Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-08-10


,EIOOEII M kHAHaAf
How Tom Corwin Converted Stage fun
Of Democratic.
When Tom Corwin was running for the
Govcrnorship Of Ohio, great was the fuss
made ofhis having gonce,upon a time been toagl
on bog. '"The Ohio Wagon Boy" they call.
ed him, and many and eloquent were che ap-
peals make by his friends to the people to
support the Wagon Boy" although as my
informant told me, he had never distinguish
ed himself in that line but once, in driving 1
load of provisions to the army about ninety
miles. Wen, a few weeks before the election
Corwin, with couple of friends, entered the
the stage running betwecn 7---and Lancaster.
They had not Travelled far when the war of
words grew hot and strong between the
friends Of the candidate, and the rest Of the
passengers, who, it seems, were hardshell
Democrats, to a man, until mile or so be-
fore they entered Lancaster, it was proposed
that Tom should give them a specimen of his
powers Of ofdriying, and prove that his rcplta
ton as /" Wagon Boy /" was not wholly unde-
served He would fain have declined, FOR he
knew to drive down the steep hill on which
the town is built, was none Of the easiest
and the sudden turn he would be obliged to
make at the bottom Of said hill at full speed
in order to reach the stage Office, might some
what damage his claims as to the supreme
excellence Of driving But no refusal would
they take, 60 he must and finally the driver
having been induced to relinquish his seat
and take TOMS vacated one inside, said Tom
snugly cnsconccd himself in the drivers box
and took the " ribbons !" in his hands, rcsoly-
ed to trust his lucky star to carry him thro' .
With queer mixture Of" coachy y and par
liamentarian in his first encouragement to
the horses to 60. get u1', gentlemen, away they
started, charging over the brow Of the hill,
directly past Tom Ewing residence in full
view Of the Senator himself and his family,
the whole crowd cheering like lunatics down
the hill they ratified and rushed Tom, his
dark face shining with delight, laying on the
whip at every jump, the passengers scrcach-
ing and yelling like Camanchese on war
trail. Before they were half way down the
hill the whole town was in anruproart; wheth-
er the racket heard was the forcrlnner of an
earthquake, or proceeded from charge of
savages, could not be satisfactorily ascertaincd
at first, and no one could tell, run or STAY
As long as there was straight road it was
straight sailing, but the horrible turn to reach
the stage Office, which stood little distance
from the highway, was the thing to be dread
ed. The tract which led to the office took a
circular sweep round a little. way, and led
close up before It. Had the amateur driver
allowed the horses their own way, all would
have been well, for they well trained, and
had travelled the road for years But no !44--
with a violent combination of a pull, haul,
jerk and kick, (hc had lost part Of his reins
half in his hands and the rest twincd
around his body and legs he wrenchcd the
horses square off q rod before about three
cords of wood, without the least abating their
speed. He had just time to convulsivey
close his eyes and draw a long breath when,
with a bump and a jar, and tremendous
shake, they were up square before the Office,
and nary tip over. How they got over that
pile Of wood no mortal man knows, for Tom
declares ne does not But safe they were,
although that unlucky wood pile was lying
in wreck and ruins all over the street, and
round about them. -. ......,
The paralyzed officials, as soon as they re-
covered from the stupor into which the infer
nal din and racket had thrown them, rush
cd pei mel, and wanted to know 9 what the
l;tcst how ana viii, h;s honJ ~, Sh;s L.ar,
(to keep them from hearing how hard 1t beat,
,roS r,a,.Iv .ha Woaon Rn,, '.;v;,,, .h",', - =
sna.;rnan ~ he .rt -" ny s''"'s "'s"' |"
Tn about avs ,a;n,to. 4ho ,,bo,o .o,,,, - :
there Waving with hn aston;sbmert a thu % dsnnI ~
ishcd wo0dpile, and cheering frantically for
nv ~, "' 'l'e o'o -s," ny 70
Ing passengers goi o't suodueciy, one Dy
one, peugns themselves % yote' ior Corwln
-iol, as ohc cAPtesscu ~ II nc was gooo
enough u,lver 70 dTlve os s,agc coacn over
lllree coras ol WOOL ana NOT sp'il a man, nc was
srrsiy gouou'ousn he'hisma,, % steer the snip
ol eulte 'lroush all INC pelis ana dangers,
however great.
/ . 1T - eF''-rE 1T
Coon ROPE WALKlNG.--Mr. John Stiekell,
by occupation, was engaged in building a
m.i ior mr.. Jonn Cushwa. Inc building,
orick STRUCTURE, was up 70 Inc square; anlm-
0lN n