Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-09-28
A HUNT ON THE HIGHWAY.


at the wayside>inns were robbed; and
che people had their pockets picked
All this happened in the region of coun-
try between Sidney and Lowstone-not
a field of vast extent-and yet the rob
Der or robbers could not be found. Of
scers had searched in every direction,
and several suspicious looking individu-
ais had been apprehended but the real
culprit still remained at large. One day
the mail was robbed, and on the next
man had his pocket picked of FIVE hun
dred pounds, while riding in the stage
coach--for my narrative dates back to
che old coaching days. The money had
been carried in his breast pocket, and he
knew that it was stolen from him while
he was enjoying bit of doze on the
road.
/ had been confined to my house by
severe cold for several days, and was not
ct 70 go out now; but as this matter was
becoming serious, 1 felt it my duty to be
on the move, and accordingly fortified
my throat and breast with flannel and
set forth. l had no settled plan in my
mind, for l had not yet been upon the
road, and was not thoroughly " posted
up" A ride of five miles brought me
to Sidney, and thence | meant to take
coach to Lowstoue, where Sam Stickney,
one of the shrewdest of men lived
Stickney had already been on the search,
and wished to consult him before max
ing any decided movement. / reached
Sidney at half past FIVE in the morn, and
the coach left at six. Lowstone was
sixty miles distant, so / had good ride
before me. During the early part oI
the day l rode on the box with the dri
yer, and from him l gained considerable
information touching the various robber
les that had been committed. He wa;
forced to admit that several people haC
been robbed in his stage, though he de
clared that he couldn't see into it for hC
had not the most remote idea even o
who the robber could be.
We reached Bonniville at noon, wher'
we stopped to dine, and when we lef
this place was the only passenger. A
the distance of ten miles, at villag,
called Cawthorne, we stopped to chang
horses, and here another passenger go
up. I had been occupying the forward
seat, as that happened to be wider thai
the others; and gave me better oppor
tunity for lying down; and when tn
new conner entered he took the bacl
seat He was young man, judged
and not very tall in stature, but so com
pIetely bundled up was he in shawls an
rnuf1ers that his size of frame was nc
easily determined.
He was very pale, and coughed yer.
badly-and at once made up my min
that he was far less fs to travel than
was. After we had got fairly on on
way, l remarked to him that had bee
suffering from severe cold, and ths
this was the first time / had venture
out for quite a number of days. ii
looked at me with pair of dark brigt
eyes; and when he seemed to have d.
termined what manner of man was, b
said:
"I have something worse than col
air" He broke into fit of coughir
which lasted minute or so and tbs
added, " 1t won't be a great while b
fore shall take my last ride
Again he was seized with spasm
coughing, and when he had recoVert
from it, he continued The disease
eating me up and shaking me to piec
at the same time"
He further informed me that he NJ
started on tour for his health, but th
he had given it up, and now was on B
way home, which place he was anxious
reach as soon as possible. Another pa
oxysm seized him at this point and
intimated that he was unable to conVer
as the effort brought on his cough.
had noticed this, and had made up \
mind to trouble him no more, even
fore he had given me the hint.
After this he drew bis outer sha
more closely about his neck and face a
having secured an easy posture ne eli
ed bis eyes, and / was not long IN folio
ing his example. Toward the midc
of the afternoon the coach stopped a
small village where we changed hori
again, and where four passengers got !
This broke up the arrangement OF
friend and self for rest as he had TO ia
one of the strangers on bis seat, whii'
took another upon mine, the ether