Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-09-18
CITE. >7Sturp Teller.
From the Overland Monthly.
A CALIFORNIA ROMANCE.

The coach of Wells, Fargo & Co. stood be-
fore 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
superseded, and the coach-and-six, with It's
gracious and grateful whip, shall have been
supplanted, on all the principal lines OF travel,
by the iron horse with its grimy driver and
train of laundering carriages.
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 minute, while the
grooms slipped the last strap OF the harness
in 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 himself up to his seat, the good -natured
Iandlady of Pineywoods station called out to
him, with some officiousness:
"Mr. Rice, don't you want match r
"That's Just what I've been looking for
these ten years." responded Sam; and at that
instant his eyes we're on level with the lady's
on the box, so that he could not help seeing
the roguish CLINT of them, which so far dis
concerted the usually selfpossessed professor
of the whip, that he heard not the landlady's
laugh, but gathered up the reins in such a
needless and careless manner as to cause lie,
mon, the nigh leader, to 60 off with bound
that nearly threw the owner OF the eyes out
of her place. The little furry gave opportui-
nifty for Mrs. Dolly Page-that was the lady's
name-to drop her veil over her face, and tor
Sam Rice to show his genteel handling OF the
ribbons, and conquer the unaccountable dis
turbance of his pulses.
Sam had looked at the way-bill not ten min
utes before, to ascertain the name OF the pref
ty black eyed woman seated on his left hand ;
and the consciousness of so great curiosity
grati6ed may have augmented his emoarrass'
ment. Certain it is Sam Rice had driven SIX
horses, on a ticklish mountain road for four
years, without missing trip; and had more
than once encountered the "road agents"
without ever yet delivering them an express
box; had old and young ladies, plain and
beautiful ones, to sit beside him hundreds OF
times; vet this was the first time he had con-
suited the way-bill on his own account to lind
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 ex-
tremely deep black. Could she be in mourn.
ing for Mr.. Page? If Demon had an unusual
number of starting fits that afternoon, his
driver was not altogether guiltless in the mat,
ter; for what horse, so sensitive as ne, would
not have felt the magnetism Of something
wrong behind him ?
But as the mockng eyes kept hidden be.
hind a veil, and the rich, musical voice uttered
not word through whole half hour, which
seemed an age to Sam, he finally recovered
himselfs so far as to say he believed he could
not smoke, after all, and thereupon returned
his cigar, still unlighted, to his pocket.
"I hope you did not deprive yourself of a
luxury on my account" murmured the soft
voice.
II guess this dust and sunshine is enough
for lady to stand, without my smoking In
her face,' returned Sam politely, and glancing
at the veil.
"Still, beg you will smoke, if you are &C
customed," persisted the cooling voice behind
it. But Sam, to his praise be it spoken, re-
fused to add anything to the discomforts of a
summer days ride across the mountains. His
chivalry had its reward for the lady thus ia
vored, feeling constrained to make some re-
turn 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.
II have always fancied," said Mrs Dolly
Ietl |
stage driving for profession. 1t seems to me
a free and manly calling, one that developes
some of the best qualities ofa man. Ofcourse,
it has it's drawbacks. One cannot always
choose ones society on stage, and there are
temptations to bad habits. Besides there are
storms and upsets, and all that sort Of thing
I've often thought" continued Mrs Dolly,
"that we do not consider enough the hard
ships of drivers, nor what we owe them"
You've read that poem, the Post-boy's Song !:
'Iike shuttle thrown by the hand of Fate.
Forward and back 60"
"Well, 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 u.s. yet not to blame
for the tidings they bring, and always faith
full to their duties, in stormy weather or sum
shine"
81 shall like my profession better after
what you have said of it," answered Sam,
giving his whip whirl to make it touch the
off leaders rig ght ear "I've done my duty
mostly, and not complained of the hardships,
though once or twice I've been too beat out
to pet off my box at the end of the drive; but
that was in a long spell of bad weather, when
the road was just awful, and the rain as cold
as snow"
"Would you mind letting me hold the lines
awhile?" asked the cooling voice, at last
"Iye driven a skin 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 lit,
tie woman, to yield up the reins. 1t was with
fear and trembling that he watched her hand
ling of them for the first mile; but, as she
really seemed to know what she was about,
his confidence 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 something
piquant and graceful that she uttered. AT
last, lust as the station wasin sight, she yielded
up the lines with deep drawn sigh of salts
faction, apologizing for it by saying that hel
hands, not being used to it, were tired. "lm
not sure" she added, "but l shall take to the
box at last as steady thing" ,
eff you do," responded Sam, galantly, 81
hone Won will run on my line"