The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-02-21
nIsN HoLLADAY's sosE.

While travelling a Washington train re-
Gently with a number OF acquaintance
old Ben Holiday became unusually com
municative. lie climbed the Rocky
Mountains, waded through the Great
Salt Lake, jumped across the Back Canon
Of The Colorado, danced In the Death Val
ley, cooked grizzlies in the Yellowstone
geysers, scudded down the Shoshonc
Falls, and told score OF stories so thrill
ing that the hair Of his hearers arose In
protest One Of bis yarns was both
startling and amusing
One night, said he, long before the
Pacific Railroad was built, was bouDc
ing over the plains in one of my overland
coaches. My wife was with me. She
was sick, and lay asleep on the bottom of
the stage on bed ofbulIalo skins. The
night was fearluly dark and drizzling
rain was falling Mrs. Holiday and
myself were the only passengers. Sever
al stages had been robbed within two
months, and the driver was ripping
along as though gang Of prairie wolves
were after him.
Suddenly the horses were thrown on
their launches and the stage stopped. /
was heayed forward, but quickly recov-
cred, and found myself gazing at the
muzzles of double barreled shot gun.
BY the dim light Of The stage lamps the
barrels looked as big as mai kegs,
Throw up your hands and don't stir,
shouted the owner of grun voice. Up
went my hands, and began to commune
with myself saw that bedid not know
who | was, and was afraid my sick wife
might awake aud call me by name. My
coat was butt0ned over my bosom, but
hardly high enough to hide magnificent
emerald hat cost me eight thousand dol
lars lew weeks before in San Francisco
hardly brealhed through fear that the
1 light might strike the stone, and its bril-
lancy attract the attention Of the robber.
| had about forty thousand dollars in a
money belt close 10 the skin, and several
hundred dollArs in my pocket
Suddenly my lienl shouted, Come,
.hel onl, d-d qnick, or ~ send The
! devil free laneh.
7 Ipa.sad outt few hundred loose 10 my
1 pockets and handed him my gold watch
aud chuin They were heily, think the
chain alone would weigh five pounds 81
least
There, said !, here's every cent I've got,
Take il and let me 90 on. BY wife is very
sick, aud don't know Whit would hap.
pen to her II she knew what was going
on
Keep your hands np, was the reply
while second robber received the watch
and money. Tbcna search was made for
the express companys box, but the
double baue!ed shot gun did not move.
For my lite / did not dare TO stir. My
nose began to itch. The stiff hairs Of my
muslache got up one after another and
( iicklcd il until the sensation wss iuioler'
able. I could stand il no longer.
Stranger, | cried, must scratch my
nose. # itcbes 30 that ! am almost crazy,
Move your hands, be shouted, and ~
blow a boie through Your head big
enough FOR i jack rabbit 70 jump thfo. J
appealed once more. We'll, be answered
keep your hands sliII, md III scratch i
for you / bate TO zee partner softer.
Did De scratch hi asked one Of Ben''
interested listeners
Sure, said Mr. llolladdy.
How asked the breatbless listener
With The mazze Of the cooked gun,
said he great oyerlander. lie rubbed
the maz1Ie around my maslaehe sBd
raked it over the end Of my nose uniil
thanked bin and said L itcbed 20 longer
The robbers soon afiefward took their
leave, With many apologies, aud Ben con
linned BE journey to ihe Missoud with
Biz Big eneEld and forty thousaBd dol.
iars