Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-09-01
A STAGE DRIVERS ADVENTURE

| n L "A " I'M II . ~ - = N n
| Fourteen years ago | drove from Dan
bury to Ljttleton, a distance of forty-twe
miles, and, as had TO await the arriva
of two or three coaches, did not start un
til after dinner SO very often had a good
distance to drive after dark. II was the
dead of winter, and the season had been 9
tough one. A great deal of snow had fal
len, and the drifts were plenty and deep
The mail that | carried was not due a
| Litteton, by the contract, until one O.
clock i: the morning; but that winter the
Postmasters was very often obliged to si
up a little later than that for me.
One day in January, when | drove NJ
for my mail at Danbury, the Postmaster
called me into his office.
Pete" said he, with an important Sc
rious, look, 'there's some pretty heav5
money packages in that bag, and he point
ed to the mail bag as he spoke. He said
the money was from Boston to some land
agents up near the Canada line. Then he
asked me if Id got any passengers who
we're going thro' to Littletol | told him
| did not krcw, but suppose | havn't'
saysI
"Why," said he, the agent of the lowe,
route came in to day, and he says that
there have been two suspicious characters
on the stage that came up last night, and
he suspects that they have an eye upon
this mail, so that it will stand you in hand
to he little careful
He said the agent hal described one OF
them as short thick set fellow, about forty
years Of age, with long hair, and thick
heavy, clump beard under the chin, but
none on the side Of the face He didn't
know anything about the other. ! told the
old fellow | guessed there wasn't much
danger.
"Oh no, not if you have got passengers
through; but only told you Of this so that
you might look out for your mail, and look
out for it when you change horses"
! answered that | should do so, and
then took the bag under my arm and kft
the Office. l slowed the mail under my
seat little more careful than usual, plac.
Ing it SO that could keep my feet against
it; beyond this did not feel any concern.
1t was past one when | started, and had
four passengers, two. of whom rode only
to my first stopping place. | reached
Gowen's Mil. at dark, when We stopped
for supper and where my other two passen.
engers concluded to stop for the night
AT about six o'clock ia tie evening
left Gowen's Mills alone, having two horses
and an open pung. had seventeen miles
to go-and hard seventeen it was too
The night was quite clear, but the wind
was sharp and cold, the loose snow flying
in all directions, while the drifts we're
deep and closely packed. 1t was slow,
tedious work and my horses soon became
leg weary and restive. At the dis
tance Of six miles came to a little settle
ment called Bulls Corner, where | took
fresh horses. I'd been two hours going
that distance Just as was going to
start, man came up and asked me if ]
was going thro' to Lttleton. | told him
| should go through if the thing could pos
sibly be done. He said he was very anx
ious to go, and as he had DO baggage,
told him to jump in and make himself as
comfortable as possible. was gathering
up my lines when the hostler came ou1
and asked me if / knew that one of my
horses had cut himself badly. bumped
out and went with him, and found that one
of the animals had got a deep cork cut OF
the off fore foot. gave such direction.
as | considered necessary, and was abou
to turn away, when the hostler remarked
that he thought came alone. told him
/ did.
Then where did you get that passen
ger?' said he.
9 He just got in," l answered.
" Got in from where?'
II don't know
Well now" said the hostler, "that'l
kind O curious. There amt no such mar
been at the house, and know there ain
been none at any of the neighbors"
"Let's have look at bis face said
"We can get that much at any rate. Dc
you 90 back with me, and as | get into
the pung, just hold your lantern so tha
the light will shine into his face.
He did MS | wished, and as stepped
into the pung, got fair view of sucl
portions OF my passenger face as were no
muflled up. saw short, thick frame
full, hard features; and could also set
that there was heavy beard under tht
chin. thought of the man whom the
Postmas,e had described to me but
didt think seriously upon it until | haG
started. Perhaps ] had gone half mile
when ! noticed that the mail bag WASH
in its old place under my feet.
"Hallo!' y says |, holding my horses {
little, where's my mail?'
My passenger sat on the seat behind me
and, as | turned toward him.
Here is bag Of some kind slipped
back under my feet he said, giving it 6
kick as though he'd showed it forward.
just at that moment my horses lumber
ed into deep snow drift, and ! was forced
to get out and tread down ahead of then
and lead them through it.
This took me all of fifteen minutes
and when ! got in again, pulled the mai
bag forward, and got my feet upon it -
As uas dainp this I saw the man - y /,