Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-05-26
Selrfteo Miseellanu.
An EXPRESS MESSENGER's STORY.

AN EXPRESS MESSENGERS STORY
In the summer of 1868 was serving a
messenger on the British and American
(now called Canadian) Express. My rout.
lay between Portland and South Paris
though my Office was in Norway, a mil,
and a halt distant from the latter station
between which two points travelled Will
my own team. AS three and sometimes
four lines of stages connected with tn.
Grand Trunk road at South Paris, through
all Of which our express did business. M,
route was an important and q responsible
one.
1t was on Saturday, August 10th. / ate
my dinner, ard then went into the Port
land office to get my freight and NV order.
for the country. After the porter had taken
out the various articles consigned to nv
charge, MIR. Prlndle, our agent called me
to his desk, and exhibited a package, di-
rectsd to party in South Paris, containing
three thousand dollars.
''Do you know that man ?" he asked me.
pointing to the superscription.
"Yes," said l.
'.Do you know where he hvesY
eyes" - =
"How far from your depOt?"
"a mile and halt, I should think, on
swell, he pursued, 81 don't care 10
have this lay over at the depot, aud you'd
better deliver it yourself"
told him / would do so.
may here remark that we had no reeu-
lar office at South Paris 1t was my Gus
tom to deliver such matter as was consipn-
ed to parties living In the village, within
radius of half q mile or so, while parcels
going beyond those limits, I usually left
with the station master to be called for.
And SO, even at Norway. it was understood
by our patrons that We did not deliver ex-
press matter beyond the limits Of the VII
lage corporation.
As was leaving the office, observed
one OF the porters, assisted by clerk, lift
ing soldier into the wagon Of the Kenne-
bee Express Said soldiers right leg was
swathed IN thick bandaees from the knee to
the toes. and he hobbled upon erutchas:
his aniform was worn and soiled. and he
appeared to be one who had seen hard ser
vice.
'sPoor fellow" said the clerk. as he met
me upon the sidewalk. sHe's got two
minnie balls through his LEG wounded at
Gettysburg. He started down from the In |
ternational for the depot on his crutches |
but he gave out here"
AT that time, when the great battle was
yet thing of the present, hero of Gettys- |
burg was an object of interest to me; and l |
felt almost like taking off my hat to the
warn-worn and shattered veteran; but b.
had gained his seat, and was driven away
before l had opportunity to salute him
At the depot saw my freight safely in
the Car, and after we had started / took a
turn through the train. | found our Get
tysburg hero in the forward car, occupying
a whole seat, with the rim of his old
slouched hat pulled down over his face. II
probably asleep. Poor fellow He was
weak and weary.
We arrived at South Paris at half-past
three p. m, where found my team wait
Ing Tor me-a common express wagon
drawn by horse which considered as
rather superior to express horses in gen.
eraL As the last package was placed in the
wagon, observed the veteran of Gettys-
burg hobbling toward me, on the platform.
i had strapped up the tailboard. and was
on the way to my seat, when he addressed
me:
''Say, my friend which way We eoinp?"
just round the village, to deliver
freight, told him.
He looked disappointed.
81 was IN hopes" he said, ''that /
should find somebody going up the old
kamford road piece, My leg is about {
played out" - I
l remembered the package I had to
deliver on the same road, and told him if
he cIdnt mind riding around through the I
village, would take him as far as the old {
Jordan Place. He said that it would be a I
great help to him. So with the Assistance |
of the station baggage master, 1 helped |
him to his seat He was large, heavy
man, and as he seemed unable to help him
self in climbing, the labor of hosting him I
up was not light one.
Il shall come down easier," he said,
laughing. I
'.All right" replied, as took my seat
by his side. "
made quick work of delivering nv stuff \
ia the village, and when we had struck the !
old road beyond asked my companion his U
name. He said 1t was John Smith. Then e
led him to tell me of his experience in the p
army. and more particularly at Gettysburg. S
de said he was q Maine boy, but was not r
In Maine regiment He was in Ohio
when he enlisted, and joined regiment in b
that State. e.--r - .--..- - a
asked him which one. 49, 8
He told me the Forty-eighth. IL
This staggered me; proceeded with o
my questions and ere long had gained from 4
him all he knew of Gettysburg, and more Z
too. f
Idon't like to be sold: but 1 had been sold 9
now, certainly. The man by my side was q
a humbug In the first place, knew that | II
the Forty-eighth Ohio was at Vicksburp. le
with Grant. while Gettysburg was being c
fought And then Ihad heard the whole 9
story OF Gettysburg from wounded officers
who had come from the field; and this 2
mans story was not like the story they had \
told. l had made up my mind that the n
fellow was Sucker or q ssSponge, when Q
was interrupted in my meditations by a \
sudden lurch of the wagon, one of the C
wheels having dropped into slough-hole
upon that side on which the war-worn and
shattered hero sat / expected, when / n
had recovered my own balance, to see him q
pitched from his perch; but not SO, I saw ft
thai bandaged leg, which first had been as >
useless as o dead mans leg. suddenly
stralgntened out; the swathed foot was
planted tiatly and squarely upon the board: m
and with full pressure upon the dispuised d
lime he held himself, and reeained his g
equilibrium. L.
L pretended not to notice; but had no. = =
ticed and reflected That right leg, so =
nursed, was as stout and as y
strong, and as free for use as myown. Had !,
the fellow taken all this trouble of decep- q
ton for the sole purpose of getting a ride? q q
Could not believe It. Had he done Ii for
the purpose of exciting sympathy that he -
might beg with better success? He did not =
ook like man prone to beg. Then why :. !.
vast? g
had been in my present position of y
messenger nearly two years, and as never :,
went upon my route without more or less :, =
money entrusted to my care, I had learned ~
TO be suspicious. This man had been pre- =, -
sent when Prindle gave me the money pack - -
age ofthree thousand dollars, and had prob 1
ably overheard the agents directions He o.
meant to rob me, or he had come with me y
'or that purpose. looked into his face: 3.
Ind now that regarded him no more as a y y
Far-worn veteran and hero, 1 discovered 10
him to be an ugly and repulsive looking
person And he was powerful fellow to T,
boot should say, alnsst twice as heavy :,
IS myself But was not to remain long '
n doubt = = "a -t-E x