Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-10-19
MISCELL A n Y.
The Vail RObber:

TIE STAGE DRIVERS ADVENTURE.

N''''
Fourteen years ago | drove from Dan
bury to Litteon, a distance of forty-two
mil, 5, and as had to await the arrival of
two or three coaches, did not start until al-
ter dinner so very often lad good dis
tance to drive after dark. 1t was in the
dead of winter, and the season had been a
tough one. A great deal of snow had fall.
en-, and The drifts were plenty and deep.
The mail that carried was not due at Lit
Teton, by the contract, until one O'Clock in
the morning but that winter the posmas-
ter was very often obliged 10 sit up little
later than that for me.
One day in January. when / drove up
for my mail at Danbury, the postmaster
called me into his office.
"Pete," said he, with an important, seri-
Gus look, '.lhere's some pretty heavy money
packages in that bag !" and he pointed to
( the bag as he spoke. He said the money
was from Boston TO some land agents UP
near the Canada line. Then he asked me
! ifFdany passengers who were going through
/ TO Iittleton. / told him did not know, but
suppose haven't" SAYS !.
"Whv," said he, "the agent of the lower
route came in to-day, and he says that there
have been two suspicious characters on Tho
stage that came up last night and lie sus
poets that they have an eye upon this mail
so that it will stand you in hand 10 be lit
tie careful
He SAID the agent had described one o
them as short. thick-set fellow, about forty
years of age, with long hair, and a thicl
heavy clump of beard under the chin, bu
none on the side Of his face. He didn'
know ANYTHING about the other. ! told thu
old fellow guessed there wasn't much dan
ger.
30. no, not if you have got passenger
through; but l only told you of this so tia
you might look out for your mail, and lool
out for it when you change horses
answered that should do so, and thel
took the bag under my arm and left th'
office. / slowed the mail under my seat
little more careful than usual, placing it $
that could keep my feet against its bu
bevond this did not feel any concern
!, 1t was past one when ! started, and ! ha,
four passengers, two of whom rode only t
my fl rst stopping place. | reached Gowan'
Mills at dark, when we stopped for supper
and where my other two passengers conclu
, ded to stop for the night.
About six o'clock in the evening | lei
Gowan's Mills alone, having two horses an
an open pung
had seventeen miles TO go,-and har
seventeen it was 100. The night was quit
S clear. but the wind was sharp and cold til
loose snow flying in all directions, while til
d drifts were deep and closely packed.
was slow, tedious work, and my horses 500
became leg-weary and restive. Al the di
tance of six miles came to little settl'
ment called Bulls Corner, where | too
fresh horses. I'd been two hours going th
distance Joet os vra0 ,lsoins 20 otart,
man came up and asked me if was goin
through 10 Liitleton. l told him ] shoul
20 through if the Thing could possibly |
done. He said he was very anxious to 9
and as he had no baggage, ! told him
iump in and make himself as comfortabl
as possible. | was gathering up my lin,
when lie hosller came out and asked me
| knew that one of my horses had cut hin
self badly? Jumped ont and went wit
him, and found that one of the animals ha
got deep cork cut on the off fore foot.
gave such directions as l considered ncce
sary, and was about to turn away, wht
the hostler remarked that he thought can
alone. told him | did.
"Then where did you get that passenger!
said he.
"IIe just got in,' l answered.
'.Got in from wlerei'
81 don't know"
well now,a said the hostler, "lhat's kin
L. O. curious. There aint no such man bee
at the house, and know there aint bee
none at any of the neighbour
Lets have a loak at his face" said
I'VE can get that much at any rate. j.
you go back with mt, and when | get I'M
the pung. Just hold your lantern so that Il
light viii shine into his face
lie did rs | wished, and as | stepped ini
the pung 20, view Of such portions
nv passengers face rs were not muilie
up. | saw a short. ihiek frame; full, har
features. and could also see that there ";
a hravv beard under the chin. ] tlousl
Of the man whom tho postmaster had d.
scribed 10 me but didn't think seriousl
F upon il until had started. Perhaps ! ha