The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-06-23
A NIGHT OF MISERY.
RIDING IN A LOCKED BOX CAR WITH
TWO SCARED MULES.
Aa Experience Which, According to
the Victim, Made Sherlnan's Defni-
ton Of War Seem Like the Descrir-
ton of a Sunday SchOo Picnic.

the Victim. Made Sherman's Defini-
ton Of War Seen, Like the Descrio-
ton Of a Sunday School Picnic.
"Well," said the Footprint to Slug
Seven as he settled down on his stool
and began to throw in a handful Of
type, 'if l didn't have a time of it GET
ting down here out of those noun
tains.'
"Been up in the mines?' 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
eide door sleeper continued the Foot
print, els not the most comfortable
mode of travelling. Personally l prefer
to ride on a red cushion, but the heart
less and exorbitant demand of the rail.
road trust for spot cash compelled NE
to walk or come as freight. l came rs
freight"
"Sure," said Slug Seven.
"The unpleasant feature of the trip
LII was ClC otEC
betrayal of confidence on the part of
the brakeman with whom I negotiated
for an u~ndisturbed 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 up street to take
the drink and-well, you know how one
word brings on another. By train time
the 81 I had sunk in my jeans had been
fshed 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
fded to me on the way through the
yards that he owned the whole train
and l could ride anywhere and any way
I 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 a nice, dry, empty box
car l would be shipped as an unbroken
original package. He agreed, and we
vent over where. the train was stand |
ing made up to find that empty. The
brakeman ran a 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 up, said Slug Seven.
Chilled me as live stock, by gum!
Fact There | 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 hades, didn't
he? Well, it amt. It's only an imita-
ton. The real, orthodox, rose colored
,hades is to spend a night in a locked
box car with two mountain ranch mules.
LIT isn't a long run from Milton in,
and I concluded, after the train had
bumped along about three miles and
those scared mules had begun to charge
around and kick a rat-a-tat-tat-tat on
the sides of the car, that the only plan
of campaign left to M was a flank
movement and a sudden mounting of
one of the animals. It 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 &C
ton. l got on the mule all right, and
after a little bucking he steadied down
tolerably well. The animal was evil
IDENTIFY scared to death and seemed to
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 near
a station. We bumped about a bit and
l took a double wrap in the mules ears;
cars were bumped about and then l
heard two short tCots of the whistle and
a rumble that gradually grew fainter.
The train had pulled cut and we were
side tracked.
1--WE staid there till morning, too,
and | rode that son of a iackass, with a
backbone like the ridge Ct a church
roof up and down and around that car
every weary minute of all that weary
might. ~ gun IlulHS meant TO 90 10
sleep, fall eff and have the liver and
high lights and half tones tranIpled
and kicked ont Of me by two scared
mountain mules.
Il estimate that rode that mule 1856
miles and three furlonga in that car.
and the car travelled II miles before be
ing side tracked. The remaining three
miles of the 20 between Milton and
Stockton | made on foot. thus complet-
ing a journey of 1856 miles 3 fur.
longs in a straight line between two
given points that are but 90 miles
apart, a mathenlatically impossible feat,
accomplished by one jackass with the
aid OF two relatives on the male side of
the house.
The Enntnrint siUhed as he nal1sed IL