The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-01-08
A Daredevil Jehu.

Buffalo Bill tells a good story abont a
party of Engishmen travelling on the
plains before the Pacific Railroad was
flushed. They came rambling into
Laramie, abusing the driver and The
coach and the "blarsted country gen
orally, because, they averred, "there
was no coaching outside of England.
Their contempt of all things American
was shown in TIE most offensive manre
to oil the people 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, n
MS that gay Jehu heard the remarks OF
the DrIJIsuers nc Slowly maue up MS
mind to give them a specimen OF purely
American coaching. The stable boys
led ont six colts that looked as If they
had never heard of a stage before; they
reared and snorted, plunged and kick
cd until the noble Britons were quite
delighted with the anticipation of a
fine drive.
"Now, driver, you know, just give
'em their 'eads and let 'em go; don
you be afraid"
''Yes," says another encouragingly,
''my dear fellow, Just go ahead"
Bob mounted the box slowly VIII lie q
man held each horse; he gathered the
resins and said, quickly: "Let EN-
go!' Aud 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 b~lasphemed at him, for
a.s'cad' and a sneak. At the end Of
that three miles they got to the top of a
hill, and one Rriton pokedhis head out
OF shewindow and began to say someth
ing, but as he did, wild unearthly yells
walked that vicinity, and at the same
time Bob threw all six lines down. The
coach seemed to lift from the gound,
and those six colts started at the very
best speed they could make. Another
veil from Bob, and they seemed to in
crease it; then to help matters he drew
his revolver and began firing over the
horses heads.
"Great God" cried the Britons,
''we've gotten into the hands Of blarsted
lunatic."
"'Stopl stop!" they shouted; but the
mad team and crazy driver tore on
faster and faster, while the stage went
bouncing over the rocky road in a way
that threatened to pound the passen-
gers to pieces. Bob Grained his neck
over and yelled into the window:
GENTS, I'm just getting 'em started
they'll do better after awhile!" And he
took ont the lamps and hurled them at
the leaders with a wild Comanche wal
whoop.
The affrighted passengers presently
saw the station in full view; the quee-
ton was how that team was to he stop
ped. They gave themselves up fol
gone, and hung on despairingly to the
seats. 1t seems that the horses we're &C
custom to go right into the stables,
coach and all. and mp they came to the
open door in full speed. There was {
veil from the assembled stable attend
ants and tavern ~loafers. then a fright
full crash as the whole top Of the coacf
went off, throwing three Britops out ant
breaking two arms and a leg, besides
other slighter accidents. Bob came OH
of the stable smiling, picked up al
Englishman, and says:
Never mind sir; we'll have a rea
pics DIR 70 to the next station l wa
Obliged to take 'em along slowly owe
that there bad road. Boys, put in tn
other team in q fresh coach and Civ
me a q nple of cocktails. It's dnll 'dri
wing so dog gone slow, and I'm power
fni drr,
Those Englishnen waited and sen
for a doctor, bnt they did not put dow
anything in their note book abou
American driving.