Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-07-08
TIE HERALD.
A Stage DRIVERS STORY.

Fourteen years ago, | drove from
Danbury to Liltletor, a distance
OF forty-two mites, and as | had to
await the arrival of two or three
coaches, and | did not start until
after dinner, | very often had
good distance to drive after dark.
1t was in the dead of winter, and
the season had been q rough one.
A great deal of snow had fallen,
and the drifts were plenty and deep
The mail that 1 carried was not due
at Littleton by contract until one
O'Clock in the morning, but that
winter the postmaster was Obliged
to sit up little later than that
hour for me-
One day 10 January, when drove
up with my mail at Danbury, the
postmaster called me into his Office.
Pete, said he, with an important
serious look, there's some pretty
heavy money packages in that bag
and he pointed to it as he spoke.
He said the money was from Bos.
ton to some land agents up near the
Canada line. Then he asked me
if | had any passengers who were
going through to Littleton :? told
him | did not know, But suppose |
have not?' say l.
why said he, The agent OF the
lower route came in to-day, and he
said there was two suspicious char.
acters on the stage that came up
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 a short, thick set
fellow, about 30 years of age, with
long hair, and thick, heavy cIump
OF beard under his chin, but none
on the side of his face. | did not
know anything about the other.
told him | guessed there WASN'T
much danger.
Oh, no. not if you have got pas.
sengers all the way through, but |
only told you this so that you might
look out for your mail, and also
look out sharp when you change
horses
l answered that / should do so,
and then took the bag under my
arm and left the office | slowed
mail away under my seat a little
more carefully than usual, placing il
SO that | could keep my feet against
| it, but beyond that did not feel
any concern. 1t was past one when
we started, and | had four passen>
gers, two of whom rode only to my
first stopping place. | reached
Gowsn's Mills at dark, when we
stopped for supper, and whore my
other two passengers concluded to
stop for the night.
About six o'clock in the evening
left Gowan's Mills alone, having two
horses and pung.
| | bad seventeen miles to 90, and o
hard seventeen it was too. The
night was quite clear, but the vino
was sharp and cold, the loose suo W
flying in every direction, while the
drifts were deep and closely packed.
1t was GLOW, tedious work, and my
horses soon became leg weary and
festive. At the distance of six
miles | came to a little settlement
called Bulls Corner, where | took
fresh horses. I'd been two hours
going that distance. as | was going
to start, a man came up and asked
if | was going through TO Littleton
| TOLD him should go through il
the thing could possibly BIO done.
He said he was very anxious to go,
and as he had no baggage, l teld
him to Jump in, and make himself
IS comfortable as possible. | was
gathering up my lines, when the
hostler came up and asked mo if |
knew that one of my horses had
cut himself badly. l jumped cut
and went with him, and found that
one of the animals had got deep
cork cut on the off foot. | gave
such directions as | considered nee
essary, and was about to turn away
when the hostler remarked that he
| came alone. | told him | did.
Then where did you get that
passenger ? SAID be.
'He just got in answered,
Got in from where2'
q don't know
Well now,' said the hostler,
that's kind of curious. There amt
been no such man at the house, and
| know there amt been none at any
of the neighbours
Lets have a look at bis face
said |. we can get that much at
any rate. Do you go back with
me, and when get into the rung
just hold the lantern so the light
will shine on his face