Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-06-22
AN ANXIOUS JOURNEY.
A Lady's Stage Ride Among the
Mountains of Colorado.
A Midnight Plunge Through a Forest In
feoted by NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in
Cabin FILLED With Thieves
A Night of Suspense.

Some years ago my father and were
travelling in the West, and stopped at a
bright little town in Wyoming Terri
tory, undecided in which direction to
60 next
wanted very much to explore the
northern part of Wyoming, including
the Black Hills, and close the trip with
a visit to National Park at the end OF
August.
But my father had lent his ear to
wonderful stories concerning a new
mining camp in Colorado, where dis
coveries of fabulous richness were af-
1lrmed to have been made.
My fathers arguments prevailed. He
went on first with his friend Henderson
and the teamsters, who were taking
down the summers merchandise for the
stores, and after few weeks he sent
for me. 1t was not deemed quite safe
for woman to travel alone through
that region, so my father engaged to
put me under the escort of his friend
Henderson when he should make his
next trip.
1t was about the middle of May when
the gentleman came to the hotel and
told me to be ready for the five o'clock
stage the next morning. Promptly at
the time appointed l was on the piazza
waiting.
Presently the stage, with rearing,
prancing horses, dashed around the
corner and drew up at the steps. There
were three men going to Camp FL Do
rado-my destination-a a man and
womanto Cummings Station, our first
stop.
The stage took the road directly
across the plain. heading for the noun
tain range that formed its southern
boundary. We had ridden about an
hour over the hard, gravelly roadbed,
when the stage suddenly halted in
front OF a ranch house. The male pas
sengers got out. and the driver down
from his stagebox to listen to what the
ranchman was saying Their voices
were too low for us to catch the drift
OF their talk, but when the passengers
came back there was look of anxiety
upon their faces that startled me- Per.
haps this mode of travel over lonely
mountain roads was not so safe after
all, and visions of stage robbers and In
diaus and grizzly bears began to fright
en- me little.
Have you got as good grit as your
father, Miss? ASKED Henderson, as he
leaned across to me.
s II think So" / replied. What is
the matter?"
"WelL there's been couple OF stage
robbers lying in jail over at Newtowr
for the last two months, but Skeltor
back there said they broke Jail yester.
day and are up in the Black Forest
He says one of Schermerhorn's COW
boys was over here at o'clock thi
morning and said he'd seen smok,
from the foot of Horr's Hill, and caugh
sight Of them just below the thickes
part OF the forest, which is their favor
lite place for holding up drivers /
that's SO it looks as if we are in for
fight this afternoon"
Cant the stage go some other wayP'
asked.
There's never been but one road Gu
through Black Forest. The trees ar
so thick you can't see the sun. We
have to go forty miles straight mort
to go round the mountain, and there
no stage road there"
Why don't you lay up at Cumming
and catch the men?"
Never catch those fellows in Blac
Forest. They know every inch G
ground. and could shoot whole reg
ment before you could get at them"
LADEN WITH RESPONSIBILITY.
What win they do kill usP"
asked.
well. guess not that bad. VIVA
thoy want is the money. You see
we've got a good deal with US to-day
Between us hero we're taking dow
about two thousand dollars into III
camp. and It will 60 hard il we lose i