Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-08-31
A sTAsE ORIysR's A0YEHTuss.


Of two or three coaches, | did not start
until after dinner, 50 | had a good dis
tance to drive after dark. Il was in the
dead Of winter. and the season had been
a tough one. A great deal Of snow had
fallen, and the drifts were plenty and
deep. The mail that I carried was not
due at Littleton, By contract, until one
O'Clock in the morning but that winter
the postmaster was very often obliged to
sit up a little later than that for me.
One day in January, when drove up
for my mail at Danbury, the postmaster
called me into bis office.
Pete, said he, with an important, seri-
Gus lock, there's some pretty heavy
money packages in that bag, and he
pointed to the mail bag as be spoke. He
said the money was from Boston to some
land agents up near the Canada line
Then he asked me If I'd got any passen-
gers who were going through to Litileton.
told him did not know, but suppose
I haven't, says /.
'Why,' said he, the agent Of the lower
route came in to-day, and he says that
there have been two suspicious eharac-
tiers on the stage that came up last night,
and he suspects that they have an eye
upon this mail, so that It win stand you
in hand TO be little carefull.'
He said the agent had described one
of them as a short, thick-set fellow, about
forty years of age, with long hair, and a
thick, heavy clump of beard under the
chin, but none on the side of his face
He didn't know any thing about the 9th,
er. l told the old fellow l guessed there
wasn't much danger.
oh, no, not if you have got passen
gers through but only told you of thi.
50 that you might look out for your mail
and look out for it when you chang,
horses
i ! answered that / should do so, an,
then took the bag under my arnl. and lei
the Office. I slowed the mail under m,
feet little more careful than usual, plac
ing it 50 that I could keep my feet agains
lit; but beyond this | did not feel an,
concern. 1t was but one when started
and had four passengers, two of whom
rode only to my first stopping place.
reached Gowan's Mills at dark, when W
stopped for supper, and where my othe
two passengers concluded to stop for til
night.
: About six O'Clock in the evening / lei
Gowan's Mills alone, having two horse
and an open pung.
] had seventeen miles to go--and
hard seventeen it was, too. Tue nigl
was quite clear, but the wind was shar
and cold, the loose snow flying in ali d
rections, while the drifts were deep an
closely packed. Il was slow, tediou
work, and my horses soon became le
weary and restive. at the distance
six miles / came to a little settlement cal
ed Bulls Corner, where took fresh ho
ses. I'd been two hours going that di
lance. Just as was gotng to start,
man came up and asked me if / was g
ing through to Littletou. / told him
should go through If the thing could po
sibly be done. lie said he was vel
n anxious to 90, and as he had 10 baggag
= | told him to jump on, and make himse
g as comfortable as possible. was takir
It up my lines when the ostler came o
/: and asked me If knew that one Of q
= horses had cut himself badly. I jump
a out and went with him, and found th
n one Of the animals had got deep co
10 cut on one Of the off fore feet. I ga
a such directions as ] considered peceas
I, r., and was about to turn away, wh
2, the ostler remarked that he thought
came alone. ! told him did.
to eThen where did you get that passe
at ger!' said he.
n he has just got IN / answered.
q Got IN from where
a. I doa't know
e Well now said the osiIer, iha
= kind Of curious. There aint no 80
man been Al the house, aud know ihs
aint been none a any of tie neighboi
Let's have 8 look Al his face, said
We can get that much a. any rate.
yoa 20 back with nae and when
Is into the puag, iust bold the Iaaisra
= that lhe Light viii slime into his face.
is IL did a. / 80 J, and a. / slepl
o. into tbs pang ! got fair siew of 81
i portions ef my passengers face As "
to not nufied up. saw short, ID
frame full, hard features ard ] 60
also thai lheFe Wa ; heavy beard