The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-03-27

\ ihat resipn. snd one which Al once arouse
n ny suspicion. ior the only parsons ! ha
y seen about mining towns dressed 10 sny
thing like that fashion were gamblers.
class OF men | bad made ii point !
avoid
]. just before setting ou, The driver cam
- TO the sile Of the vehicle. thrust 10 a lieh
p Winchester earbine and placed il botsee
!. my knees,
see you didn't have no gun, sai'
I be. an' keep a couple Of extra ones ie
seoh.
) Tia, was all No farther etplsnaiio,
was necessary 10 those days
took charge OF the weapon, although
was as little expert 10 its use as was i,
handling the Smith 4 Wesson 10 my hip
pocket. which. indeed, | had never ye
J discharged.
, knew enough OF life in the mines tc
know that the bad man with agun" il
J usually the man who gets into difficulty
rather than The peaceful and unarmed citi
zen; but a stage ride from Caster TO Sid
ney at that time was trip not altogether
like to be without its adventures, and for
once regretted my uniamiliarity with
shooting irons
Ii occurred to me that If we were Jump
ed by road agents, as the phrase went,
the free hooters OF the route would have
little to fear from the occupants OF the
hack. whether they got much money or
not There were usually valusbles Of some
sort 10 the iron box under the drivers
seat.
The young man who sat opposite me
had csrbine across his lap, but fancied
he knew even less OF its use than | dill.
As we started be sat, without noticing me,
twirling slight moustache and hummlng
a tune. A fresh gamester. il one at all,
| said to myself upon a second look at
| him.
The old man had no arms 10 sight The
driver, no doubt, regarded him MS out Of
fight in any event
As we rolled on up INTO Buiialy Gap !
had few words Of conversation with my
companions. | learned that the e'der
was an Iowa farmer, who had come ont to
see what he could do in the new mines
but he had been i'll with mountain fever
and afterwards attacked by rheumatism,
so that be had been forced TO abandon bis
projects and return to the East. He
spoke freely aud in the Eogish of tue
western men.
The young fellow said be was from New
York. "Neh Yawk,' he pronounced 1t.
He was, be said, student Of mining eu-
gineerng, but he did not mention what bis
business had been in that region; but that
was not strange, for we could not talk
much. A jolting stage bowling over a
rough country at eight miles an hour does
not give the best opportunity for conversa.
tion.
| soon became sleepy, and, leaning back
in my corner, took such nomentary cat
maps rs the nature Of the road permitted.
At II o'clock we made brief halt at
Temporary stage station, where the drivers
four in-hand team was exchanged for fresh
horses
peeped out and got glimpse OF the
teams, of two men with lanterns, OF q low
structure of sod or adobe faiutly outlined
and Of the black side OF a pinecovered
mountain beyond The night was quite
dark; with feeting clouds and no moon. 1t
became somewhat lighter as we passed out
of the gap a little, ss | noted through
crack 10 the FLAP" opposite.
The road was now smoother, and set
tied back in my corner. as my companions
had done, to get little solid sleep if pos
sible. | dczed of for time but was awak
ened by the groaning of the old man be.
side me He seemed to be 10 great pain,
aud writhed about nervously. | asked
nun Wudt WAS tut tTouDIts ilo Icplleu
that his rheumatism was nearly killing
him.
wish the driver'd let me aout when
we git t. tn mex crick. He'll water like
ly NV jest got stretch my legs er die.
Ye see I'm troubled WITH cramp rheuma.
lism, an tn sint no room in hyer to git
The cramp out o my legs
| told him would speak to the driy +
when we halted few minutes later, Dl
The bank Of a stream - White river, | be.
ieve | thrust my head out OF the side
md ked that the old gentleman might
os let cut for moment to stretch his {
egs.
All right! sai1 the driver, as be clam
,ered down from bis own seat I'm goin'
er let the hosses tase pul ut ,h drink.
then helped the old man to dismount =
tsadying him by the arm as be got down. q
ie seemed to have good deal Of Difficult
y 10 alighting, and Rroaned 10 most Q
ugubrious fashion. The flap swung TO .
iter him, as bad unbuttoned 1t all around J
o let him out, The young mau opposite
ne lay cnrled up on his seat, but could
ee that his eyes were wide open. aud that
e was eyeing me with sharp, kern
lance. Ny eyes probably responded when :
hey fell upon his, for be Strengthened mp
D an alert fashion and leaned toward
ie.
Say. be whispered, do you think that
ID chsp's ali right? Strikes me that
roaming oil bis was put on. What dye
hiGky
The question startled me no less than :,
be young fellows maoper. and was :
bout to make some reply when gun or I
is,ol shot rang cut IN our esis followed
y yeI either Of psiu or surprise, aud
lrch OF tue back threw meforwsrd sgsinst