Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-01-22
A Daredevil Jehu.

A Daredevil Jehu.
Buffalo Bill tells good story
about a party off EngIishmen
travelling on the plains before
the Pacific Railroad was finish
ed. They came rumbling into
Laramie, abusing the driver and
the coach and the "blarsted
country" generally, because,
they averred, "there was no
coaching outside of England"
Their contempt Of all things
American was shown in the
most offensive manner to all the
people standing around as they
aIlghted. happened that Bob
Scott, the finest driver and the
most reckless daredevil on the
plains, was to take the coach to
the next station, eight miles
westward from Laramie, ard as
that gay Jehu heard the remarks
of the Britishers he slowly made
up his mind to give them spec
linen Of purely American coach
ing. The stable boys led out
six colts that looked as if they
had never heard Of a stage be-
fore; they reared and snorted,
plunged and kicked until the
noble Britons were quite de-
lighted with the anticipation of
a fine drive. H
"Now, driver, you know, just
give 'em their leads and let 'em
go; don't be afraid"
"Yes," says another encour-
agingly, "my dear fellow, just
go ahead"
Bob mounted the box slowly
while a man held each horse; he |
gathered the reins and said,
quickly: "Let 'em go!" And
they did; and the colts reared;
but Bob's iron grasp held them
in. With the aid Of the Call
fornia brakes he held them down
to a walk for three miles, while |,
the passengers blasphemed at
him, for a "cad" and a sneak.
At the end Of that three miles
they got to the top of hill, and
one Briton poked his head out
Of the window and began to say
something, but as he did, a wild
unearthly yell walked that vicin-
ity, and at the same time Bob
threw all the six lines down.
rhe coach seemed to lift from
the ground, and those six colts
started at the very best speed
they could make. Another yell
from Bob, and they seemed to
increase it; then to help matters
he drew his revolver aad began
firing over the horses heads.
"Great God," cried the Brit
ons," "we've gotten into the hands
of blarstcd lunatic."
"S,op! stop!" they shouted;
but the mad team and crazy
driver tore on faster and faster,
while the stage went bouncing o.
yer the rocky road in way that
threatened to pound the passen-
gers to pieces. Bob craned his
neck over and yelled in at the
window:
Scents, I'm just getting 'em
started; they'll do better after a
whiIel" And he took out the
lamps and hurled them at the
leaders with a wild Comanchc
war whoop. aa
The frightened passengers
presently saw the station in full |
view; the question was how that
team was to be stopped. They
gave themselves up Tor gone,and
hung on despairingly to The
seats. 1t seems that the horses
were accustomed to go right i'll
to the stables, coach and all and
up they came to the open door
ut full speed. There was yell I.
from the assembled stable atten-
dants and tavern loafers, then a
frightlul crash as the whole top
of the coach went oil, throwing |,
three Britons out and breaking
two arms and a leg, besides 9TH j
er slghter accidents. Bob came
out of the stable smiling, picked
up an Englishman, aud says:
"Never mind, sir; VII have a
real nice drive to the next sta
ton. / was obliged to take 'em
along slowly over that there bad
road. Boys put in the other
team in a fresh coach and give
me couple of cocktails. It's
dull driving so dog-gone slow,
and I'm powerful dry"
Those EDglishmen waited and
sent for a doctor, but they did
not put down anything in their
note book about American driv-
ing.
All ,ho ollo-hol;nd mon In n