, 1882-04-28
TIE MAIL ROBBER.

Fourteen years ago drove from Dan
bury to Littleton, distance Of forty
two miles, and rs had to await the ar
rival of two or three coaches, / did not
start until after dinner and very often
had good distance to drive after dark.
II was in the dead OF winter, and the
season had been a rough one. A great
deal OF snow had fallen, and the drifts
were plenty and deep. The mail that
I carried was not due in Littleton by
contract until o'clock in the morning,
but that winter the postmaster was often
obliged to ait up little later than that
hour for me.
One day in January when drove up
with my mail at Danbury the postmaster
called me into his Office.
"Pete," said he with an important, se-
Tious look, "there's some pretty heavy
money packages in that bag" and he
pointed to it as he spoke.
He said the money was from Boston
to some land agents near the Canada
line. Then he asked me il I had any
passengers who were going through to
Littleton. 1 told him that l did not
know,
''But suppose have not?" said /.
"Why." said he, "the agent of the
lower route came in to-day, and he said
that there were two suspicious characters
on the stage that came in last night, and
he suspects that they have an eye to this
mail; so it viii stand you in hand to be
a little careful this evening"
He said the agent had described one
of them as q short, thick. set fellow about
forty years of age, with long hair, and q
thick, heavy clump of beard under his
,ehin but none on the side of his face.
He did not know about the other. l
told him guessed there was not much
danger.
"Oh, no, not il you have passengers
all the way through; but I only told you
this so that you might look out for
.yonr mail, and also took out sharp when
you change horses"
/ answered that Ishould do so, and
then took the bag under my arm and left
the Office. slowed the mail away
under my seat little more carefully
than usual, placing it so I could keep
my feet against it, but beyond that did
not feel any concern. 1t was past one
when We started and l had four pas.
sengers, two of whom rode only to my
first stopping-place. had reached
tGowan's Mills at dark, when we stopped
for supper, and where my other two
passengers concluded to stop for the
night.
About six o'clock in the evening left
cGowan's Mills alone, having two horses
and pung.
] had seventeen miles to go, and a
hard seventeen, it was too. The night
was quite clear, but the wind was sharp
and cold, the loose snow flying in every
direction, while the drifts were deep and
closely packed. 1t was slow, tedious
work, and my horses soon became leg
weary and restive. At the distance of
six miles came to a little settlement
called Bulls Corner; where took fresh
horses. I'd been two hours going that
i. distance.
AS I was going to start man came up
and asked If was going through to Lit
tleton. told him should go through
If the thing could possibly be done. He
said he was anxious to go. and as he had
NO baggage 1 told him to Jump in and
make himself as comfortable as possible.
was gathering up my lines when the
hostler came up and asked me If l knew
that one of the animals had got deep
cork cut on the off foot. / gave such
directions as l considered necessary, and
was about to turn away when the hostler
remarked that he thought came alone.
I told him / did.
"Then where did you get that passen.
ger?" he inquired.
"He just got in" aswered.
SCOT in from where?"
"I don't know"
"Well, now" said the hostler, "that's
kind OF curious. There amt been no
such man at the house. and l know there
ain't been none at any of the neighbors u
Lets have a look at his face" said l.
ssWe can get that much, at any rate. Dc
you go back with me, and when gel
into the pnng, just hold your lantern 50
that the light will shine into his face"
He did as wished, and as l stepped