The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-12-12

eastern tier OF counties.
Down this rond came rolling, every
afternoon. the big four-horse stage
coach, bringing passengers and mail
from the south bound for the county
town.
The mail bag for our postofiice
was thrown off from the coach ut the
point where our village road joined
the turnpike, and as my father was
postmaster, it was my duty to carry
it from the turnpike to the village
postoffice.
l had tho choice of two routes for
my duly journey; one by the pubic
road, and q much shorter one which
cut through the woods that bounded
the village on that side, and it was
along that path that usually cur
ried the mail.
We were at that time in the midst
OF the civil war, and the lnuils were
filled with tidings from the soldiers
of the front, and not intrequently
contained packages OF money and
valuables sent in Uncle Sans care,
to those ut home.
But the particular afternoon oil
which I write, the stage, for some
reason which l cannot new remem-
Der, was very late. I watched the
sun as it went down behind the
wooded hills to the west, and I saw
the twilight come creeping across
the eastern field. Isat quietly upon
a roadside bank, wishing for the
coming of the stage, and calling to
mind the probable appearance Of the
impatient and anxious group at the
postotfice.
But the twilight grew deep and
actual darkness fell around us before
the far-off rumbling of wheels an
ne~neod tho nnpearnnca of the he.
lated conveyance. Illad beendebating
for some time whether had not bet
ter go home without the mail, for
was naturally timid, and the pros
pect of the night journey alone
through the woods, even though it
was but u short distance, had terrors
for me which l could not subdue. But
l had been reluctant to start on ac-
count of the ridicule which l knew
would follow me from one end of the
route and the disappointment which
would meet me Mt the other-and
now the stage was here. The horses
were drawn sharply up, the clatter
of the wheels ceased, cloud of dust
moved forward and enveloped the
coach, and out from the door in the
midst of the dust stepped two
men, They parleyed a few moments
with the driver about the fare, and
then disappeared in the darkness.
/ had good view Of their faces as I
went up close to the forward wheel,
and saw that both of them, though
well dressed, were cvil-looking in the
extreme.
us that you, Harmon?" asked the
driver, peering down at me through
the shadows before throwing the
mail pouch into my hands.
"ies," ! replied, complainingly,
land I've been waiting here for you
just two hours"
well, it won't take you long to
get home now," he said, cheerily;
then, bending down still farther and
reckoning me to come still closer, he
added, in a low voice: "You want
to hang on to that mail bag tonight,
Harmon. It's GOT A sudden
start of tho horses interrupted him,
he swung back into his seat, and,
finding that he could not readily
quiet the impatient animals, he
cracked his long whip over their
heads, shouted out good night" to
me, and the next minute. coach,
horses and driver were far down the
road, swallowed up in the darkness.
"Are yc 'fraid to GO down alone?"
asked the farmer, who Lad come out
to see the stage go by.
''l'll bet n cookie he is" exclaimed
tn0 IdFIneF 10Y.
mo, ] amt afraid, said stoutly,
d-eading ridicule more than robbers.
"There won't anything catch me to-
night" added flinging the pouch
across my shoulder and starting
rapidly down the road toward home.
II was not very dark night, the
sky was cloudless and the stars were
shining brightly; but the deep shad-
ows were, to me, more suggestive o
danger than the most impenetrable
darkness could have been.
For n little way the road wound
through fields, and this portion of
my route traversed with a stout
heart. But just ahead lay the woods,
a long stretch of unkroken forest.
and approached them with IL dread
and premonition such as, think, I
had never before or have ever since
known. l plunged into them, how
ever without hating or hesitation
knowing they must be passed but
instead OF peering about for dangers
in the darkness, kept my eyes
turned to the ribbon OF starlit sky
above the tops of the tall trees that
bordered the road. When l reached
the part where the footpath starte
in at the left, I stopped for a momen
debating whether l should take Il
short cut or follow on around bytl
highway. l quickly decided upt
the latter course. The shorter dis