Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-10-21
A STAGE DRIVERS STORY.


ASTAGE DRIVERS STORY.
Fourteen years ago I drove from Danbury
to Littleton, distance of forty-two miles
and as / had to await the arrival Of two Of
three coaches, and did not start until aftel
dinner, l very often had good distance tt
drive after dark. 1t was in the dead Of win
ter, and the season had been rough one. A
great deal of snow had fallen, and the drifts
were plenty and deep. The mail that l car
ried was not due at Littleton by contrac
until l o'clock in the morning, but that win
ter the postmaster was obliged to sit up s
little later for me.
One day in January, when I drove up with
my mail at Danbury, the postmaster callee
me into his Office.
"Pete," said he, with an important seriou:
look, "there are some pretty heavy money
packages in that Bag" aud he pointed to il
as he spoke. He said the money was from
Boston to some land agent near the Canada
line Then he asked me ifI had any pas
sengers who were going through to Littleton
l told him I did not know "but l suppose
have not," saysI I.
"Why," said he, the agent of the lower
route came in to-day, and he said there were
two suspicious characters on the stage that
came in last night, and he suspects that they
have an eye on this mail, so it will stand you
in hand to be little careful this evening"
He said the agent had described one Of
them as being short, thick-set fellow, about
forty years of age, with long hair and thick
heavy cump of beard under his chin, but
none on the side of his face. He did not
know anything about the other. | told him
guessed there was no danger.
"Oh, no, not if you have got passengers all
the way through; ; but told you this that you
might look'o sharp when you change hor'
ses.'
I answered that should do so; and then
took the bag under my arm and left the office
| slowed the mail away under my seat lit
tie more carefully than usual, placing it so
could keep my feet against it, but beyond
that l did not feel any concern. 1t was past
one when we started. I had four passengers,
two of whom only rode to my first stopping
place. l reached Gowan's Mills at dark,
when we stopped for supper, and where my
two passengers concluded to stop for the
night.
About 6 o'clock in the morning I left Cow
ans Mills alone, having two horses and a
pung.
had seventeen miles to 60, and it was a
hard seventeen too. The night was quite
clear but the wind was sharp and cold, the
loose snow flying in every direction, while
the drifts were deep and closely packed. 1t
was slow, tedious work, and my horses soon
became leg-weary and restive.
At the distance of six miles / came to a
small settlement called Bulls Corner, where
took fresh horses. / had heen two hours
going that distance. AS | was going to start,
man came up and asked if was going
through to Littleton. / told him should 60
through if the thing could possibly be done.
He said he was anxious to 60, and, as he had
no baggage, told him to jump in and make
himself as comfortable as possible.
| was gathering up my reins, when the
hostler came up and asked me if knew that
one of my horses had cut himself badly I
jumped out and found that one of the ami.
mails had got deep cork cut on the off foot.
gave such directions as considered neces.
sary, and was about to turn away when the
hostler remarked that he thought 1 came
alone.
I told him I did,
-, Then where did you get that passenger p
said he.
"He just got in," answered.
"Got in from where2'
81 don'tknow."
"Well, now" said the hostler, "that's kind
of curious. There amt been no such a man
at the house, and l know there amt been
none at any of the neghbors."
"Let's have look at his face, said I. "We
can get that much at any rate. Do you go
back with me, and when l get into the pung
just hold your lantern so that the light will
shine into his face"
He did as wished and as I stepped into
the pung got fair view of such portions
of my passengers face as were not mufled
up. l saw short, thick frame, full, hard
features, and l could almost see that there
was heavy beard under the chin. thought
of the man whom the postmaster had de,
scribed to me, but did not think seriously
upon it until had started. Perhaps l had
gone half mile when I noticed that the mail
bag wasn't in its place under my feet.
"Hallo!" says I, holding up my horses a
little, "where's my mail ?"
Mr.. Passenger sat on a seat behind me, and
I turned toward him. ...
"Here is bag of some kind that slipped
back under my feet" he said, giving it a kick,
as though he would shove it forward.
Just at this moment my horses numbered
into deep snowdrift, and I was forced to get
out and tread down the snow in front Of them
and lead them through it.
This took me all of fifteen minutes, and
when got in again I pulled the mail bag
forward and got my feet upon it. AS I was
doing this saw the man taking something
from his lap, beneath the buffalo, and put
it into his breast pocket. This I thought
was pistol. l had caught the gleam Of a
barrel in the starlight, and when l had time
to reflect, knew could not be mistaken.
About this time began to think some.
what seriously. From what l had heard
and seen, soon made up my mind that the
individual behind me not onl y wanted to
rob me of my pail, but was prepared to rob
me of my life If I resisted him he would
shoot me, and perhaps he meant to perform
that delectable operation at any rate. While
I was pondering, the horses plunged into an
othe- snowdrift, and | was again forced to
get out and tread down the snow before
them. asked my passenger if he wouldn't
help me, but he didn't feel very well, and
wouldn't try; so worked all alone, and was
all of quarter of an hour getting my team
through the drifts.
When got to the sleigh again I began to
feel for the mail bag with my feet. l found
it where I had left it, but when attempted
I - L L.