Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-09-22
on THE DRIVERS SEAT.

A party OF gentlemen, composed OF
half dozen prominent citizens, wore
assembled recently In the smoking room
Of the Art club when the conversation
drifted 20 modern travelling convcr-
fences. and one Of tho number observed
that. while we had gained most marvel.
lousy In point Of mpidity and luxury,
we had lost tho poetry 81 travel ~ OK.
omplihed 10y tho old fashioned coach,
with It's bclled and oaparisonod horses,
IT, flourish Of tassolod whip and the
merry winding horn Tho speaker was
stopped by another of the party. whose
face had signiiicd his unoasincss at the
description.
Don't, my dear dri' said this gentle.
man, who h. u power IN tho financial cir.
cle8 Of Philadelphia "Your rcminis.
cenco IL very pretty. but Your mention
of the antobcllnm stage coach revived u
memory which l. even yet a horror 20
me, though II IL over tlirty-fyc years
old. | Ind nm experience Ia one OF youi
Landed vehicles once thntRftcrward made
me walk nearly hundred miles to keep
from entering another, and TO this day,
whenever , nm unwcll or troubled Ia
my way, am SURF 10 dream OF the oc-
currcnce, aud my wife, hearing mo
Rroaning, will awaken me with tho cold
Precipitation flowing from my body. aud
tay, Dreaming again Of your stage coach
fright, AREN'T your And yet / ilattcr
myself thatI am not moro cowardly than
most men,"
The company insisted on tho story. It
was gwen, as follows;
As most OF you know. my fathers
death followed close on tho heels Of hi.
failure Ia business. leaving mo, his son
and only surviving member OF his fam
lily. without penny. lcft college. but
wholly untitled for any work found
myself on the verge OF starvation, 20 |
left Philadelphia and started west, turn.
ing mp finally IN Virginia City. was
pretty desperate by this time, and glad
enough TO accept an Offer inado me 10
drive tho stage 10 Sacramento. IL was
not long drive nor AN unpleasant one.
though IN parts rather dangerous, or NJ
least requiring careful dryingand steady
horses
"Ihad mado several trips very success.
fully, whom one morning ! left Wiz
ginia City with u single passenger. This
was man Of slight, delicate build,
rather undersiked, too, dressed IN heavy
clothes. which struck mo NJ once as pccu.
liar, fof tho day was n lovely Juno one.
Another thing Impressed mo disagree.
ably in my pas-engcr-his eyes wcro
bright, unnatural blue, with Homsthing
IN their furiiye glance that spoke III Tor
his conscience OF his wits, though 1 did
not think Of the latter then.
1T was very unusual thing for the
stage TO carry 70 light a load, and
found myself lingering few minutes
behind tino 10 tcu II moro wero not
coming, for ! had u vague dislike, which
must have been q presentmcnt, against
fotting of alone with my queer passen.
Ecr There was nothing for IL, though,
Int 10 70, 30 started, hoping 10 pick up
others on tho road. did not, however,
md gradually lost my depression.
though II was lonely rido without any
one TO speak 70, for, unlike most people
who patronized the line, the man
showed no disposition 10 talk or to quos-
ton the driver, so after ono or two at
icmpis TO draw him out ] let my gentle
Imam alone.
After awhile, however, no began 10
complain aloud. though to himself, at my
Management Of the horses. but tool, no
notice Of his growing. We had 10y that
time reached the mountains and entered
On q narrow strip Of road along the brow
uf q canyon, At tho bottom Of which
cleaned u tiny thread Of silver, which |
knew 10 be the river. II WIS u sheer
descent Of 200 feet, aud usually checked
The horses ut that part OF tho journey. 1
had done this, when my passenger stucl;
bis head out Of the window and demand.
tdit lmcant TO keep up that funeral
pace, but did not give mo tlmo 10 an.
iwer, and thrust ont his hand with TO-
volyer clasped Ia It.
"'Gct on that seatr he yelled. Twin
drive myself
~ saw he would not hesitate TO shoot
me, NO climbed down with alacrty when
he advanced toward me, and, threaten.
ing me still with the pistol, made me
get into the stage
DO you know who am? no asked.
Wen, I'm the devil, and I'm going to
drive you TO hell
"Ih,s speech mud his looks, which were
those OF n lunAtic, aud dangerous one,
700, IN his excitement, told me the truth,
and can tell you felt tho 10y sweat
break over nn, bnt | climbed meekly
INTO the coach aud watched the mailman
mount 10 my sent, could only hop,
that he would still rciain wit enough 10
drive slowly, Int tho first thing no did
was TO bring the lash down upon th,
horses with viciousness that made
ZEN start into q frenzrd RIM, and then
tho maddeat. most terriblo journey o
man ever undertook began.
"Ihe stage spun along like crazy
top the horses gnlloping wildly, spring
ing wildly now md then TO cut from
the shouting drivers whip, while, ahso
lullly Hlpk With t.rrnr lul NOT II iran ~ IA