The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-02-28
LANcAsTER OHIO, THURSDAY, FEB. Is, 1851.

the snow before them. / asked my pas
senger If he would help me, but he said
he didn't feel very well and wouldn't try;
so l worked alone, and was all Of quar-
ter ofsn hour getting my team all through |
the drifts. When 1got into the sleigh
again. began to feel for the mailbag
With my feet,ahd found it where l had
left it; but when l attempted to withdraw
my foot, | discovered that it had become
entangled in something.--I thought it
the buffalo and tried to kick it clear, but
the more kicked the more closely was it
held. reached down my hand, and af.
ter feeling about few moments. I found
that my foot was in the mailbag! l felt
again, and found my hand in among the
package Of letters and papers! | ran my
fingers oyer the edges ofthe opening. and
became assured that the stout leather had
been cut with knife.
Here was discovery. / began TO wish
! had taken little more forelhought be.
fore leaving Danbury; but as l knew that
making such wishes was only waste Of
time, quickly gave it up, and began 10
consider what l had best do under the ex.
isting circumstances. ! wasn't long in
making up my mind upon few essential
points. First, the man behind me was a
villain; second. he had cut open the mail
bag and robbed it Of some valuable mat
ter. He must have known the money let.
ters by their size and shape. Third, he
meant 10 leave the stage on the first op,
portunity; and, fouhhly. lie was pre-
pared to shoot me il l attempted 10 arrest
or detain him.
ievolved these things over in my
mind, and pretty soon l thought of a
course to pursue. knew if to get my
hands safely upon tile rascal, l must take
him unawales, and this l could not do
while he was behind me--for his eyes
were upon me all the tines | must re-.
soft to stIatagem. Cnly little distance
head was house. An old farmer named
Lougee lived there, and directly in front
of it was huge snow bank, stretched
across the road, through which track
for wagons bad been cleared with shovels
AS we approached the cot ] saw a lighr
in the front room, as l felt confident
should, for the old man generally sat W
until the stage went by. l drove n,ant
when nearly opposite the dwelling, stCod
up, as had frequently done when ap
preaching difficult places. | saw the snow
bank ahead, and could distinguish The
deep cut which had been through it.
urged my horses to a good speed. anc
when near the bank forced them into it.
One Of the runners mounted the edg,
of the bank, after which the other ran in
> to the cut, thus throwing the sleigh owe
about as quick as though lightning hat
? struck it. My passenger had not ealcu
-, lated on any such movement, and WASH
i prepared for it; hut had calculated, an
was prepared He rolled out into til
!; deep snow. with a heavy buffalo robe q
J, bout him, while I lighted upon my fec
= directly on top of him. l punched hi
y head in the snow and ,len sang out f
l. old Lougee. l did not have TO call see
. ond time, for the farmer had come to tn
Q window to see me pass, and as soon as b
b saw my sleigh overturned. he had lighte
e his lantern and hurried out.
: "Whacs to pay?' asked the old man.
n he hurried out.
i "Lead the horses into the track, an
n then come here" said |.
As spoke partially loosered my no
i upon the villain 8 throat, and he drew
II pistol from his bosom; but l saw it
Is season and Jammed his head into the sno
% again. and got the weapon away from hin
J. By this time Lougee had led the hors
n out and come back. and l explained t
le matter to him in as few words as possib
: We hauled the rascal out into the roa
D. and upon examination, we found abo
twenty packages Of letters which he h
stolen from the mail bag and slowed aw
in his pockets. He swore, and threate
ed, and prayed; but we paid no attenti
IS to his blarney. Lougpe got some sto
40 cord, and when we had securely bou
~ the villain, We tumbled him into the pur
| asked tie old man if he would accomE
ny me to Ltlleton. and he said of cours
20 So he got his overcoat and muffler, a
'e' ore long we started.
80 reached the end of my route with l
mail all safe, though not as snug as
eu might have been, and my mail bag lit
Sn the worse for the game he had played l
ire on it. However, the mail robber was
me cure, and within week he was indentif
ia' by some officers from Concord as an
ln' offender; and I'm rather inclined to
as opinion tina, he's in the States prison
INK the present moment. At any rate, he '
eo; there the last / heard Of him.
0. That's the enly time l ever had o
lis mail troubled, and l think that under
g circums stances came out o: it pretty "
AN AFFEoTIoNATE wIFE.-A little
lnd cumstance, says the Troy Arena.
mad just come to us through friend Of