The morning call., 1891-07-12
AN INSANE MAN
HELD THE LINES.
A Stage Drivers Thrilling Experience
With a LuhatlC.
Forced at the Point Of Revolver to Dis
mount-A Wild Ride on the Road From
Virginia City to Sacramento.

luxury we had lost the poetry of travel
as exemplified by the old-fashioned coach,
with its bplied and caparisoned horses, its
flourish of tasseled whip ard the merry
winding horn. The speaker was stopped by
another of The party, whose face had sgni-
ned his uneasiness at the description.
Don't, my dear sir % said this gentle
man. who is power in the financial circles
OF PhiladeIphia. g Your "Reminiscences is
very pretty, but your mention of the ante
oellum sfage-roaeh revived memory which
Is even yet a horror TO me, though it is over
tnirty-hve years old. l had an experience
IN one OF your landed vehicles once that
a1tfrward made me walk nearly hundred
mlies 20 keep from entering another, and to
this Jay. whenever am unwell or troubled
III any way, am sure TO dream of the oc-
cnrrence, and my wife bearing me groaning
VIII awaken me with the cold perspration
moving from my body, and say: Dreaming
again OF Your stage-coaeh fright. aren't You?
ana yet fatter myself am not more cow
aToiy than most men,"
THE STORY.
lie company insisting on the story, it was
given as follows:
AS most Of you know. my fathers death
ioiinwed close on the heels of his failure in
business, leaving me, his son and only sur
wing member of his family, without
penny. l left college, but wholly untitled
.A't NUN lDtlflu uiysHlI Oh I0B verge OIL
STARVATION, so left Philadeinhia and started
Hest, turning up finally in Virginia City. 1
was pretty desperate, by this time, and glad
enough to accept an offer made ME to drive
tne stage To Sacramento. 1t was not long
drive nor an unpleasant one, though in parts
raSher dangerous, OF at least requiring care
iui qriying and steady horses.
mad made several trips very success
iuiiy wnen one morning | left Virginia City
win single passenger. This was man
OF silsnt, delicate build, rather understood,
too, dressed in heavy clothes, which struck
me at once as peculiar, for the day was
loVely June one. Another thing impressed
me dlsagreeably in my passenger-his eyes
were bright, unnatural blue. with a some
thing In their furtiye glance that spoke ili
lof MS conscience or ms wits, though / did
not think of the latter then. 1t was a very
unusual thing tor the stage to carry so light a
load, and l found myself lingering few
minutes behind time to see if more we're
MOI coming, Tor L had vague dislike,
winch must have been presentiment,
against setting off alone wit my queer pas
senger. There was nothing for it though
put TO go, so / started hoping to pick up
others on the road. l did not, however, and
gradually | lost my depression, though it
was lonely ride without any one to speak
TO. Tor unlike most people who patronize the
line the man showed TO disposition to talk
or to question the driver. so after one or
TWO attempts TO draw him out I let my
gentleman alone.
GET OFF THAT SEAT"
After awhile. however, he began to conf
plain aloud, though to himself, at my man.
agemeht OF the horses, but | took no notice
OF his growing. We had by that time
reached the mountains, and entered ON a
narrow strip of road running along the
brow OF canyon, at the bottom Of which
cleaned tiny thread of silver, which l
knew to be the river. 1t was sheer de-
scent OF 200 feet, and 1 usually checked the
horses at that part of the journey | bad
done THIS, when my passenger stuck his
head out OF the window and demanded ii |
meant 10 keep up that fnnereal pace, but did
not give me time to answer, and thrust out
his hand with revolver clasped in it.
Get off that seatp lie yelled. I will
drive myself
Il saw he would not hesitate to shoe, me.
so climbed down with alacrity when he ad-
Vancrd toward me, and threatening me still
with the pistol, made ME get into the stage.
do ynu know who | amp he said
We'll, I'm the devil, and I'm going TO
drive you 10 HE'LL
= This speech and his looks, which were
those OF Iunatic, and dangerous one,
too. IN his excitement. told me the truth.
and can tell you felt the lev sweat break
over me, but L climbed meekly into the
coach and watched the mailman mount to
my seat. could only hope that ne would
Still retain wits enough 10 drive slowly. but
The first thing he did wRs to bring the lash
down upon the horses with a yiciousneSs
that made them start into frenzied run,
and then the maddest. most terrible Journey
man ever undertook began.
SPINNING ALONG.
1.-THE stage spun along Ike crazy top.
the horses gailoping wildly. springing every
now and then to cut from the shouting
drivers whip, while, absolutely sick with
terror. had not strength to leap into the
road, as made up my mind to do time and
I
killed at the rate at which we were going,
and it was the bare shred of hope, which
they say never wholly leaves US. that kept
NE from sprlngiDg ont. Part Of the time |
crouched on the floor, hiding my face in the
cushions, but, fascinated by the terrible
scene outside, | could net refrain from
looking out upon it again and again. On one
side rose perpendicular wall of rock as
bare as my hand; on the other, and barely
five feet from where looked ont was the
CANYON and certain death.
The stage swayed fearfully, and every
time the whip cut into the horses they would
swing it to the very verge ef the precipice,
when ! could look down the wall and see
the rivers CLEAN, when would throw my
self against the opposite side of the vehicle.
Once the hind wheels literally hung over
the edge for the thouSandth part of second
though II seemed an eternity 10 me, but
were lerked on to the road again, just us |
felt the stage drag back into the chasm.
~
child, and standing UP in the stage laughing
horribly when | saw the wheels back In the
road. l doubt if the mailman On the box
was further off his balance than / at that
moment. de was standing IN, though how
he could have retained his footing is
marvel TO me. and yelling with delight
occasionally breaking out INTO a screaming
song, varied by bursts of laughter.
SAVED AT LAST.
:. We had covered nearly five miles when
the road widened several feet, and all
at once saw as we tore by the faces of
group of men drawn to one side to let us
pass. l shrieked to them in wild cry for
beip, but as our speed was undininished,
made up my mind the noise We made had
kept them from hearing me, or that it
was Impossible for them to overtake u,
but. even MS / despared, heard hoarse
cry, and looking out, saw my Iunatic's body
hurled from his seat into the road, and the
next minute felt the horses checked, and
finally stopped. The door of the stage was
Hung open and bearded face thrust in,
when threw myself into a pair of strong
arms, and knew no more.
W ben | came 70 l heard voice say,
Give the poor chap mother swallow O. the
stuff, Jim. He's a. comm to- Some fiery
liquor trlckied down my throat and open
ing my eyes, gasping, | found myself sur
rounded by crowd Of roughly dressed men.
but they, to my eyes. had the appearance nf
angels. They were miners, who, judg ng
from the drivers actions, had guessed some
thing of the truth, and hraring my cry for
help. had stopped the stage. This was ac-
CON plished by two IF thrm catching hofd
OF and climbing up over THE boot behind a.
over the top and thus reaching the scar.
from which they knocked the madman and
secured the lines
On examination the lunatic was found
TO pn only stunned, when we bound him Sc
cnrely and took him back to Virginia City,
where he was identified rs prosperous
merchant from Carson City, who had re-
Gently lost his mind through grief over the
death OF his wife. l joined my rescuers in
their search for guild, and in six months we
iad struck it rich, wbea selling out my
share for $4,000 returned to Pniladelrhia.
having had enough of the West and its ad-
ventures. Philadelphia Times.