Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-09-11
ON TIE GRADE.

dilb on lue lEOhtlef hdh only just begun.
For every n yet told there are a thou
sand betteron hidden in the mountains,
hanging in faint echoes about the camp
fires Of the pioneers.
If you live awhile in the cabins along
the Yuba, above Marysville, you will
find miners still coyoting among the
thrice sifted piles Of gravel for the after
math Of 40; you will find old stage drivers,
with bent and twisted hands, who know
every noted driver of the Pacific coast;
you will hear stories Of staging in the
tifties and sixties, in the widest parts Of
the Sierras, that have never reached
print, but have been carried on through
manifold traditions until they have
reached the completeness and the dig
nifty Of an epic of the stsgecoach.
Besides the longer stories one hears
there are dozens Of lesser episodes Of the
staging days-the episode Of Smoky's run
away, for instance.
Smoky was a famous stage driver be-
tween Grass Valley and Marysville, by
way Of Penn Valley, Rough and Ready,
Smartsyille and Tinbuctoo. About 1861
he was in his glory, the ideal of a driver,
and able to hold his own with any one on
the route. He received his name from
the remark of a little girl, the daughter
Of the hotel keeper at Murphy's ranch.
She once slid off his lap and ran off, say
ing that he was too smoky to stay
with" she 'lilled men who did not puff
cigars in her face"
After this episode Smoky's real name
fell into disuse; he was "Slnoky" and
"Old Smoky" from the Sierras to the
Sacramento.
Oh the day when Smoky had his run
away affair the stage swung into Grass
Valley carly in the morning with two
passengers aboard, both inside. They
had breakfast, and then Smoky took
charge. He drove around in front of the
store to wait for another passenger; he
put on the brake, rs he supposed, twisted
the reins about the brake bar, and went
into the store. The four horses started
off ut full speed, and striking a stone
the jar let the brake loose; then the
horses flew down the grade ike o II Of
destruction.
Tho passengers sat in silence, a little
surprised mt the rapid motion, but be-
lieying that the driver was on the box.
One Of them wasa small, nervous, bright
eyed young man, newly come to Califor-
MIA voHpg man who was just begin
ming q career Of invention and manufac-
turing achievement that has given him
-1..n $1,000 NIa rncra ~. CO af frroraanf
Californians. The other man was a
mere %nonentty.
The young man with the bright eyes
began to see that something was wrong
with the stage. 1t went too fast; ii
swung too much. He climbed on the
seat and let down the marrow window
nearest the drivers box. He leaned ont
and managed TO raise himself far enough
to see that this horses were running
away. He called to the driver, but re.
ceived no reply.
The young man reflected that the road
ahead was not an easy one for a runa-
way -tagecoach to manage. They were
now on The down grade, next came u hin,
then another descent, then Il second hill,
then n long. steep and winding piece OF
down grade. The horses must be stop.
ped before this descent was reached or q
smashup was inevitable. He decided tC
do his best 20 check the horses. If he
failed be would jump out and leave
them.
The first thing TO 90 was 20 swing on
the drivers box. A heavier man might
have failed, but the Young stranger was
alert and muscular; he watched hi.
chance, caught the iron bar at the end
Of the seat, drew himself out, poised q
second on the window sill and leaped
upward just as the stage coach swung
toward him. He found himself landed.
in consequence, upon the drivers seat
and clinging to the brasebar. The line.
were flying wildly over the heads Of the
horses or tangled under their feet.
The young man began TO put On The
brakes, not with any haste, but slowly
and carefully. The great curying blocks
Of oak settled down against the wheels,
but the rapidity of the vehicles motion
was now such that there was danger Of
heating the tires aud causing them ia
hy from the wheels, Again and again
he frightened the brakes, and released
them. steadying the massive coach as il
swung around the sharp curves Of the
dusty road and reeled from side to side
like a drunken giant. At n moment
the young man felt the coach sorape
against the clOven pine roots Of the
mountain side. and at the next ho felt il
eddy along the verge Of the rayine and
lean over the Rbyss Is If ready to plung,
down into the tops Of the oaks onNiggei
Flat. 900 feut below.
Pretty o tine bottom Of the grade
was reached, and the young man 'puf
the brakes down hard But it was only
a little rise after all, and the horses wer,
running at the top Of their speed, The
stage went on. hardly checked by tn,
doubled Obstacles. aud began another
descent. Again the same tactics fol
lowed; tho brake was used with the at
- 40 -