Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-08-25
A TALE OF THE OLDEN TIME.
A True Story of StagenRide---How
aGuilty Couple were Brought TO
Shame by the Pretended Deafness
OF q Fellow Passenger.

i
shame by the Pretended Deafness
OF a Fellow Passenger.
From the Sioux City journal
Several years ago, when the musi-
cal notes of the stage drivers winds
ing horn were heard instead of the
locomotives piercing whistle; In the
days when this was vet O frontier,
unconnected with the east by the
civilizing bands of the railroad, q lit-
tie incident happened which may be
worth relating. At the time OF
which We speak, the Northwestern
Stage Company was running line
OF coaches through from Sioux City
to Cedar Falls, distance of some
two hundred and forty miles. Run
ming over the line as express messen-
ger, was ons Hank W, rough
diamond of the first water; fellow
of infinite jest, a. great practical
joker, and withal, control over his
facial muscles which was marvellous,
as the sequel will show. Hank was
a very observing piece of humanity,
a keen judge of human nature, and
being an ardent admirer of the fair
sex, was always wide awake when a
pretty face was shout. One evening,
In this city, young and prepossess.
Ing lady, in company with middle
aged gentleman, drove up to the
stage house, and after having regis.
tered AS Mrs. So-and.so, of ---Neb.,
and Mr.. Thus-and-thus, OF a small
town near by, the two engaged pas.
sage for Cedar Falls by the next
mornings stage. Very naturally,
Hanks attention was drawn to the
couple who would be his travelling
companions In the morning, aud he
soon smelt very large mice: In fact,
he sould scent an intrigue further
than any man we ever knew. A liz,
tie indirect inquiry, aided by some
remarks dropped by the gentleman
to an acquaintance, which Hank
managed TO overhear, developed the
fact that the lady was the wife of a
well-to-do merchant I'm q small town
not far from this city,. and was going
east on visit. Her travelling com.
panion was also merchant, and was
going east to buy goods, and had
kindly consented to chdpron the lady
on her Journey. This, to most per-
sons, would have seemed straight-
! forward enough, and perfectly
proper proceeding; but not SO to
Hank. He intuitively seemed to
realize that the relations between
those two were not all they appeared
to be, and he gave himself the task
of unrayeling the thread of their
destiny before they should part with
his company. Fortune seemed to
favor him, for the way bill I'm the
/ ~. ah - mad that H,,f t.ySx ,,.,aan.,
gers were entered, and they the gems
tleman and lady In question. Before
starting, Hank took the driver aside
and told him to bear i'm mind until
further notice that he Hank was
deaf, terribly deaf. The driver, not
unused to Hanks ways, and suspect
ing that the ruse involved fun for
both, was not 10th to enter into the
deception. The two passengers en-.
tered the coach and took the back
seat; Hank got I'm and took the
front seat, facing them. just before
starting, the driver came TO the
door and spoke I'm a loud tone
to Hank, but the latter never
noticed him !; louder spoke the driver
and more unconcerned sat Hank, his
face turned In an opposite direction.
Then the driver reached in and took
Hank by the arm, when the latter,
not being inseBsibie to the sense of
touch, promptly turned around, and
placing his head down within an
inch OF the drivers mouth, managed
after considerable trouble, To under
stand the remark addressed him. In
q few minutes the gentleman on the
back seat spoke to Hank I'm an ordi.
nary tone, and of course getting no
response, spoke I'm a very loud tone,
but still ITO sign OF recognition fitted
across the sober visage which occ0s
pied the front seat. Satisfied tllM
Hank was really deaf as u post, Ait
couple congratulated themselves iil
having so desirable travelling com
panion, and then entered upon u low
toned conversation, perfectly audible
to the grim listener opposite, and
which was of nature that fully
proved the correctness of the suspi-
cions Hank had entertained. They
spoke freely to one another OF the
iidsons past, and of tiasoas proposed,
indulging in tue meantime I'm con-
versation which should have sent the
hot blood of shame rippling over face
and brow, and through IL the cast
iron face of the listener never once
quivered with the intense satisfac-
ton that ragged beneath its calm ex.
terror, Che gray eyes never once lost
their listless, uninteresting express.
ion, and no restless, twitchings oil
limbs exposed the assumed indiffer-
ence of their master. And 30 the
farce went on without interruption
until Fort Dodge was reached, and
there H., then as now the stage
prince of Northwestern Iowa, got
aboard the stage to ride down to
Webster City, but not until after
Hank had told him of the little game
he was playing, and of all the partic.
ulars connected Herewith. Leaving
Fort Dodge the luckless couple took
their old seats In the rear, while III.
and Hank took the one the latter
had occupied during the whole trip.
Soon after leaving the hotel H., who
had been intentIy observing the now
demure and silent passengers, turned
To Hank, and i'm an ordinary tone
said: ''I can't blame him, can you
Hank? 2" At this Hank gave way
and bursting into rollicking laugh
allowed his pent up feelings to find
vent In an agony OF mirth. The
guilty couple took In the situation al
once. and saw they were the victims
of q most attrocious imposition, and
their crestfallen looks Of mingled
shame and fear were really pitiful Il
see. The woman buried her face In
her handkerchief, aud never uncov
cred 1t until Webster City was reach
ed, while the man In o vain attempt
TO fr0wn and brave the mattev down,
looked the very picture of abject hu
initiation. AT Webster City the,
left the stage, refusing to ride furthe
with the deaf messenger.
-
II MAST has picture In Harper
Weekly Of the Tammany thieve
standing In row, accusing eacl
other of the robberies on the tar pay
ers. The question is, Who took th'
money? Mayor Hall points b
Sweeney, and says, "Its him in-
Sweeney points to Connolly, nm,
says, Its him !" Connolly point
to Boss Tweed, and says, ITS him =
The fat old rascal points to the ne,
Board Of Commissioners, and say
they took 1t. They point to the oil
board and swear they took 1t, and 8
J it goes around. Some Of those Dem
ocratic thieves deny that SO, 600. 90
were stolen outright. but each trie
to lay the guilt on his confederates
while as q matter Of fact. the pocket
Of all Of them are distended wit
stolen plunder.
II -