The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-08-27

IT Is worth days journey to get
acquainted with the average Western
stage-driver. 70 listen 10 his stories and
observe his ways. He is only pas
senger." Is . slang expression which l
sometimes hear used in the East 10 de-
scribe person who thinks he manages
some important enterprise which -
really controlled by other and more inn
poriant men; but never appreciated
how forcihle IL was until took my seat
on the box By the side Of Western
staye-driver. The conductor Of rail-
way train j. the man who comes along
through the car AZ intervals and punches
= peculiarly shaped hole in your ticket.
or tears OF coupon As you approach
the end Of division. He waves his
hand or swings his lantern for the train
to start. but the fact that he j. the man
into whose hands we commit our lives.
the autocrat Of the train. never occurs
TO me unless some accident happens
through his negligence.
The stage-driver Is the conductor. en-
gineer. fireman and brakeman: he is
the captain Of the ship. its complement
Of officers and the crew. and when he
gathers up his lines. unwinds his whip
lash from its stock and "puIls out" he
is the boss until he reaches the end
Of his route. His coach is not run BY
telegraph; he does not wait AT stations
for orders 10 '.go ahead he goes fast
or slow as he pleases. And the stage
driver generally knows his own import
ance and makes his passengers feel IT,
If YOU get on the right side Of him he
will crowd the journey full of interest
and pleasure. but if he conceives dis
like or contempt for you. the sooner
you get seat inside the coach the bet
ter il will be for you.
A majority Of the Western stage
drivers are middlc-aged men less than
fifty), but they have lived hundred
years If time was only measured by the
experience they have had. II is rare 10
meet one nowadays who did not drive
on the old overland route. and many Of
them served their apprenticeshipsi in the
States east of the Missouri River before
that route was established. To hear
man whose hair has not begun 10 turn
gray tell Of his adventures on the plains
and in the mountains before there was
a Pacific Railroad Is TO me almost like
listening to soldier Of the Revolution
describing the battle Of Bunker Hill
One period seems little more remote
than the other to one who never saw
this country until he could come here by
rail. and TO our children they will be
equally remote periods Of the romantic
past.
i think l would know . Western
stage-driver wherever l might see him
on the box. Though not uniformed.
there are certain peculiarifies in the
way they wear their clothes that. though
difficult to describe. are unmistakable-
But there is more in the manner than
in the dress They sit upon the box
as though they were part Of il. they
hold the reins in certain way. and
the butt end Of the long whip. when
nos in use, lies loosely between the
thumb and foreinger Of the right
hand. while the top rests across the
lines. II saw . man who was driving
in this way take all the reins and the
whip in his left hand when he came to \
4 level piece Of road or slight ascent.
draw the end of his whip-lash tenderlv
through his right hand. and then. by
Of the same motion. raise
his hand very slowly as he let the snap
per drop. and taking his hat BY the rim
behind push il forward over his eyes,
should be disappointed II. when l asked
him il he did not drive for Wells. Fargo
x Go. or Ben Holiday in olden times.
he did not reply: s.You bet" or II
should remark
These fellows are generally rough and
profane, but they are men of undoubted
nerve, brave as lion and full Of re-
sources when in danger or difficulty
Toward ladies they are. almost without
exception believe. polite and gallant
To their friends they are As true as
steel. and there Is sense Of honor prev
alent among them that makes them
remarkably trustworthy. Il treat ev-
cry man white who treats me white.
and don't you forget it, said Frank
the driver with whom I rode to Silver
Cliff the other day. in speaking Of his
relations with his employers They
always done what's right BY me and /
cant kick" he added. And this was
said in a way which showed that he
meant it---Cor. N. Y. Tribune