The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-04-22

alone, and was all of quarter of an hour
getting my team through the drifts.
When got into the sleigh again, Le-
gan to feel for the mailbag with my
feet. I found it where had left it, but
when attempted to withdraw my foot
discovered it had become fast in some
thing-I thought it was the buffalo, and
tried to kick it clear; but the more /
kicked the more closely it held. I
reached down my hand, and after feel
ing about few moments, found that
my foot was in the mailbag. I felt
again, and found my hand in among the
packages of letters and papers. ran
my fingers over the edge of the opening
and became assured that the stout leather
had been cut with knife.
Here was discovery. began to
wish had taken q little more FORE
thought before leaving Danbury but
as knew making such wishes was only
q waste of time, quickly gave it up,
and began to consider what had better
do under existing circumstance. I
wasn't long in making up my mind upon
few essential points. First, the man
behind me was villain; second, he had
cut open the mailbag and robbed it of
some valuable matter-he must have
known the money letters by their size
and shape; third, he meant to leave the
stage on the first opportunity; and,
fourthly, he was prepared to shoot me if
attempted to arrest or detain him.
revolved these things IN my mind !,
and pretty soon thought of course to
pursue. ] knew that to get my hands
safely upon the rascal / must take him
wholly unawares, and this / could not
do while he was behind me, for his eyes
were upon me all the time, so must re-
sort to stratagem. Only little distance
ahead was house, and an old farmer
named Longee lived there; and directly
before it huge snowbank stretched
across the road, through which track
had been cleared with shovels.
As we approached the cot saw light
| in the front room, as I felt confident
should, for the old man generally sat up
until the stage went by. / drove up,
and when nearly opposite the dwelling,
stood up. as had frequently done when
approaching difficult places. saw the
snow bank ahead, and could distinguish
the deep cut which had been
shoyeled through it. / urged my
horses to good speed, and when near
the bank forced them into it. One of
the runners mounted the edge of the
bank, after which the other ran into the
cut, thus throwing the sleigh over
about as quick as though lightning had
struck it. My passenger had not calcu-
lated on any such movement, and wasn't
prepared.
He rolled out into the deep snow with
heavy buffalo robe about him, while I
alighted directly on the top of him. 1
punched his head in the snow and called
out for old Longee. / did not have to
call second time, for the farmer had
come to the window to see me pass, and
as soon as lie saw my sleigh overturned
he had lighted his lantern and hurried
out.
whats to pay?" asked the old man as
| he came up.
LEAD tho horses into the track, and
then come here," said.
! AS / spoke I partially loosened my
hold upon the villains throat, and he
| drew pistol from his bosom; but saw
| it in good season, and jammed his head
into the snow again and got it away from
| him.
By this time Longee had led the horses
out and came back, and I explained the
matter to him in as few words as pos
sible.
We hauled the rascal ont into the
road again, and, upon examination, we
found about twenty packages of letters
| which he had stolen from the mail bag
and slowed away in his pockets. He
swore, threatened and prayed, but we
paid no attention to his blarney. Longee
| got some stout cord, and when he had
securely bound the villain we tumbled
him into the pung. then asked the
old man if he would accompany me to
Littleton, and he said, "Of course I
will
! So he got his oyelcoat and muffier ,and
ere long we started on.
| / reached the end of my route with my
mail all safe, though not as snug as it
might have been. and my mail bags a
little the worse for the trick that had
been played on them. However, the
mail robber was secure. and within a
week he was identified by some officers
from Concord as an old offender, and I
am rather inclined to the opinion that
he is in the State prison at the present
| time. At any rate he was there the last
time heard of him.
| This is the only time 1 ever had any
mail trouble, and I think that, under all
the circumstances, I came out of ii
pretty we'll.