The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-10-31
THE ROAD AGENT.

ing mp the long grade which corkscrewed
around to the summit of Pilot Knob 1t
was necessary to do this in order that
good preparatory start might be had for
the succeeding rafting plunge down
he other corkscrew road. which led to
L0gtown
BY the side of Black Pete, the driver
at an eastern importation Of the genus
drummer Pete rolled his tobacco into
hds cheek. snapped fly off the ear of his
leader and said
"No sir. don't git no pay fer fightin
and ] don't do no fgbtin for Their COM
pany If AIRY galoot stops this hyer
stage and perlitely like asks for the cash
box. he's gwlne ter get it. faint no
ne. no ways. to fight them fellers: they
always hev Their drap on ye.
But. said the drummer. "were you
sTer robbed ON this reuter-
"Wal. no. but I've seed fellers loafing
zound heer ez I've thought mought do it
some time or other"
-And if they did stop you. yea would
give them the express box and drive on
ahY
"You betl II Their express company
wants to perfect Their box they must send
= messenger along with it.
The stage crawled slowly up to the
fOp Of the hill. and Black Pete settled his
loot firmly on the brake strap. and with
q "Scat EN-. boys!" the sweating horses
started to investigate the mysteries OF
he almost invisible road below them on
q keen gallop.
Round and round the rapidly varying
road the stage and passengers whirled.
sometimes losing sight Of the horses
around the sharp turns and again slew
ing sharply outward toward the danger
Gus edge Of the canyon, which yawned
below them. The sun was down and
fbeF moon was painting weird shadows
- the powdered dust of the grade
It was just the time for the imagina-
ton to picture scenes of violence, rob
berry and blood Suddenly the chapar-
l raj bushes by the roadside slightly part
I ed. and a long. shining. black object
was waved over them toward the stage.
IA shadowy figure rose in the moonlight
among the bushes. and from behind
Jack veil. which smothered the voice
somewhat. came the hoarse commando:
"Stop! Stopr'
Black Pete hurriedly pushed his foot
heavily down upon the brake, reached
down into the bottom Of the stage.
pulled out the express box and threw it
INTO the road. muttering:
+Cuss ye. take it!'
The restless horses Immediately plung-
ID away into the shadows of the forest.
"Wa-was that highwayman% gasp
Cd the drummer
I'm course it was" answered Pete.
Didn't yer see ther shooting iron? Thar
9oee cool thousand dollars. as knows
now. You bet Their boysll be out arter
him tonight shouldn't wonder if that
W2r old Bart himself He's a cool one,
rs L. he always shoots his mouth of
IN some poetry. He leaves it in the box
Nhen he gets through with it. Didn't
yer notice how level be held that thar
shooting iron right toward me?"
The lights of Logtown now glistened
below them, and few turns of the cork
screw road brought the stage up to the
hotel porch where it stopped with q loud
whoa" from Pete.
Not many minutes elapsed before the
prophecy of Pete was realized, for as
soon a. the story of the bold robbery of
Wells q Fargo's box was related dozen
O. 90 ready miners volunteered to search
the woods for the road agent. After half
> m hours swearing and drinking over
the matter they saddled their horses and
started for the scene of the robbery
H Effin
q 2kelter mining town among the Sierras
One need not rise early in Scars Hole to
j eee the sun rise. for he will not see it il he
saOc& Old Sol is never visible there un-
II 10 in the morning. The rough, pic.
turesque cabins. looking for all the world
Ike dilapidated dice thrown at random
from the box. were built deep down in q
hole between the surrounding peaks
And yet they actually had telephone
eonnecting them with the outside world
The denizens OF Scars Hole were not
kiyen to an indulgence In business COM
Enunications with the great commercial
eenters. but their telephone was the
neaus Of preventing many Of tho in
habftants from spending the remainder
- their early days at the insane asylum
9uch was their Unborn detestation Of
my man who followed any pursuits
gvhtch did not require active labor with
~ hands. and such was their chivalric
xeTotion to the fair sex that the man.
nesment Of their part of the telephone
~ given to young lady Of the name
Frances Goldsmith
On the afternoon Of Juno 90, 1880.
III Frank. a. she was usually called,
= ii the little telephone Office waiting
ne nightly crowd Of manly gossip
- IS come to It. The little rocking
lInir ii which she sat wsnt humping to
- TO noiEiy and nervously upon the
lloor. and the tiny slppered foot
1n6rvous tattoo In unison with 1t.
~ 70 bad. she cried, impetuously.
6x1fa 70 work down In that old