Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-04-25
Miscellany.
SAM RICE'S ROMANCE.

THE coach of Wells, Fargo 6 Co. stood
before the door of Pineywoods Station,
and Sam Rice, the driver, was drawing
on his lemon colored gloves with an air,
for Sam was the pink of stage drivers,
from his high white hat to his faultless
French boots. Sad will it be when his
profession shall have been entirely super
seded, and the oh-and-six, with its
gracious and graceful whip, shall have
been supplanted, on all the principal
lines of travel, by the iron horse with its
grimy driver and train of laundering car
riages.
The passengers had taken their seats
the one lady on the box-and Sam Rice
stood. chronometer held daintily between
thumb and finger, waiting for the second
hand to come round the quarter of a
minute, while the grooms slipped the last
strap of the harness into its buckle. At
the expiration of quarter of minute, as
Sam stuck an unlighted cigar between his
lips and took hold of the box to pull him
self up to his seat, the good natured land
lady of Pineywoods Station called out to
him with some otficiousness
Mr.. Rice, don't you want match?"
''That's just what I've been looking for
these ten years, responded Sam; and at
that instant his eyes were on level with
he lady's on the box, so that he could
not help seeing the roguish CLINT of them,
which so far disconnected the usually
selfpossessed professor of the whip, that
he heard not the 1andlady's laugh, but
gathered up the reins in such needless
and careless manner as to cause Demon,
the nigh leader, to 60 off with bound
that nearly threw the owner of the eyes
out of her place. The little furry gave
opportunity for Mrs. Dolly Page-that
was the lady's name-to drop her veil
over her face, and for Sam Rice to show
his genteel handling of the ribbons, and
conquer the unaccountable disturbance
of his pulses.
Sam had looked at the way-bill, not ten
minutes before, to ascertain the name of
the pretty black-eyed woman seated at
his left hand ; and the consciousness of so
great curiosity gratifed, may have aug
mented his accustomed embarrassment.
Certain it is Sam Rice had driven six
horses, on ticklish mountain road for
four years, without missing trip and
had more than once encountered the
t'road agents, without ever yet deliver
ing them an express box; had had old
and young ladies, plain and beautiful
ones, to sit beside him hundreds of times;
yet this was the first time he had con-
suited the way-bill on his own account
to find lady's name. This one time, too,
had Mrs. before it, which prefix gave
him pang he was very unwilling to own.
On the other hand Mrs. Dolly Page was
dressed in extremely deep black. Could
she be in mourning for Mr.. Page? If
Demon had an unusual number of start
ing fits that afternoon, his driver was not
altogether guiltless in the matter; for
what horse so sensitive as he, would not
have felt the magnetism of something
wrong behind him?
But as the mocking eyes kept hidden
behind veil, and the rich, musical voice
uttered not a word through a whole half
hour which seemed an age to Sam, he
finally recovered himself SO far as to say,
he believed he could not smoke, after all
and thereupon returned his cigar, still un-
lighted, to his pocket.
:" hope you do not deprive yourself of
a luxury on my account" murmured the
soft voice.
81 guess this dust and sunshine is
enough for a lady to stand, without my
smokin' in her face" returned Sam po-
litely, and glancing at the veil.
"Still, beg you will smoke, if you are
accustomed" persisted the cooling voice
behind it. But Sam, to his praise be it
spoken, refused to add anything to the
discomforts of summers days ride
across the mountains. His chivalry had
its reward; for the lady thus favored,
feeling constrained to make some return
for such consideration, began to talk, in a
vein that delighted her auditor, about
horses-their points and their traits-and
lastly, about their drivers.
&C I have always fancied," said Mrs
Dolly Page, "that if I were a man I
should take to stage driving for profess
sion. It seems to me free and manly
calling, one that develops some of the
best qualities of man. Of course it has
its drawbacks One cannot always choose
ones society on stage, and there are
temptations to bad habits. Besides there
are storms, and upsetss, and and all that
sort of thing. I've often thought" con-
tinued Mrs Dolly, "that we do not con-
slider enough the hardships of drivers,
nor what we owe them. You've read that
poem-the Post-boy's Song:
"Like shuttle thrown by the hand of fate
Forward and back go?
Swell, it is just so. They do bring us
our letters, full of good and i'll news,
helping to weave the web of fate for us ;
yet not to blame for the tidings they
bring, and always faithful to their du-
ties in stormy weather or sunshine"
"Ishall like my profession better after
what you have said of it." answered Sam,
giving his whip curl to make it touch
the off leaders, right ear. "Pve done my
duty mostly, and not complained of the
hardships, though once or twice I've been
too beat out to get off my box at the end
of the drive; but that was in long spell
of bad weather, when the roads was just
awful, and the rain as cold as snow"
"Would you mind letting me hold the
1iy,no oxuhilo ocEod ho noninr NJ
last. "Pve driven six in-hand before "
Though decidedly startled. and averse
to trusting his team to such pair of
hands, Sam was compelled, by the psychic
force of the little woman, to yield up the
reins. 1t was with fear and trembling
that he watched her handling of them for
the first mile but, as she really seemed
to know what she was about, his conf
dence increased and he watched her with
admiration. Her veil was now up, her
cheeks glowing. She did not speak often,
but, when she did, it was always some
thing piquant and graceful that she
uttered. At last, just as the station was
in sight, she yielded up the lines with a
deep drawn sigh of satisfaction, apologiz
ing for it by saying, that her hands, not
being used to it, were tired. "rm not
sure,'' she added, but shall take te
the box at last as steady thing"
eff you do" responded Sam, gallant
ly, 81 hope you will run on my line"
"Thanks I shall ask you for refer
ence. when apply for situation.
There was a halt, supply of fresf
horses, and a prompt, lively start. Blu
the afternoon was intensely hot, and th'
team soon sobered down. Mrs. Page die
not offer again to take the lines. She wa
Overwarm and weary, perhaps quiet an(
a little sad, at any rate Mr. Rice wal
quiet, too, and thoughtful Thepassenger
inside were asleep. The coach rattle.
along at steady pace, with the dust 81
deep under the wheels as to still thei
rumble. At intervals freight wagol
YVES passed down to one side, al "turn
out" or RABBIT skipped across the road
or solitary horseman suggested alter
nately 'road agent" or one of James
heroes. Grand views presented them
selves of wooded cliffs and wild ravines
Tall pine trees threw lengthening shadow
across the open space on the mountai
oidoc And sO the afternoon woro oxuo,,