Warren sheaf., 1881-07-06
STAGE DRIVERS STORY.

Fourteen years ago drove from Danbury to!
Littleton, a distance Of forty two miles, and as
had to await the arrival of two or three
coaches, and as did not start until after din
after dark. It was in the dead Of winter, AMI,
the season had been rough one A great deat
of SHOW had fallen, and the drifts were plen,'
and deep. The mail that carried was not dGo
at IttletOn by contract until O'clock in tL;3'
morning, but that winter the postmaster We y.
obliged to sit up little later than that hour for
me.
One day in January, when drove up wit,
into his Office.
s.Pete, said he, with an important, seriours,
look, sthere's some pretty heavy money pack.
ages IN that bag" and he pointed to it as he
spoke: He said the money was from Boston to
some land agent near the Canada line Then
ne asked me g if I had any passengers thas
were going through to Littleton. told him
says I .'I
':.Why,' said he, ssthe, agent of the lower
route came in to-day, and he said there weru
two suspicious looking characters on the stag,
they had an eve on this mail, so it will stand
you in hand to be little careful this even-''
Ing. y tt's$s.5,tS
He said the agent had described one of them
as short, thick-set fellow, about forty years
OF age, with long hair, and a thick. heav
clump Of beard under lis chin. but none on IT,,
81 slde OF his face He did not know anything about
inc other told him guessed there wasns
much danger .sg .,,,ss.>,eess,
:, "oh, no. not if you have got passengers al!
that you might look out for your mail. and also
>horses."3H2' S5.5l eA"nso 'D0
= =, answered that should do 80. and then took
me bag under my arm and left the Office I
slowed the mail away under nv seat a little
more careful than usual, placing it. go could
put my feet against it, but beyond that did DO;
feel any concern. It was past when we start
ed, and lhad fur passengers two of whom.
only rode TO my tirsi stopping place reached
supper, and where my other two passengers
concluded to stop for the night
About 3 O'Clock in the evening I left Gowan's
mill alone, having two horses and pung
tnad sever Seventeen e miles to and hard sew
clear, but the wind was sharp and cold the
!oose snow lying IN every direction while the
drifts were deep and closely packed. It was SLOW,
and md tedious work, and my horses soon became
leg-weary and restive. At the distance of six
ner, whore took fresh horses I'd been two
hours going that distance. As was going to
start man came up and asked if I was going
through to Littleton told him should 20
through i the thing could possibly be done
ne hs saaa ne was M anxious to go, and, as he had
L.,
himself comfortable as possible was gather
ing up my lines, when the hostler came up and
asked me if knew one of my horses had cut
himself badly. Jumped out and found thai
OF one OF OF the animals had got deep cork cut Oh
the off foot. gave such directions as I consid
ered necessary, and was about to turn away,
when the hostler remarked that he thought
came alone. told him did
.Ihen where did you get that passenger?"
HE just got in," answered.
ssGot in from where?" {
81 don't know"
, 'sWell, now, said the hostler, ssthats kind Of
curious There amt been no such man at the
house, and know there amt been none at the
Lets have look at his face" said L .:We
can get that much at any rate. Do you go back
with me- and, when I get into the pung lust
hold the lantern so that the light will shine in
to his face"
He did as wished, and as / stepped into the
pung, got fair views of such portions of nv
passengers face as was not muffled l1p saw
short, thick frame; full hard features: and
= could almost see that there was heavy beard
under the chin. 1 thought of the man whom
the postmaster had described to me. but did
not think seriously upon it nntil had started
Perhaps had gone half a mile when noticed
the mail bag wasn't in its right place under my
4 f'Hello!"s savsI, holding up my horses lit
tie. where's my mail?" ,.- g.. ~
Ny passenger sat on the seat behind me and
turned toward him.
Here is bag of some kind that slipped
back under my feet, "the said, giving it kick,
as though he would shove it forward.
Just at this moment 9oa my horse numbered into
deep snow drift, and I was forced to get out
and tread down the snow in front of them and
lead them throughi it. 4ss,'
This took me all of fifteen minutes, and when
got in again1 pulled the mail bag forward
and got my feet upon it. As was doing this
say the man taking something from his lap be-
meath the buffalo, and put it in his breast pock-
ct This thought was a pistol I caught q
CLEAN of barrel in the starlight. and when I
had time to reflect knew I could not be mis-
taken.
About this time began to think somewhat
seriously. From what heard and saw soon
made up my mind that the individual behind
me not only wanted TO rob me of my mail, but
was prepared to robme of my life. If I resist
meant to perform that delectable operation at
any rate. While was pondering the horses
plunged into another snowdrift, and I was
forced to get out and tread down the snow be-
Iote nnt bae s1e bt h ny PASSENGER il he would
wouldn't try; SO worked all alone, and was
all OF Quarter Of an hour getting my team.
When got into the sleigh again began to-
where had left it; but when endeayopad orna IT, u
withdraw my foot, discovered it had become
fast in something. I thought it was the buffao
lo, and tried 70 kick it clear; but, the more
kicked, the more closely 1t held Preached
moments, found that my foot was in the BAG
Ifelt again, and found my hand in among the
packages of letters and papers Iran nv fin-
gers over the edges of the opening and became
assured the stout leather had been cut with a
knife. j. "1'A
Here was discovery. I began to wish I had
taken little more forethought before leaving
Danbury; but as | knew making such wishes