The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-11-25
For the Somerset Herald.
The Maniac's Ride.
A STORY OF THE OLD STAGE.
COACH TINES.
BY r. +. RoDDY,
AUTHOR OF THE BANDIT OF THE ALLIE
GHENIEs.


heard the tale | am about to tell,
but the impression it made remains.
[ feel assured it viii interest the
readers Of the Somerset HERALD, for
many of'them know it is strictly true,
and some persons are yet living who
witnessed at least portion OF what
promised to be fearful tragedy.
A coach with its full complement
of passengers, mine inside and one
with the driver" pulled rp at the
stage Office in Jenner. The peace
ful quietude that had prevailed was
Immediately broken, and that lonely
country ian was Immediately a
scene Of the liveliest hustle anu ap-
parent confusion. Landlord, hos
tiers, drivers, cooks, all seemed
smitten with an earnest desire to dc
someth ng and TO do it in a great
hurry. The very first toot of the
coachman's horn had reused them
When the coach drove into the yard
every one rushed forth
las bees bizz out wi angry fyke."
The smoking and painting horses
were released from the coach, and
each one carefully blanketed before
being taken to his stall The cramp.
ed and wearied passengers were
warmly welcomed and taken in hos
pitable charge by the people of the
! inn. all of whom seemed anxious to
make them not only heartily WEI
come but thoroughly comfortable
The ride in a close coach over the
Laurel Hill range in the keen air ol
the early morning had sharpened
their appetites, aud made them en-
loy the change. They could say
with Shens,one tnat they received
their
"Warmest welcome at an Inn"
10 a brief space a fresh team hao
taken the place Of the tired one, anc
the merry ringing sound Of horn
and the drivers authoritative shout oi
'all aboardp summoned them to
resume their journey. The driTer's
nervous anxiety to start, and his
vehement assurance that "he could
put them through on time or break
the ;races,p made them momentarily
uneasy, but as they were well aware
that all favored drivers claimed and
exercised despotic authority, they en-
tered the coach without remark. A
bystander noticed that the team was
more than ordinarily excited, and re
marked that "he must have been
warming them upp in the stable
Before many hours every, even
the slightest, incident was recalled oil
effort was made 20 recall it. Many
of course noticed something wrong
and "we-e jist agoin' to mention 1t,
but didn't, as is the custom of Ger
tain sharp-sighted people who al
ways make important discoverie;
when they are OF no use, and every
BODY else has found it out The
horses by Some subtle instinct, oil
their intimate connection with the
driver, seemed conscious of d change
and uneasy under it. No sooner mad
the coach received its load than the
horses with common impulse dashed
down the road. This, like an electric
influence, seemed to rouse the driver
and excite him to frantic wildness
| Tie last frail barriers that reason aid
ed by long habit Lad iuterposed be
| tween him and freuzv were swepl
away by the enthusiasm common Il
drivers. Ii speedily mounted To hi:
brain and drove from it every vestige
of reason and caution.
With wild shout sud the un-
reasoning cruelty Of maniac, be
lashed them into frenzy also, and
continued by stamp, shout, ges'
ture and cruel lsshins with the long
aud supple whip. to goad them &c
the utmost.
The route from Jenner to Stoystown
is familiar to many Of the readers Of
the HERALD; those at distance will
Sufficiently comprehend the situation
when informed that like all routes
through the mountains it was a sue
cession of up and down grades
Short up grades succeeded hy long
and steep deseents. There being
general and tolerably regular fall
from the top of Laurel Hill to the
Stony Greek, at the foot of the Ale
gheny, mile or so east CT Stoys'
town, at Pine Mills.
The frightened passengers so sud-
denly reused from the comfortable
languor induced by warm and hear
ty breakfast after night of fatiguing
travel. for a moment thought the
driver was drunk, and consequently y
reckless. Even that comparative y
comfortable thought was soon driven
out by the conviction that they were
at the mercy Of maniacl
The nerye-thrilling, blood-eurdling
shouts with which he urged the mad
dened horses to desperation equal
to his own could only issue from 9
madman's lips. That peculiarly har'
rowing tone, that unmans the boldest
when first heard, even in safety, that
rings in the ears for weeks and mia.
giles disagreeably with the dreams o.
the casual visitor to the asylum. fell