The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-01-14
JOHNS0N'S TRIP.

They called him Tough" 1ohu
post and be answered cheerful, The
name with candid appreeiation =, The
ness. VI lu 1t.
Not that he boosted Of his tou,h.
cept IN its physical aspect. On s ~ e.
trary, he always asserted that bs con
unfortunate victim OF circumstano.,'s lhe
marched before any OF the const;tns. shsh
thorities OF the regiment, and bis u az
explanation OF the circumstance saSS''oe
terms IN the guardhouse almost a. ~ Mn
lid his undeniable value as mule. as
He would have been drummed on, " Iaf'
regiment, or belted out of il " ne
times had it not been for the TACT t ,S'eIsN
wagon boss could not get along w;tb ,ua' lae
when it came TO pinch. uh
Tough Johnson's besetting ~,
and the root of most of the evil be ,.a's
was his fondness for strong drint ngsh
could not get any OF the ardent fronsW
whisky dear to his heart he still 'oHl'f
discouraged or cast down. Lemon pr,r. NY
painklller or Jamaica ginger would serv"e,
turn almost as welland at Pena Color,daIlA
was seldom reduced to these substifn,ss us
At that time the regiment had ,egs,.1
tachments of 20 or more men na,ran' ue'
the Rio Grande at various points ~ lung
cept smugglers and their supplies Ivy,
sent out to them from Pena Co,o.'Is
monthly by wagon. One bright Nav ' rna..
ing Jonnson was detailed to take ~,
over to the detachment at the mor,b "
Green river, with a warning from tn oa. "
termaster to behave himself. 44''
yes, sir" SAID johnson, salutn, ,r...
ly. I've ben extry careful TO keen an, :,
trouble for some time. | never aid b,n,4
fuss with anybody, but I'm onlucky 'o,s.
times. As fer drinkin', | don't bl;eys T5
take a drink if you was to offer me o,aS
He looked wistiully at the quartermss..
as he spoke and his eyes grew moist and 4,
lower lip dropped in peculiar manner
I'm not going to put temptation in van,
way, 80 don't be uneasy" said the ouar,s,
master, reassuringly. "As for keeping N,
OF trouble, | think that is principaly h
cause the Mexicans have got shy. Tbs /,
going to be heavy load and yon will t,ks
team of those big mules from Marysyill,
if you think they are hard enough BY M,
time, and one OF the new wagons. Yousn
start as soon as you get loaded"
johnson saluted again and hurried oHio
the corral for his mules, exuting at tbs
thought OF driving the big Missouri beast,
that had been squealing and kicking outo
the fullness Of oats in their stables for the
past week.
1t was about a three-days' trip to Green
river and back, but when three DAYS hal
passed there was no johnson. The three
days grew into a week and still he did not
return. Then the quartermaster grew un
easy and a scouting party was sent out
along the Green river trail. II was found
that Johnson had arrived at the camp IN
good time and had delivered the supplies
and started back for the post Since then
no one had seen or heard OF him. So the
scouting party returned to the post and re
ported.
1t was six weeks later that The quarter
master. riding out along the Rio Grandr
saw approaching a wagon that seemed 10
move in some mysterious way without mo-
tive power. He stopped and wondered, and
then, getting out his field glasses, surveyed
it long and intently. 1T looks something
like a government wagon he observed TO
the orderly, but can't yet make out wha
is pulling it. 1t looks like a mardigsa
float | guess well investigate this"
They rode to meet i. and as they ct
nearer they saw that the quartermos,ers
guess was right. it was a government
wagon, nearly new, and attached 10 il Wae
six Mexican mules not much larger than
goats. Their harness was much too bgto
them and had been tied on 10 them. Mount
ed on one Of these little animals, With BIS
knees drawn nearly up to his chin to keep
his feet off the ground, was "Iouga" John'
son.
Tough, with two black eyes surround
ed by halo of touseed hair and SIX
weeks stubble Of red beard, pulled up bis
team, Strengthened himself into military
rigidity and saluted.
is that you, Johnson?" exclaimed The
quartermaster.
at certainly are, sir" returned johnson
in melancholy but resigned voice
Where have you been for the last s1
weeks and what have you done with those
muesg'
well, sir" said johnson, "it's 'og
story. ] got my load to the camp all rgN
and started back in good shape, but va,
in too much of rush to get back, az !
took short cut and came out on AIkah
creek. made a fair days driYe, an along
about shutdown | found a place to camp
good wood, grass and water. hobbed il'm
mules out an got myself some supper
IL don't care a hang about your w
per-" shouted the quartermaster. Nla'
did you do with the mules!'
johnson looked injured. 81 hobbled en-,
sir" he answered, "but hadn't thougat.V
that tender alkal grass, an they Jist nll'l
mp on it. That's where my trouble began,
You never seen such cases of alkall eoN's
them mules had, sir, an when some y.
better the others got worse, an ] had Oml
grain for one day an had to let en-
on eatin' the grass to keep EN- from sIal'
ing. ! worked like beaver, sir, an ~,
in them six weeks doctorin an nu's~
them mules. You see, sir, didn ~
DO you mean to say they all aleu'
asked the quartermaster. "a
why, no, sir; nary one of EN- o'sJ
These are the same mules. They've s9lunS,
some with the collie, but they're olres -
they're cured of the collie, sir. '-CnsAss
Daily News.
He Got His Pass.
Tho rnnapf ,.at,,rr 81 Can kitclene "