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Show 76 FROM FORT BRIDGER referred to my cook prepared a breakfast of broiled trout, boiled eggs, fried potatoes, radishes, hot cakes fit for royalty, and when in the midst of it, the loud and familiar sound of the bugle and its reverberations told that the tents must fall. Would the reader have been less disgusted than I was ? But I finished my breakfast as they lifted the tent over me. Afterward, when mounted on my horse and leisurely smoking my pipe, I better enjoyed the effect of the echo to the call to which the soldiers have applied the words : " I know you are tired, but still you must go, So shoulder your musket and march along slow.** On the trip to Fort Bridger, that terminated in an adventure in a snow- storm, to which I referred in my last, I was much amused by a teamster we met in this canon. Coming to a miry place, our ambulances were halted for me to select the best crossing, and at the same time a rather Hoosier- like fellow, with two or three wagons, approached the opposite side of the slough. I had about decided where to attempt the cross-, ing when he came up, but thinking I might profit by/ his larger experience, we had a conversation as follows : " This is rather a bad place, sir," said I. " Well yes ' tis a little damp." ( We afterward found the liquid mud to be a foot and a half deep.) " But don't you think it safer to attempt to cross here than above ?" " Well yes you might try." " Do you think it safe to make the attempt with the ladies in the ambulance ? " u Well yes don't see any mules' ears, or wagon bows sticking out somebody has crossed, or gone clean under." ct Seriously, don't you think there is a firm bottom under this mud ? " " Well yes if you go down deep enough to reach it." " Joking aside, my friend, would you advise me to attempt it here or at the crossing above ? " |