Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

32 A FIRE IN THIE REAR.
Grande very fresh or palatable after standing in barrels.
Of course, all kinds of liquor were at a premium in that
thirsty place. This scarcity doubtless prompted to an amusing trick, whereby, as will be perceived, a tolerably shrewd
Yankee got a 1" fire in the rear," which demolished his calculations for a small fortune. Jonathan had by some means
obtained a barrel of cider, with which small stock he determined to "set up" business. To scrape together a few
boards and odd bits of canvass, enough to build a small
shed, was but the work of a brief hour; to set his barrel on a
couple of skids in the back part of the tent, to tap it and to
commence retailing the cider at two dimes a glass, occupied
but a short time more. Customers flocked in by dozens, and
Our Yankee was making his " etarnal fortin " at a stride.
Some of his patrons complained, that two dimes a glass for
cider was an outrageous price; but the times were hard as
well as hot, whisky scarce, water bad, the retailer's conscience easy; he had all the cider in the market, and he
C" ralely could not afford to sell any cheaper."
For several hours the Yankee was as popular as a paymaster, crowds filled his shanty, his cider went off rapidly,
and the deep pockets of his short-legged pantaloons contained silver enough to start a free bank in Indiana. But
the tide of fortune unfortunately began to ebb before the
cider was half sold; his patrons gradually fell off, and by
the middle of the afternoon, Jonathan was left alone with his
barrel, to whittle and cogitate upon the mutability of trade;
speculating it may be, too, as to the time required in that
climate to convert apple juice into vinegar. Towards even