The Florida agriculturist., 1907-09-25

one story Of considerable length, we
give, this week, short story Of &C
knowledged fiction and another which
is claimed to be true one by the reg
ular Texas correspondent Of Home and
Farm. 1t sounds quite probable and
shows something of what those who
lived in the parts of the country which
were overrun by the armies, had to TN
dergo. The story is as follows:
During the Civil war a rather num-
erous class Of temporary immigrants
appeared in Texas known as "refu-
gees" The refugees were from the OIL
der States of the Mississippi valley,
who sought Texas as a harbor Of safe
ty from the fierce storms Of bloody
war. Texas suffered but little from in
vasion during the four years Of strife,
and was an ideal place OF refuge. A
pathetic song was popular at the time
called '"The Wandering Refuge.
Tn the fall Of 1868 Jesse Brinkley,
deaf mute, loaded his wife and child
and few hous sehold goods into two
mule wagon and left his home at Holly
Springs, Miss, for Leon county, lex.
Taking southwest course from Holly
Springs, travelling as a bee or a crow
would across the southeast corner OF
Arkansas and the northwest corner OF
Louisiana, the distance could be COW
cred in 400 miles Travelling as a two
mule wagon would and as Jesse Brink
lev did. the crooks and turns necessary
to be made would increase the route
to at least 500 miles.
To add to the difficulties deaf mute
must necessarily encounter on wagon
trin in time of war, and through a por-
tion Of country in possession OF that
countrvs enemies, Mrs. Brinkley was
seriously crippled A few weeks pre-,
v;ons to their departure wagon had
rim over her thigh and arm, 1nt11ctlng
painful injuries. Yet she cheer1ully
undertook the journey to the Lone
Star State, where she hoped to escape
the scenes. Of hostile armies and de-
vastated homes.
The Brinkleys had not been long
across the border of Mississippi and m
to the State of Arkansas until they tell
in with detachment Of the Federal
Armv The "Yanks' had no cOnsc1en-
tious scrup1es whatever about appro,,
nriatine anything SOutherner had
that thew wanted. The Brinkleys had
= wagon and two good mules. lhe|
"Yanks" needed mules and they very
unceremoniously "pressed'' these into
service for the United States govern
ment.
Had Mrs. Brinkley been born a boy
instead of a girl, she would doubtless
have become a lawyer, for as-an elo-
ouent D1eader she had few equals.
Seeking out the commanding officer OF
the troops and hobbling to his tent
upon her crutches, she made such an
appeal to his humanity that he at once
ordered her mules restored.
The next day, however, the BRINK
leys had another encounter with Uncle
Sans blue coats and again their mules
were seized. Good mules are always
a temptation to the predatory, and war
eives license to the strong to Cypress
the weak in wavs that would never be
thought of in times Of peace. This
second seizure of the Brinkleys' mules
resulted in their being taken several
miles before the good woman could
get into the presence of the proper
officer. When she did, though, she
made a strong and effectua1 plea for
the restoration Of her mules. She
told the officer that she nor her hus-
band had taken any part whatever in
the war, and that they were only en-
deavoring to get away from it. These
statements were entirely true. Jesse
Rrinkley being deaf and dumb, was,
of course a non -combatant The off