Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-21

4
Edith Brennan's name upon Colgate's lips
, Her memory had been brought back to me
| with renewed freshness by his chance
words. and SO strongly did it haunt me as
| to be almost a visible presence. AS 1
| swung my horse into our accustomed posi-
| ton was too deeply buried in reflection to
be clearly conscious of much that was oc-
curing about me. Suddenly, however,
| became aware that some one, nearly OBJ
scured by the enveloping cloud of dust was
riding without the column. In an independ-
ence of military discipline not to be per-
| mitted. In the state of mind was then In
| this discovery strangely irritated me.
Sergeant" I questioned sharply of the
| raw-boned trooper at the end of the first
platoon. what fellow is that riding out
| yonder?"
Its Their pesky little cuss as come in
with We yesterday, SIR he returned with
| a grin. Hes confiscated a muel some
whar an says he's a-goin' back hum long
| O. we unS.
| Curious to learn how Jed had emerg-
| ed from his arduous adventures,
| spurred my horse alongside of him.
| The little man, bending forward obviously,
| as If fearful of accident, was riding bare
| back on a gaunt, long-legged mule, Whlch,
| judging from all outward appearances,
must have been some discarded asset or the
| quartermaster's department. The animal
| was evidently a complete wreck, and
dropped along, dragging one foot heavily
| after the other as if every move were liable
| to be the last, his head hanging deJectedly,
|
| the half-closed eyes at each step. Alto
| gefher the two composed SO melancholy
picture it was with difficulty 1 suppressed
my strong inclination to laugh.
| Going home, jedi" l asked, as ne
| glanced up and saw me.
| list as durn quick as kin git thar" he
| returned emphatically. by gum, Cap, l
amt bin way from Marian long as this
| afore in twelve year Reckon she thinks
I've skedaddled fer good this time, an. all
| be a takin up with some other male critter
| lest git back thar mighty sudden. Won
! ems odd. Cap, durn nigh as ornary bout
some things as a muel
IT have never enjoyed much experience
| with them" said, but 1 confess to know
| ing something about mules. Now that
| seems to be rather an extraordinary speci-
men you are riding"
He eyed his mount critically.
"Durned if ever 1 thought I'd git astride
O any four-legged critter agin," he said,
rubbing himself as If in sudden and painful
recollection of the past. But l sorter
picked up this yere muel down ct Their cor
raj, an he's tew durn wore out "a totin'
things fer you uns ter ever move often
walk. 1 sorter reckon it's heap easier
sittin we're than ter take 1t afut all Their
way ter Their mountings."
He certainly has the appearance of be-
Ing perfectly safe, but you know mule Is
always full of tricks
"Oh. this en- amt" confidently. "Why,
he's so durn wore out yankin things
round tibet he's bin plum asleep all Their
muel will wake up an git move on itself
if we blow in his carr"
who told you that?''
1.-THE Teller down ct Their quartermaster's
corral. He said as how tibet wuS Their way
Their niggers got 'em ter go long whin they
got tew durn lazy. Blamed If I don't
blieve I'll try 1t Jist fer onst, fer I'd like
durn we'll ter git ahead out O. this pesky
dust"
I had never before seen such an expert
ment tried, but slight knowledge of the
nature of the animal involved induced me
to rein back my horse, and to that precau-
ton 1 have no doubt l owe my life. Jed
blew only once; he lacked opportunity to
do more for shock Of electricity could
never have more quickly aroused that mule.
His long ears We're erected with a snap his
short, spike tail shot out straight while
his heels cut the air In furious semicircles,
as he backed viciously. heard yell from
Jed saw him clasp his arms lovingly about
the animals neck, caught a confused
glimpse of the wildly cavorting figure amid
| the red dust cloud, and then, rear on, and
flashing out crafty that juggernaut Of a
| mule struck the unsuspecting advancing
| column of troopers, and plunged half
through their close-set ranks before they
even realized what had happened. Horses
plunged wildly to escape; here and
crush oaths, blows. shouts of anger rang
| out, while beneath the dense dust
cloud frightened horses and startled rid
ers struggled fiercely to escape. For the
and l could only trace the disastrous pas
sage of Bungay by the shouts of angry men
and the sharp cries of injured horses.
Captain Wayne, what does all this mean,
| sir? what is the cause of the disorder in
your troop"
| 1t was the majors voice, stern, indignant,
commanding. l dashed the tears of laugh
| ter from my eyes and strove to face him
| decorously
"a mule, sir which has taken a fit of
kicking. l will straighten them out in a
moment"
| 1 wheeled and peered into the rolling,
surging mass of dust, out of which there
arose such hubbub of sounds as to make
the noise of battle tame by comparison.
Catch the brute by the bride. two of
you," I roared stoutly. Craig. Whortley.
what are you hanging back for? Go in
| there! Take hold of the devil from in front;
there is no danger at that end"
The stern words Of command, the return
of discipline, seemed to steady that seeth-
ing, fighting mass in an instant; there was
| a squeal. a curse, slight settling down of
the dust cloud. and two red-faced, perspir-
| ing troopers emerged from the jam, drag
ging the yet reluctant mule by main
| strength behind them. AS they cleared the
/ line Of the column Bungay rolled off the
animals back and, in his eagerness, came
down on all fours
''Well." said. sarcastically, "what do you
think of your mule noW2'
'By links, cap" and his face Lit up with
intense admiration as he surveyed the ami
NAL, burned If 1 don't take him hum. Gee!
whut scrap Marian an tibet muel kin
have!"
The major pushed through the curious line
] of troopers and faced him angrily.
what do you mean by running your dod-
gasted old mule into this column" he thun-
dered. "Who are you. anyhow? Blamed If
the little fool hasn't done more damage
than Yankee battery.
Jed faced him ruefully.
II didn't go ter dew 1t, mister" he ex-
planned. "rher muel wus jist pinted Their
wrong way. I never knowed Their mean OF
cuss whit backar like thet.'
The wrath on the majors face caused me
| to interfere. In a few words made every
| thing clear, and substantial justice was at
| tanned by an order for Jed to move on with
| his animated battering ram. He disap-
peared dolefully in the dust cloud. the mule.
| once more asleep, trailing lazily behind him.
The troop, slightly disfigured, closed up
| their broken ranks and the weary march
was resumed.
1t was long after dark the second day
when, thoroughly wearied, we turned into
an old tobacco field and made camp for the
night. To right and left Of our position
glowed the CHEEKY fires, telling where
Early's command bivouacked in line of bat
-