The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-15

tanned in the States Of Kansas and Colo.
RADIO.
During this Spring Colorado Territory
was cut of from the west end Of Kan
sas. About tho same time the Santa Fe
mail route was changed from the old
Cimarron road to the Ration route via
Fort Wise, bringing our malls regularly
thereafter twice month.
About April l was detailed to go back
to the beef herd and take charge of the
same, with four men besides myself.
About the last of April We got papers
containing an account OF the lombard
ment of Fort Sumter and its capture by
the rebels. This brought more changes
among our officers, some going South, 9th
ers promoted and going East to join new
regiments.
A WHISKY TRADE.
Now and then a whisky peddler would
smuggle a barrel of whisky into the Vi
cinity of the fort, hiding In the timber
through the day and signaling the where
abouts of the barrel to the soldiers at
night by means of a light, and he was
generally sure of selling out at a good
profit
1 had no need to patrouize the whisky
peddlers, as | had carte blanche to Ran
SONS commissary, but / used to go with
the boys sometimes just for fun.
One night | attended a seance Of this
kind about two miles down the bottom,
where l found a fellow dealing out rot
gut from a barrel in the front end of
his covered wagon by the light of a can
die. Money was scarce among the SOL
diers just then, the Paymaster not having
been to see MS lately; but it was cold
day when the average soldier could not
raise the wherewith to buy a canteen of
whisky.
Bob Chambers, of Co. r, came along
with an empty canteen and nary a cent,
looking mighty thirsty, and stood around
watching for some opening to raise a
stake" as he said, when he noticed a
soldier step up to the wagon and trade
the peddler a good new blanket for a
ket, threw it back into the dark end of
his wagon, filed the soldiers canteen,
and went on with his traffic. Bob's eagle
optic quickly took in the opportunity.
Walking quietly back to the hind end of
the wagon, he reached in under the cover,
hauled out the blanket, took it up to the
front and offered it for a canteen full Of
liquor.
As it was a nice new one, the man
readily accepted the trade, throwing the
blanket back as before. As there was
quite crowd around, Bob soon got help
enough to clean up that canteen full, and
went back, drew the same blanket out
again and sold it for another measure.
This operation he repeated three times,
and when he came up on the fourth round
the whisky dealer remarked:
II don't b'leve | want to trade for any
more blankets. I'm gittin' bout as many
as | can take. Let me count up an see
how many I've got And taking the
candle he looked back in the wagon to
ind he had none.
With a look of blank dismay he turned
back to Bob and looking him straight in
he face for a moment exclaimed:
Say, mister soldier, I'll give you can
cen of whisky if you'll just go away from
lere and stay away
III do it." said Bob, as he passed in
his canteen and the circulating medium
blanket), remarking as he walked away:
THAT blanket was purity well sold, but,
hen, the Teller got the worth of his
whisky. for he now knows so much more
han he did"
On another occasion just after pay day,
when money was plenty, whisky ped
Her had opened up barrel down in the
imber and had sold out most of it, when
Ome of the men who were running short
II whisky money conceived the brilliant
dea of collecting q license tax off the
iealer to partially get even with him.
A party OF five of them put on their
)elts and arms, and personating q detaeh-
hcut VI iut que DI them n1NlIlS
Sergeant's jacket. made raid
IN the whisky man. took him prisoner
md started off with him toward the guard
louSe. After taking him about a mile, in
rider to give the boys who were left at
he wagon chance to finish up what was
eft in the barrel, the supposed Sergeant
halted and held parley with the pris-
'ner, explaining the situation to him thus:
I'VE don't want TO take you to the |
guard house. If we do you will get !
your wagon and team and |
III you have will be confiscated. and you |
will get a good long term at hard labor |
With ball and chain, and then 80 lashes |
IN the bare back, and drummed out of |
he garrison. We will let you off easier |
han that. You give US $40 apiece-that |
will be $50 for the party-and we will |
ct you go. You go back to your wagon,
itch up and skip, and we will report to
he commanding officer that you had gone
efore we got there"
The frightened whisky peddler was only
90 glad to agree to these terms. counted
he boys out five $40 gold pieces, and
rent back to his wagon to find that the
arrel had been emptied while he was
one. But he was glad to get off at that
rice, and lit out, happy to think that he
ad narrowly escaped the punishment that
he bogus Sergeant of the guard had so
iyidly portrayed.
Ito be continuedD