing;
e-tracked.. The remaining three miles OF
lie twenty between Mton and stockton !
made on foot. thus completing journey ot
1873 niles three furlongs in straight che
tween two given points that are bur twenty
miles APART. a mathematicallv impossible feat
accom- nlished bv one iackass with the aid oi
two relatives on the male aide Of the house.
The Footprint sighed as he paused to bite
: off a chew Of cbacco, and Slug Seven took ad-
vantage OF the opening 10 remark that man
who had travelled so far under such ctrcum-
! stancps must be dry