The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-09-08
the STAGE DRIVERS STORY.

IN summer, aud "Jerky' 10 winter,
seventy miles day through tho
widest regioo, and over one OF the
most dangerou, routs 10 the Uoitcd
States The country through which
this trail ran--wss totally sninhabit-
ed. But for tue three stage stations.
where horses were changed, aud
which were dug outs, or log huis,
twenty miles apart. The indians,
although generally friudly, were liable
to become enemies At q momcnrs
warning rosd-sgents aud outlaws
were thicker upon the Galla,in route
than any other uortb Of the Union
Pacific Railroad, and the route itself
ran through procipices, as though
origianally laid out by mountain
sheep. Notwithstanding oil this,
Jake was successful driver, made
better time, lost fower mails aud ex-
press-sates, aud rau his coach ut
smaller expense to the company,
shsn any other msu in their employ.
hut when misfortune did overtakc
him, il was no light hand that the
genius Of evil laid upon him, which
the following adventure proves:
One mugsy mIruins, Ia early
May, as jake hsoled up io trout of
the stsge-otllre, sni prepared to ro-
ceive mails, express aud messenger,
Iifany there should be for Helena, the
Wells Fargo agent called to hio
from within. Throwing the reins
over the fuo,.bruke, Poui descended
from his perch aud entered The otice.
The agent shut the door behluc
him ; then drawing near he enid, in
half.w hi.por :"
There's fifteen thousand in cur
rency in the safe, to take ovor to
day.
"All right!' responded Jake
J, "lve .rried more before nov, ant
carried it safely
"But." said the agent, drawing
still nearer, Dicks sick, aud there
no messenger"
"Ah |" said tho driver, meditativ
ely then, touching the revolve
which hung at his belt: "l'll b
messenger and coachman boil
.hen.
But" still continued the othor
there's Que thug more and h
leaned forward 30 that his lip
touched his companions eal
Copper Tom end his pal, old Jiu
are on tho road. A man from Cros
Trees was robbed by them los
night"
Pool whistled long and low, an
his band fell from kis pistol-bu,
Copper Tom" was the worst road
agent in Montans-a desperate
with both courage and brains.
"Don't send the rags"
IL must y said the expressma'
auxiously. "The order is perenr
tory the money must go to~da.
messenger or no messenger. Nov
will you take aud carry it through
Jake laughed.
'I'll take it that's part of m
business. Throw the safe undo
the seat and give me your pistol,
may want two" Aud he took tt
] others revolver from desk where
lay and thrust it into bis boot-to
"As to carrying it through. that
another matter, with those fellows
stop it. But I'll promise you this
il go through, the safe shall J,
y The agent grasped his hand AT
shook it warmly. The door vi
thrown open the driver mount'
his seat, the iron box was stowe
beneath his feet, the single passe'
ger IAN old woman, to be left at Il
first statiop) got in, the whip crac|
cd, the horses plunged, tue coac
lurched heavily forward, and, amid
r. shower Of mud, disappeared dow
: the steep mountain road.
Althoughit it was May. the NOR
en ing was cold. and it was not M
49, the sun had climbed we'll up 81
au eastern sky that the chill thawod o
Of the air, anil by that hour Pa
w was more than twenty miles up'
his journey. with fresh horses
their traces, and an empty coach b
ou hind him He began to bright
with the sun. eH
'ty after l get through the Devi
Pass" said be to himself, "Copp
10 Tom or any other man may wh's
'er for me, for from that TO Dickson's
Cd as handsome road as ever Q hoi
70. struck foot upon. and whoever tri