The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-03-15

uSiP mcy Dub ue Otuu teel yer
well, and wouldn't try; so I worke
ali alone, and was all Of quartz
of an hour or more getting my tear
through the drifts.
When I got into the sleigh agai
began to feel for the mail ba
with my feet. / found it where
had left it; but whenI attempte
to withdraw my foot l discovers
it had become fast in something
thought it was the buffalo, and trie,
to kick it clear; but the more
kicked the more closely it held.
reached down my hand, and afte
feeling about few moments I fount
that my foot was in the mail bag
felt again, and found my hand II
among the packages of letters ans
papers, I ran my fingers over tn,
edges Of the opening, and becam,
assured that the stout leather haG
been cut with knife.
Here was q discovery. l began
to wish 1 had taken a little more
forethought before leaving Danbury
but as / knew making such wishe:
was only waste of time, l quickly
gave it up and began to consider
what l had better do under exist
ing circumstances. l wasn't long
in making up my mind upon a few
essential points. First, the man
behind me was a villain; second, be
had cut open the mail bag and rob-
bed it Of some valuable matter-he
must know the money letters by their
size and shape; third, he meant to
leave the stage on the first oppor-
tunity,and fourthly, he was prepared
to shoot me if / attempted to arrest
or detain him.
i revolved these things IN my
mind, and pretty soon thought of q
course to pursue. i knew that to
get my hands safely upon the rascal
L 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 Unjust re-
sort to stratagem. Only q little
distance ahead of US was house,
and an old farmer-named Lougee
lived there; and directly before it
huge snow bank was stretched
across the road, through which a
track had been cleared with shovels.
As We approached the cut l saw
q light in the front room, as felt
confident I should, for the old man
generally sat up until the stage
went by. / drove on, 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 hac
been shoveled through it. urged
my horses to a good speed, and
= hen 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
on any such movement,
md was not prepared for it; but 1
had calculated and was prepared.
He rolled out into the deep snow
With a heavy buffalo robe about
him, while alighted directly on
.op OF him. / punched his head
nto the snow, and sung out for old
Longee. I did not have to call q
second time. The farmer had come
o the window to see me pass. and
IS soon rs he saw my sleigh over
,atned he had lighted his lantern
md hurried out. -'..-..-.,
What's to pay9 asked the old
nan, as he came up.
s.Lead the horses into the track,
md then come here said.
AsI spoke / partially loosened
ny hold upon the Villains throat.
md he drew q pistol from his bosom,
opt I saw it in season and jammed
ais head into the snow again and
yptsits away from him.
By this time Louge6 had led the
horses cut ana2come back, and then
explained the matter to him in as
iew words as possible.
We hauled the rascal out into
The yard, and upon examination We
found about twenty packages of
etters which he had stolen from
she mail bag and slowed away in
n his pockets.
He swore, threatened and prayed,
but We paid no attention to his
olarney.
Lougee got some stout cord, and
when we had securely bound the
villain we tumbled him into the
pung. I asked the old man if he
would accompany me to Littleton,
and he said, "Of course"
So he got his overcoat and muller
and ere long we started on.
/ reached the end Of my route
With my mail all safe, though not
IS snug as it might have been, and
my mail bags little the worse for
The game that had been played up
On them. However, the mail rob-
Der was secure, and within a week
ne was identified by some officers
from Concord, as an old offender,
and l 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 / heard
IF him.
That's the only time ! ever had.
any mail trouble, and / think under
ali the circumstances came out of
it pretty well.
Value Of the Sunfowsr.
1t is the best reproducing food