The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1882-03-30

STONES BY The STAGE DRIVER.

"Are you fond Of driving 7" asked
the writer Of this article OF Frank
Ensign, famous mountain stage
driver, as he jumped upon the seat
at his side on the coach that was a.
bout to start from Gunuison to Ruby
Camp in the Elk Mountains
"Yes. love to be around horses, "
you must have had some adyon.
lures Z"
IA few" rspliel Frank. qui,tly.
Where did yon first. begin to
irivo trot,ers. You ask Don Mace If
he remembers Frank Ensign
"You must have soma cold rides"
.."Yes, I've been chilled to tue mar
row on several occasions; once on
the road over tho ground we are
now travelling. 1t was two winters
ago, when the discoveries of these
diggins began to make noise in
the world. Men would undergo any
hard ship to reach tue mountains
Que morning 1 had a stage load for
Ruby Camp. From signs in tho air
| made up my mind that before
night blizzard would roll down
with frost sharp enough to freeze
whisky in your breast picket /
put on six layers of clothing.
First, silk underware, then woollcn
next bnckskin, suit Of wO0l!on,
clothes. a thick ulster. aud finally a
big bear skin coat that covered all
mp to my ears. / wore three pairs
OF socks, pOir of ortice, aud high
flannel lined rubber boots over them
| wonnd flannel bandage around
my head and forehead, aud pnlled
my fur cap down to my eyebrows
A pair of goggles protected my eyes,
aud muill-r, which | managed to
breathe through. covered my mouth
cheeks and nose. Heavy fur gloves,
encased in rubber mittens, project
el my hands. One of the stage
company bad TO so up on bnsiness.
,ni hs starto of with mo in the
seat you occupy. lie was pretty
we'll bundled mp and sail he didn',
want any Of his Eon to iide where
"e wonljnt go.
Before we passed Castle noun
tain the hli2zird was on ps. II came
shi iek ng over the bare rocks and
:arough the stintel trees louder
than if II million Utes were sweep
ing after our sctlph. II whisiled
around the coach and over the horses
fairly raising the harness from their
hacks. icicles formed lringes from
rb.ir mouths, and stiles were white
with glisteuing frost. They lower
.l their heads to the storm aud
plugged bravely on with their load.
Are yon cold, Frank :" inquired
he boss with chattering teeth.
Warm as toast" says !. The point
OF my nose was the only sensitive
thing about mo that 'inged as il n
coal on fire had come 10 contact with
It Pretty soon we came to bend
around the mountain, where We hal
a little shelter.
Pull up minute, Frank" said
the boss. II guess III get in with
the passengers" Every man inside
was stamping his feet as il he had
served his time in the Old Bowery
pit.
A fearful howl arose when the
proprietor opened the door, and
dove in among the haIf.frozen,
cramped-up travellers. Between the
gusts 1 heard the lively tattoo kept
up until we began climbing the high
range to Raby Camp. Then only
an occasional thump reached my
ears. When we arrived at the sta
tion had to help every man out of,
the coach. Nearly all had their feet
hands, ears or noses bitten reqnir
ling vigorous applications of snow to
restore healthy ciculation Of blood,
A little rut bing of my own rose set
me all right (Frank's nose is rather
long and thin), and when l entered
tie bar,room at the station, after
seeing that my team was properly
attended to, was 10 comfortable
glow of warmth.
Frank said the proprietor, ~
don't see how you got up the noun
tain without freezing to death, ]
should have fallen off il | had re
maiued outside another half hour.
"Were you ever stopped by road
agents ~
"Yes, by the Allison gang. That