Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1865-12-13
Horace GreeIey's Ride to PIa-
ceTVIIle.
FROM ARrEMUs WARDS NEW VOLUME.

FROM ARrENUs WARDS NEW VOLUME.
When Mr. Greeley was in California
I ovations awaited him at every town. He
had written powerful letters in the IFib-
,1s in favor iof the Pacific Railroad
which had greatly endeared him to the
citizens of the golden State And there
fore they made much Of him when be
went TO see them.
At one town the enthusiastic populace
tore his celebrated white coat to pieces,
and carried the pieces home to remem-
Der him by.
The citizens of Plsceryille prepared to
fete the journalist, and an extra coach,
with extra relays Of horses, was charter
ed of the California Stage Company to
carry him from Folsom to PlacerVille-
/ distance forty miles. The extra was in
some way delayed, and did not leave Fol-
| som until late in the afternoon Mr..
Greeley was to be reted ut : o'clock that
evening by the citizens of Placerville, and
/ it was altogether necessary that he should
| be there by that hour. So the Stage Co.
said to Henry Monk, the driver of the
extra, Henry, this great man must be
there by tonight" And Henry an
swered, The great man shall be there"
| The roads were in an awful state, and
during the first few miles out of Folsom
very slow progress was made. Sir said
Mr.. Greeley ''are you aware that must.be
at Placerville at Z o'clock tonight"
"I'ye got my orders" laconicslly re-
turned Henry Monk.
| Still the coach dragged slowly forward
Sir" said Mr.. Greeley, "this is not a
trihing matter. I must be there at T."
But the speed was not increased, and
Mr. Greeley chafed away another half
hour. when, as he was again about to re-
monstrate with the driver, the horses sud
denly started into a furious run, and all
SORTS Of encouraging yells filed the air
from the throat Of Henry Monk.
That is right my good fellow ~ cried
Mr.. Greeley. "I'll give you ten dollars
when we get to Placerville. Now we are
going -
They were indeed, and at terrible
speed
Crack, crack, went the whip, and again
''that voice" split the air. ''Git upi Hi
vi l.! G'long. Yip yip!"
And on they tore, over stones and ruts,
up hill and down, q: a rate of speed never
before achieved by stage horses.
Mr. Greeley. who had been bouncing
from one eud of the coach to the other
like an Indian rubber ball, managed to
get his mead out of the window, when he
said:
a't-on't you-u u think
we-e-e-e shall get there by seven il
we do-on't 90 so fast ?"
I've got uy orders! That was ell
Henry Monk said. And on tore the
coach.
It was becoming serious Already the
journalist was extremely sore from the
terrible jolting, and again his head might
have been seen ut the window.
Sir" he said, II don't care-care--0ir
if we don't get there at seven!
81 have my orders. Fresh horses; for
ward again faster than before. Over rocks
and stumps. on one OF which the coach
narrowly escaped turning summerset.
See here - shrieked Mr.. Greeley, Il
don't care If we don't get there At all.
I'VE got my orders, / work for the
California Stage Company, I do. That's
what | lOoTk for. They said. ''git this
man through by sewing" and the man Is
going through You betl Gerlong =
Whoo-ep p
Another frightlul jolt. and Mr.. Gree
ley's bald head suddenly found its way
through the roof of the coach, amidst the
crash of small timbers and the ripping of
strong canvass
Stop. you-manisc 2" He rOared.
I've got my orders. Keep yo,T scat
Horqcs."
A mud Springs, village few miles
from Placerville, they met a large delega-
ton of citizens of Piacerville, who had
come out to meet the celebrated editor,
and escort him to town. There was a
! military company. IA brass band, and a six
/ horse wagon-losd Of beautiful damseis in
milk-white dresses, representing all the
States in the Union. 1t was nearly dark
now, but the delegation were amply pro-
vided with torches, and bonfires blszed all
along the road to Placerville.
The citizens met the coach in the out
skirts OF Mud Springs, and Mr.. Monk
reined IN his foam covered steeds.
| Is Mr.. Greely on bOard2" asked the
man of the committee.
He lras ter miles backP said Mr.
Monk: yes he added, after looking
down through the hole which the fear
/ full iclting had made in the coach roof
eyes | can see him! He is there ~
1
the committee, presenting himself at the
window of the coach, Mr.. Greeley, sir!
We are come to most cordially welcome
you, sir, r,-why God bless me. sir. you are
bleeding al the nose"
"Pve got my orders - cried Mr.. Monk.
MY orders is as follers: Git him there by
sewing Stand out of the way -
But, sir" exclaimed the committee
men, sez,ns the eff leader by the reins-
J Mr. MOnS. yye aIe come to escort him IN
to town! Look at the procession, sir,
! and the brass band, ana the people and
the young women, sir -
"PUe qot mn orders ~ screamed Mr..
Monk. Ny orders don't say nothin' about
no brass band and young women, my or
ders says, git him there by sewing? Let
90 them lines Clear the way there!
j Whoo-ep! Keep your seat, Horace y and
the coach dashed wildly through the pro-
cession, upsetting portion of the brass
band, and violently grazing the wagon
which contained the young women IN
white.
Years hence gray-haired men, who
were little boys in this procession. will
| tell their grandchildren how this stage
] tore through Mud Springs, and how Hor~
ace Greeley's bald head ever and anon
showed itself, like a wild apparation,
above the stage coach-rOof.
! Mr.. Monk was on time There Is
tradition that Mr.. Greeley was indignant
for while, then he laughed, and finally
he presented Mr.. Monk with bran new
suit of clothes.
Mr. Monk himself is still in the employ
of the California Stage Company, and Is
rather fond Of relating a story that has
made him famous all over the Pacific
coast. But he says he yields to no man
| in his admiration for Horace Greeley.