The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-02-25
THE MAD DRIVER.

Many years ago, when a lad about ten
i was one of the lowest subordinates in
the large house of Maxwell & Co., of T.
The duties allotted to me in that exten.
sive establishment were often of such a
menial character as to deeply wound my
pride.
Ifyou say 1 had no cause for shame 50
long as my labor was honest, / answer
had inherited family pride, and relied
perhaps too much on the traditions of q
family, which had long before lost influ-
ence and greatness, had become thinned
and scattered, and left me unaided to
make my own way.
l labored with untiring energy. was
ambitious, and struggled for advance
ment.
Slowly, step by step, sometimes falter-
ing and losing heart, / went on until
finally l reached point which my boy
ish fancy, in its widest flight, had not
surveyed. At the age of twenty-one
became the junior member of the firm.
In those days Maxwell & Co. had an
extended business, and it became neces-
sary from time to time to visit the various
places where the interests of the firm
were located.
These journeys, usually made by me,
taking place before the era of easy and
elegant travel of the present day, were
often tedious and attended by hardship.
An incident of one of them am now
about to relate. One of the principal
debtors of our house was a man named
Braithwaite, living at d., Kentucky.
He had, by uniform honesty, secured an
almost unlimited credit.
At length, however, suspicious arose,
and it was feared that he was about to
make a fraudulent disposition of his
property. Consequently it was exceed
ingly urgent to have representative on
the ground to guard our interests.
undertook the journey. Riding on
horseback day and night, through a
thinly-settled, wild country, seldom stop
ping, even for rest, l finally reached the
little village of p, where was to take
stage for my destination.
The only place in p. for the travellers
accommodation was little inn standing
few yards from the highway.
1t was one of those plain, unassuming
wooden buildings which have of late
years given place to the larger and more
pretentious brick structures now found
in even the smallest villages, in compli-
aHce with the modern passion for travel.
Awaiting, with some impatience, the
appearance of the stage-coach, walked
up and down on the porch of the little
tavern, occasionally glancing at the per-
sons about me, speculating as to who
would be my compdgnons de voydge.
/ should state here that the coach
register contained the names of four
persons-two gentlemen besides myself
and one lady.
Soon / heard the rumbling noise made
by the coach as it approached. 1t was
fair type of the sturdy, rough-and-ready,
ponderous, faithful vehicle called stage
coach-a vehicle of historic associations.
An dudnt courep of the railroad, the
horse of flesh has gallantly contended
with the horse of iron, and though out
stripped in every race, has not yet re-
linguished the contest.
The particular coach in question,
standing in the road before the inn, and
to which / was about to commit my
fortunes during my trip to d., had no
doubt once been of superior quality, and
though time had dimmed its colors and
weakened its frame, it was still staunch
and presentable in appearance. The
horses attached to it, four in number,
were fine, high-spirted, powerful ami
mails.
The driver was veteran of twenty
years experience; well known to ali
travellers by that route as" Old Jimmy"
If he ever had a surname, / am sure ]
never heard it.
Every thing was now ready for the de-
parture. / took my place in the coach,
and Immediately afterward there follow
ed two gentleman, and, few seconds
later, lady.
The door was closed with bang. and
off we started. / noticed mt once that
four seats were nnoccupied. This,
thought |, is a good Indication of rapid,
comfortable tip; none Of the crush, and
Jam, wear and tear on body and mind,
resulting from the attempt, so usual on
most routes, to crowd twelve persons in
to a space intended for eight only.
Now to my companions On the front
seat with me was man of about forty
five years of age, stoutly built, medium
height, honest, homely features. One
glance at his sun-browned face and large
coarse hands satisfied me that he was
Injured to toll. No doubt farmer. He
was quiet and unassuming in demeanor
neatly but coarsely clad. We meet such
men every day, and find nothing about
them peculiarly interesting. If / re
member right, his name was Simpson.
On the middle seat, directly facing me-
was man of very different stamp
Had you met him in crowd he would
at once nave attracted your special at.
tention and interest. Exceedingly tall
massive. and broad-shouldered no doubt
possessed OF great strength; the head
large, covered with abundant hair, iron
gray in color, and so long as to touch his
shoulders. His features were regular
and by the casual observer would have
been called handsome. The impression
produced on me was puzzling. II wal
certainly not agreeable, but, on the othel
hand, cannot say that it was exactl,
disagreeable.
The controlling feeling was rathe
curiosity in one whom j at once perceiv