Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-05
WORSE THAN w II.
>ight Ride in IL Box Gar With Two
Mountain Mules.

I'rofl the New York SIN
We'll" said the Footprint to Slug Seven
as he settled down on his stool and began
to throw in a handful OF type, If | didn't
have d time of it getting down here out of
those mountains.
Been up i'll the mines? inquired Slug
Seven.
Yep replied the Footprint. Just came
out Footed il from Angels to Milton yes
terday and rode into Stockton on a side
door sleeper last night. A side-dOor sleep
err" continued the Footprint, lis not the
most comfortable mode Of travelling Per-
sonaily / prefer to ride on red cushion,
but the heartless and exorbitant demand of
the railroad trust for spot cash and the war
tax which plutocratic greed has put on
whisky compelled me to walk or come as
freight. 1 came freight
Sure" said Slug Seven.
The unpleasant feature of the trip" con-
tinued the Footprint. was the base be-
trayal of confidence on the part of the
bra keman with whom | negotiated for an
undiSturbed passage. For a cash consider
alton 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 10 take the drink and-weil.
you know how one word brings on another
BY train time the 81 | had sunk in my jeans
had been ftshcd to the surface and sent
across the bar for red liquor. The brake
man was full when he started for the yards
SO was | when l started after him. The
brakeman cOnhded to me on the way
through the yards that he owned the
whole train. and | could ride anywhere and
any way wanted to. / told him that | was
surrounding 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 went over
where the train was standing 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 bit |
ctr IrE l.4tr Oh n a n w IA IN
you suppose that cuss had done?"
Give it up said Slug Seven
BILLED me as live stock. by gum, Fact.
There 7 was, locked in a 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 he'll, didn't he? Well. it amt It's
only an Imitation. The real. orthodox. rose
ColOred hell is to spend night in d locked
box with two mountain ranch mules.
1t isn't d 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 ard
kick rat-a-tat. tat. tat ON the sides of
tina car. that the only plan of campaign
left 10 me was flank movement and Il
| sudden mounting of one of the animals. 1t
wouldn't be a dream of pleasure on that
mules back. but it would bo safer than
lodging four rapid-:ire hind heels unlim-
bered for action. | got on the mule ali
right and after a little buckiag he steadied
down tolerably well. The animal was evil
IDENTIFY scared to death, AMI seemed to take
comfort in being straddled by rider.
Well | just Chuckling to myself
over the state of affairs in the live stock
department of the Espee railway and fig
ur.ng that another hour woGd see us in
the division yards. whera my friend the
brakeman. would open the door. when the
train stopped, evidently at a siding, as I
knew weren't near a station. We
bumped about a bit. and | took a double
wrap in the mules ears: then we stood
still. while some other ears We're bumped
| about and then | heard two short toots of
the whistle and a rumble that gradually
| grew fainter. The train had pulie.l out, and
| we were side-trackedi We stayed there till
| morning, too, and / rode that son of a Jack
| ass, with a backbone Ike the ridge of a
| church roof. up and down and around that
/ car every weary minute of all that weary
| night. To quit riding meant to 90 to sleep