The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-19

L
sources Of this trouble, until, at last, It was
| traced to the unpoetlc mules. Whoever heard,
| In tho good old days, of q stage coach trun-
died along by these sluggish, stubborn, un-
graceful hybrldsl There was. however. but
little time for speculative meditation upon
such subjects.
Handing my valise to the driver, 1t was
swung between his outstretehed legs, disap-
pearing as suddenly and efeotBally as II 1t
had been hurled into the body OF tho stage IT.
self. Climbing lightly to the box, for, as yet,
| am neither old nor pertly, my Dyes searched
for the vanished piece of baggage, which WAS
discoved. with others OF It's kind, In the caver-
nous recess of the "boot," d leathern sided re-
GaptaCe under the drivers seat, almost as ca
paco,ls as the coach itself. To the rear Is simi-
lar coltrivaneo known AS the "hind" OF latter
boot" upon which trunks are piled. almost
mountain high. and are preserved from loss
or damage by u leathern "npron, immense
and thick which Is strapped and securely
buckled over all. Enoirellhg the top OF the
conveyance Is an iron railing, about twelve or
eighteen inches high, with the assistance
whereof tho roof Is made to accommodate
moro baggage, In piles so lofty as to reader
apparently difficult the problem as to how
n concern 80 top heavy can encounter the
first descending grade without caPstzing.
Within coaches of the first class are seats for
nine passengers, and on top Tor three more.
On the drivers bench an additional couple
may sit with reasonable comfort. In oil, this
gives Il seating capacity OF fifteen persons;
but ! have heard boastful jehus declare that
thoy have slowed away on particular trips
a living freight of over twenty souls, with II
due and proportionate amount OF baggage.
These concerns are very strongly built. In
deed. when we consider the nature OF the
roads they traverse. and the burdens they
bear the necessity OF such strength can be
well appreciated. In lieu OF metallic springs,
they are hung upon heavy straps, laid to-
gether In layers; which manner of hanging,
especially when the vehicles are MT oil top
heavy. causes them to lurch and waggle,
like the head OF IL toy mandarin.
1t was verglng on to night us we started,
and there was, consequently, but limited OPP
portunlty for admlring the scenery. The
roads were of the toughest, rocky, rutty,
and presenting, during the greater part OF
the way,
A SUGGESTIONS or INCLISEs.
very pronounced In character, literally inter
spersed with holes. deep and dangerous. The
night was ono of the darkest. Against tho
gloom the stage lamps, with ordinary candies.
waged d feeble warfare. Beyond tho short
us in as though with wallis of ebony. The
driver. seeing but little, was compelled to rely
largely upon his recollection and Judgment.
Az 1t ioted along, the old coach tipped and
bowed at all sides like some politician on the
eve Of an election. Indeed. the violence OF its
screenings would justify q more vigorous
comparisons such, for Instance, MS to q ship ut
sea during q lively gale. As though to rem
der this latter resemblance more completes.
we had not long been upon the route before
SEA SICKNESS or A PRONOUNCED TYPE
declared itself in the body Ut the coach. 1t
soon became epidemic, G, lady aud two chill
dren falling Victims leaving but two OF the
insiders unaffected. At every toss, or pitch,
made by the froltcsomo conveyance the SUI
ferers within groaned most agonizlngly. and
otherwise oonformed strictly to the rules
governing well regulated cases of maritime
nausea. It were needless to remark that these
circumstances OF themselves fully justified
my preference for the top.
Upon many occasions the tlppngs of the
coach were so vigorous that, to my inexpari-
enced Judgment. an upset seemed inevitable.
Several times were lightning calculations In
Obliged In as to how far should be shot from
my perch down rugged hill or over some
proxlmate fence; one time, indeed, as we
struggled through rut Of particular depth
the stage eareened most vciously, and the
driver. for once, did not dispute the assertion
of the startled outsiders that "she had almost
gone that time"
keeping the surrounding country comedies
the greatest degree OF skill and Judgment in
his calling Nevertheless he fell short OF
MY pRAU IDEAL or A JEHU.
Tall and bony, OF good muscular develop
ment he was, in all respects, & typical noun
taineer; but were he not sitting upon the box
his appearance would not in any respect
suggest his calling. 1t Is true his powers Of
conversation seemed largely confined to the
discussion of stages, whips and horses 1t
may be admitted that he broadly and Ire
quentiy intimated thai he was the best driver
In the land, that his whip was the longest and
popped the sharpest; that the coach he drove
was the staunchest and most easy riding Of
any on the line; and finally. that he would
not exchange his mules for the finest horse
team In the country. 1t cannot be denied but
that he had "reminiscences and recltals most
numerous to illustrate and enforce these
various pretensions. In all these respects he
was fully up to the mark; but there was
missing the air Of patronage aud superiority
toward the mere passenger which belonged
to Jehu In the past. Indeed, such assump-
ton In those days was not without it's justiti-
cation, rs the general Information attained
by these characters, through perpetual jour
neyings and constant intercourse with the
travelling classes, must have rendered them
superior to the ordinary and casual vOyager
In another important respect | imagined
him deficient. In the olden times, the oil gni--
fled individual who graoed the stage-boX had
WINS known to all the country. and received
on all hands the kindlieSt salutations. In
this instance our driver seemed to care, or be
cared for, by few whom we passed, or else to
be both nnknowing and unknown.
Despite all tribulationS we at last arrived
safely at our destination,
THE CITY or AsHEyIbLE.
There was difficulty IN securing lodgings.
The Eagle and Central hotels were FULL and
our party just formed the complement of the
Swannanoa The long and fatiguing ride
had exhausted us. and we We're Mortified
when Invited to ascend to the fourth story
When accomplished, the climb seemed to have
been as difficult as though 1t had been the
summit OF some mountain which was reached
MY room was new ,and clean; but the bed,
with its mattress of straw, was. in keeping
with the country, decidedly billy, especially
toward the centre. After several abortive at
tempts, the Drowsy GodWas caught at last,
and held securely during the remainder OF the
night. 49,
Gotham.
New York Times.l. 4+..=
The term Gotham, often applied in mild de-