Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-03-01
GrnrraI ttttscrllanu.
THE NAIL ROBBER /;

OR
THE STAGE DRIVERS ADVENTURE.
Fourteen years ago drove from Littleton.
distance Of forty-two miles, and, as / had 70
wait the arrival of two or three coaches, did
not start till after dinner so | very often had
a good distance to drive after dark II was
in the dead Of winter and the season had been
tough one. A great deal of snow had fallen
and the drifts were plenty and deep. The
mail that l carried was not due at Littleton,
by the contract, until one o'clock in the morn
ing, but that winter the postmaster was very
often obliged to sit up little later than tha,
for me.
One day in January, when drove up for
the mail at Danbury, the postmaster called me
into his office.
"Pete, said he with an important, serious
look, there's some pretty heavy money
packages in that bag" pointing to the bag as
he spoke. He said the money was from Bos-
ton to some land agents up near the Canada
line. Then he asked if I'd got any passen-
gers who we're going through to Littleton.
told him / did not know, but suppose |
havn'ti' says l.
why" said he, "the agent of the lower
route came in to-day, and he says that there
have been two suspicious characters on the
stage that came up last nights and he sus-
poets that they have an eye on the mail. so
that it will stand you in hand to be little
careful"
lie 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 his chin, but mono on
the side OF bis face. He didn't say anything
about the other. ! told the old fellow
guessed there was not much danger.
"Oh, no, not if You have got passengers
through; but only told you that you might
look out for your mail, and look out for it
when YOU change horses.
! answered that l should do so, and then
took the bag under my arm and left the office.
| slowed it under my seat a little more care
fully than usual placing it so that could
keep my feet against it; but beyond this /
did not feel any concern 1t was past one
when ] started, and had four passengers, two
OF whom stopped at my first stopping place.
| reached Gowan's Mills at dark, when we
stopped for supper, and where my other two
passengers concluded to stop for the night.
About six o'clock in the evening left Cow
ans 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 were deep and closely packed 1t was
slow, tedious work, and my horses soon be-
came leg weary and restive. Al the distance
of six miles | came TO little settlement called
Bulls Corners, where l took fresh horses
ia been two hours going that distance. Just
was going to start a man came up and
asked if | was going through to Littleton l
told him should 60 through if the thing could
possibly be done. He said he was very anx-
ious to go, and as he had no baggage, told
him to jump in and make himseias comiorta-
BILE as possible. was gathering up my lines
when the hostler came up and asked me If
knew that one of my horses had cut himself
badIyi | jumped out and went with him,
and found that one of the animals had got a
deep cork cut on the off fore foot. gave
such directions as | considered necessary, and