Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-22
A DAREDEVIL JEHU.
HOW HE SHOOK UP A PARTY OF GRUMBLING
ta ENGLISH TOURISTS.
washington Capitol.j


Buffalo Bill tells a good story about par.
ty of Englishmen travelling on the plains be
fore;the Pacific Railroad was finished. They
came rambling into Laramie, abusing the drl.
yer 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 peo-
pie standing around as they alighted. 1t
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, and as
that gay Jehu heard the remarks Of the Brit
ishers, be slowly made up his mind to give
them specimen of purely American coach
ing. The stable boys led out six colts that
looked as if they had never heard of a stage
before they reared and snorted, plunged and
kicked until the noble Brtons were quite de-
lighted with the anticipation Of fine drive.
"Now, driver, you know, just give 'em
their 'eads and let 'em 60; don't you be
afraid"
"Yes," says another encouragingly, "my
dear fellow, just 60 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 plunged and reared, but Bob's
iron grasp held them in. With the aid of the
California brakes he held them down to a
walk for three miles, while the passengers
blasphemed at him, for "cad" and sneak.
At the end of that three miles they got to the
top of a hill, and one Briton poked his head
out of the window and began to say something,
but as he did, wild unearthly yell walked
that vicinity, and at the same time Bob threw
all six lines down. The coach seemed to lift
from the ground, and those six colts started at
the very best speed they could make. An
other yell from Bob, and they seemed to in-
crease it; then to help the matters he drew his
revolver and began firing over the horses
heads. 1 .,.-.g; .s
aGreat God," cried the Britons, "we've got
ten into the hands of blarsted lunatic."
"Stop Stop!' they shouted; but the mad
team and crazy driver tore on faster and fas-
ter, while the stage went bouncing over the
rocky road in way that threatened to pound
the passengers to pieces. Bob craned his neck
over and yelled into the window
"Gents, I'm just getting 'em started they'll
do better after awhile!" And he took out the
lamps and hurled them at the leaders with
wild Comanche war whoop.
The affrighted passengers presently saw the
station in full view; the question was how
that team was to be stopped. They gave
themselves up for gone, and hung on despair
ingly to the seats. 1t seems that the horses
were accustomed to 60 right into the stables,
coach and all, and up they came to the open
door at full speed. There was a yell from
the assembled stable attendants and tavern
loafers, then frigbtful crash as the whole top
of the coach went off, throwing three Britons
out and breaking two arms and a leg, besides
other slighter accidents. Bob came out Of
the stable smiling, picked up an Englishman,
and says:
"Never mind sir; we'll have a real nice
drive to the next station. I was obliged to
take 'em along slowly over that there bad
road. Boys, put in the other team in fresh
coach and give me couple of cocktails It's
dull driving so dog-gone slow, and I'm pow
erful dry"
Those Englishmen waited and sent for a
doctor, but they did not put down anything
in their note book about American driving.