The Opelousas courier., 1884-11-15
THE srAGE.DR1vER's STORY.

HOY Ge J, seot T,.I Life was Saved and
The traveller of the present day, as he is hur-
ried along by the lightning express, in its buff
fet cars and palace sleeper5, seldom reverts in
thought to the time when the stage coach and
packet were the only means of communication
between distant points. 1t is rare that one of
the real old time stage-drivers is met witt now
a-days, and when the writer recently ran
across Fayette Haskell, of Lockport, n. Y, he
felt like a photographer over the discovery OF
some rare volume of forgotten lore" MIR.
Haskell, although one Of the pioneers IN stage
driving (he formerly ran from Lewiston TO
Niagara Falls and Buffalo, is hale and hearty
and bids fair to live for many years. The strange
stories of his early adventures would Ill q VOL
ume. At one time when going down a noun
tain, near Lewiston, with no less a parsonage
than General Scott as a passenger, the brakes
gave way and the coach came on the heels OF
the wheel horses. TIL only remedy was to
whip the leaders to a gallop. Gaining addl-
tional momentum with each revolution OF the
wheels the coach swayed and pitched down
the mountain side and into the streets OF Lew
iston. Straight ahead at the foot of the steep
hill flowed the Niagara river, toward when
the four horses dashed, apparently to
certain death. Yet the firm hand never
relaxed its hold nor the clear brain
its conception of what must be lone IN
the emergency. On dashed the horses until
the narrow dock was reached on the river
bank, when by a mastery exhibition OF nerve
and daring, the coach was turned in scarce It's
length, and the horses broughtto a stand
still before the pale lookers-on cou1d realize
what had occurred. A purse was lalseu ny
General Scott and presented to Mr.. ttaskeiI
with high compliments for his Skill ana ora
Notwithstanding all his strength and his
robust constitution, the strain OF continuous
work and exposure proved too much tor MI.
Haskell's constitution. The constant Joltlng
of the coach and the necessarily cramped po-
sition in which he was obliged to sit, CON
tributed to this end, and at times ne was
obliged to abandon driving altogether.
Speaking of this period be said:
Il found it almost impossible to sleep at
night; my appetite left me entirely, and had
a tired feeling which | never knew before,
and could not account for
"Did you give up driving entirelyF
"No. tried to keep up. but it was only
continued for nearly twenty years until last
October, when l went all to pieces"
'In what wayF
"Oh. l doubled all up; could not walk with
| out a cane and was incapable of any effort or
exertion. | had a constant desire to urlnate
both day and night and although felt like
passing a gallon every ten minutes only flew
drops could escape and they thick with sedi
II IlAAhy ~ NSt"SS
thought death was very near"
"What did you do then @
What 1 should nave done long before lis
ten to my wife. Under her advice | began a
new treatment"
"And with what result q
"Wonderful. 1t unstopped the closed pas
sages, and what was still more wonderful reg
ulated the flow. The sediment vanished; my
| appetite returned and l am now well and
| good for twenty more years wholly through
the aid of Warmers Safe Cure that has lone
wonders for me as well as for so many
Others"
Mr.. Haskell's experience is repeated every
day in the lives of thousands of American men
and women. An unknown evil is undermin-
ing the existence of an innumerable number
who do not realize the danger they are in until
health has entirely departed and death per-
haps stares them in the face. To neg
lect such important matters is like drift
ing in the current of Niagara above the
Falls.