Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-05-02
CORSON'S WIFE.
Fer Desperate Flight Over "The
Twelve-Mile Eorror.''

1t would be hard to find in the Rocky
mountains Il rougher stage-road than
that which runs between the mimi g
hamlets of Thunder Gulch and Squaw
Forks. Indeed. if Il wors, roau could
be found, there are few persons who
would care for a seat in the coach of
the most careful driver:
This road is twelve or thirteen miles
long: A few vars ago 4 lady who
vanturel to ride over it called it The
Twelve-Mle Horror and by this name
the road is known to miners AMI trav-
elers of the region. That the name is
deserved The writer can testify, for he
knows it to be truly q ram bling thread
over dizzy precipices and among
black, gaping c:ny ms. There are
places along III, verge of cliffs and
around the j:n!ing points of yawning
gulches where the to.ch seems liter
ally suspended in mid-air, and the
rider. glaHclng out over the wheels in 20
the sheer. gaping spac. below, hastily
pulls down the ''tlaps,' closes his
eyes. and leans dizz;ly back in his
seat, not daring to look second time.
For five years Gideon Fletcher, or
''Gid,' rs he is commonly called, has
driven the stage once each dav, Sun.
days excepted. from Squaw Forks 10
Thunder Ga Oh and back. Oh course,
be has occasionally missed a trip,
when slides or heavy falls of STOW
along the line have prevented him
from running: Yet during all his
fifteen hundred ''round 1rips'' he has
never met with al accident serious
enough 10 cause the loss of life or limb
to his passengers. So trusty and sure 1.
handed a driver is he that tn. cop
tractors of the line will have no
other, and they pay him double wagvs
10 keep him upon this particular
stretch Of their route. Olly once has
coach been demolished or horse
killed under his management; but on
that occasion he met with double &C.
cident. under circumstances so str.
ring and heroic as to be we'll worthy
Of narration.
1t was some two years after Gideon
had begun driving the coach upon
this road that one day. as he came
out from eating his dinner at THE
Rough-and- Tum bic House. of Thun-
der Gulch, pale faced young WON An
appeared at the rude gate, and beck
oned 10 him.
':Are you the stage-dri7er that
drives the stage to Squaw Forks this
afternoon?' she asked, as he came
up.
Il reckon I'm the chap yer lookin'
fer, num- said Gideon. .'Waut ter
60 down? Start in half hour
The woman glanced about nervous
II, as though fearful Ct being over
heard. and then she said, hurriedly,
and in a low voice:
Pm from Corson's Camp. I'm
C,rson's wife; but he-they all
abuse me dreadfully, and the baby,
too. Look here" and she threw an
old bonnet she wore back from her
forehead. and showed great fresh
scar across one temple.
Il got that last night They do it
when they re drunk, and they'r drunk
most Of the time. Night before last
one of 'em threatened to throw my
baby into a hot spring: He said he'd
kill the lutte imp. he would, and oh.
can't. don't dare to stay there any
longer! I'm the only woman up at the
camp, and to-day the men are all up
at Big Horn Spring prospectin' FIR a
new place. and so I've come to you to
see if you won't take me away from
this dreadful place.
I've no money with me, an no
friends nearer than Denver MY folks
live there, and would have wrote to
'em to come and take me away if I
dared; but knew it Corson got wind of
it before they got here, he d kill me and
the baby, toos for, though he's my hus-
baad, he's the most horrid and wicked
man l ever saw, except the gang he
keeps around him Oh, wiH you let
me 90 with you?'' $685..
Wal, now. Ish'd smilev' answered
Fletcher, in his hearty way. You
jest 60 n git yer baby n yer fxin' s.
IN we'll git out o. these diggin's in =
jfy."
Oh, Idaresn' come here to start"