Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-10-07

were prime necessities at the front, he
volunteered to drive mules. His SER
vice expired just after he had been
wounded in this commissary work.
Sitting astride his wheeler one day a
Spanish sharpshOoter tumbIed him off
his perch, leaving his team to go
hckity-split toward the line in their
own cratic, pulling six-ways-at-once
fashion. he had been getting $156O a
month in the cavalry. He might have
gone on In the commissary service as
civilian mule driver at $50 q month
as long as they needed him. But the
steering Of six obstinate. whalebacked
mules over that superlatively rough
Siboney road was not exactly a fasci-
mating outlook The novelty had worn
of. And this sitting in a saddle and
being popped at by unseen parties and
close-shooting Mausers and smokeIess
powder did not appeal to his cooler
judgment. II was too one-sided for the
money, and no chance for even n ray
OF glory. Only the boss of a train
knew drivers worth, and he had no
hand in writing the dispatches for the
public or the department. Even when
he came out of the hospital with the
Spaniards on the point of surrender he
saw no sense In his old job. There
ought to be, he thought, mere money
in less trying pursuits, and more es-
pecially he saw this when he found he
had one shoulder joint that swung only
half way around.
Before coming to Cuba he had been
shipper in Rochester brewery. AS
soon as he got into Santiago he noted
the dearth Of beer IN that city. He
described the situation conciseiy in
collect cable despatch to his old firm:
Va 81, A ~
that n shipment had been on the way
for week consigned to n Cuban with
French name doing business on Gale
Marina. This despatch intimated that
he might head off the native. He met
the Cuban and genially led him out to
the American camp. Here he fed him
on canned beef and bacon, and In
cidentally secured the bill of lading.
Later he lost the native in the mazes
OF cavalry camp, where a guard dis
covered him peering suspiciously into
tents. The Cuban explained to the
sco!ing sentry that he was searching
for his friend. His adventures in the
guard tent for the next three DAYS
will probably furnish the Cuban with
thrilling evening talks to his grand
children n half n century from now.
The Americans were not enthusiastic
admirers of the Cubans.
Meanwhile the American ex-mule
owner paid the freight on the goods
when they came, and cabied for more
He saw the possibilities in a thirsty
army. He found a suitable shack on
the much travelled road at the edge OF
the town. This he pre-empted after a
| moderate resistance by the two big
lazy halfbreeds who We're sleeping
there; exactly how he never told.
though he dwelt with much minute
ness on other parts OF his tale, especial
ly so as to the Cuban's trip to his old
cavalry troop. OF course it was no
body's business where he got the ice
so long is there was enough to keep
the beer properly cold.
His 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 quarters
at him, and he threw bottles of
Rochester beer back 1t them. And the
men who were giving up the money
| considered that the eS~mule driver was
doing them favor tC sell it so reason
ably. When the heroks of the Santiago
battlefield came TO this place they
usually stayed till tIey were out of
money. They never got drunk. be it
known; they never hG d money enough.
Between the consignnents the dealer
would sit IN his doom and lament with
passing inquiring thirsty soldiers the
inequality of dema I'd and supply.
When the soldiers broke camp foc
home late in August they passed this
dealers place on the way to town. In
answer to many TOUCHING pantomimic
appeals he replied in expressive gesture
that he had just sole out.
l..
the last files. AS tia men looked re-
gretfuliy back they saw him waving
an arm that moved only half way
around. 1t Is said tlsSt he moved into
the heart OF Santiago after the original
army went home. Ne. doubt his Afneri-
can enterprise IL being duly rewarded
down there.