Show Using Tobacco-Using Soldier Mule Ends Service ST. ST PAUL UP UP Deacon Deacon the tobacco to to- bacco chewing bacco-chewing hewing mule of the Fort Snelling Snell Snell- ing army post past recently f faced ced the firing firing fir fir- ing squad and wh when n the whit white faced faced gray backed long ear slumped to the ground another army tradition became be be- came legend The Deacons Deacon's single handed initiation initiation initia initia- tion of ot new recruits is the tradition and nd also perhaps the reason reason why post records showed him to be 33 years old three old three years ears beyond the retirement age age In in 1919 28 years years' old oldin oldin in ln 1924 and only 24 years old the day of cf Jf his death The Deacon invariably recognized the status o of each raw recruit who loitered near the stable yard ard fence In all aU humility the Deacon would nose zose ingratiatingly through the fence The fhe recruit invariably mounted the fence to cement a lifelong friendship with the trustworthy beast The doc docile le Deacon would plod gently away with his his' new found friend aboard At the tile center of or the yard ard the Deacon would unloose a spellbinding display of leaps bounds and back back- rolls during which no r recruit ruit ever ever retained his seat The old soldiers say never attempted to repeat the act with the same Lame soldier nor did he hetry try it even once with the regulars regular |