Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-05-09
A COLORADO EXPERIENCE

One tempest-tossed night, weather.
bound at small hotel on the stage
route from Santa Fe, we met fellow
traveller in whom we became greatly in
terested.
Among others, my companion, a
finely-built, athletic fellow, narrated an
experience oftheprevious season, which,
he said, "made every hair stand on tip
toe"
"How?" we asked. "You were in
great peril?"
Zone of those imminent risks that
you meet at every turn. Four of us came
in the stage from Santa Fe, the last of
June, | think. A young lady-gov-
erness in an officers family-her escort,
wealthy merchant, reputable, with a
guarantee of honor inscribed on every
line of his earnest face, and myself, were
acquaintance the other was the horse
shoer OF the company, bound for the
stables at Denver.
The lady-amOng the twenties-was
so happy in the thought of going East
and seeing her widowed mother-was so
interested and full of life, that her joy
rippled through our conversation like a
merry warble.
you'd like a personal description P"
Well, rather tall and willowy, eyes
as black and full of sparkle as a frosty
night, and hair commonly called red,
but with a CLINT of gold in lines and
dashes wherever the sunlight glanced
across it. | saw it fully when she
dropped her hat, and stylish, neat af-
fair that was, too-but | have not come
to that yet.
I'm sure you're aware of the brig
andage for which that route is noted.
Marvellous tales are told of the robbers.
| suspect the mountain-passes of the
Apennines hold no more mystery OF
crime than do the rocky passes of this
fresh continent. Constantly facing
danger, the pioneer acquires hardihoud
that fits him for every fresh encounter
of peril, however unusual. The periodic
robbing of stages has become so much oi
fact that the express company will take
no more risks, and specie and treasure
have to be taken East by private parties
AS government expert, | was vel
known to the bankers of Santa Fe
They never hesitated to intrust me with
large amounts of gold, and this time
there was no exception. So | was
loaded, partly by means of an inner belt
around my waist, partly by false bot
tom, improvised in my valise by gum.
ming strong wrapping paper over the
precious parcels and inner lining of the
bag:
| 1.-The day would have been intolerablt
| but for the cool currents that SWEEP
down the declivities and through thu
mountain ravines. Frequently during
| the day, up the steep ascents, we woul(
| get out and walk. 1t rested us and re
| lieved the tedium of the drive. The
lady was most charming, rafting hel
words like fine shot against our sallies o
wit and wisdom, and turning into spor
and jest our serious fears. She becam,
confidential, and told us she expected
to return a madame, with a military
escort-if she returned at all. He
fiance was lieutenant, stationed nov
in the Indian Territory; but when h
received his furlough-well, very soon
perhaps-then we might expect to hea
of wedding bells
"' / would like to be a little richer
she added, with sigh; but we mus
take what the good God gives us, ant
my treasure happens to be not in gold
:" How much of dot have you
| Sttlu UllC JluCulCttl lnCIClldllb.
"She laughed merrily. Are you
bandit in disguiseP' then added, til
fruits of my industry amount to tn
heavy weight of one thousand in gold
You haven't it with youP' he in
quired, so quickly and earnestly that
was surprised.
"Come, you are accounted shrewt
just try and find out! will answer a
relevant questioning.
"He blushed and stammered an apolC
gy, and she sat for a moment on arock tha
projected from the side of the road owe
the mountain edge. She had gathere
stray flowers on her walk, diving unde
bushes and behind rocks, and was fas
ening them on her hat and mantle.
scarlet creeper ran round the base of IL
rock down the side of the mi t~...r..r
"'Oh, that suits me, ml;'
she said, rising to her feet, and droppir
hat and flowers in the excitemen
just then u sudden eddy of wind can
twisting round the corner of fissur
and whirled hat and flowers round an
round, lodging them beyond her pow
of recovery, on narrow ledge of perpel
dicular rock, jutting out and inaccessib
from the road.
"'How, now, what will you dop'
said, half in sport at the possibility of
bareheaded companion for the rest of ii
trip,