Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-29

thaC he would still retain VIII encuBh TO
drive slowly, but the first thing he did
wa5 to bring the lash down upon the
horses with a viciousnesss that made
them start into frenzied run, and then
the maddest, most terrible journey a
man ever undertook began.
"The stage spun along like a crazy
top, the horses galloping wildly, spring
ing wildly now and then to a cut from
the shouting drivers whip, while, abso-
lutely sick with terror, had not strength
to leap into the road, as l made up my
mind to do time and again. would un-
doubtedly have been killed at the rate at
which we were going, and it was the
bare Chred of hope, which they say
never wholly leaves us, that kept me
from springing out. Part of the time !
crouched on the floor, hiding my face in
the cushions; but, fascinated by the ter
rible scene outside, | could not refrain
from looking out upon it again and
again. On one side rose a perpendicular
wall of rock as bare as my hand; on the
other, and barely five feet from where |
looked out, was the canyon and certain
death.
'"rhe stage swayed fearfully and
every time the whip cut into the horses
they would swing it to the very verge Of
the precipice, when could look down
the wall and see the rivers CLEAN; when
would throw myself against the oppo-
site side of the vehicle. Once the hind
wheels literally hung over the edge for
the thousandth part of a second, though
it seemed an eternity to me, but were
jerked on to the road again, just as /
felt the stage drag back into the chasm.
II remember screaming like fright
ened child, and standing up in the
stage laughing horribly when saw the
wheels back in the.road. doubt if the
madman on the box was further off his
balance than at that moment. He was
standing up, though how he could have
retained his footing was marvel to me,
and yelling with delight, occasionally
breaking out into a screaming song,
varied by bursts of laughter.
'We had covered nearly five miles
when the road widened several feet, and
all at once l saw, as we tore by, the
faces of a group Of men drawn to one
side to let us pass. l shrieked tothem
in wild cry for help, but as our speed
was undiminished, made up my mind
the noise we made had kept them from
hearing me, or that it was impossible for
them to overtake us; but even as I de-
SPARED heard hoarse cry, and looking
out saw my lunatic's body hurled from
his seat into the road, and the next min
ute felt the horses checked and finally
stopped. The door of the stage was flung
open and bearded face thrust in, when
| threw myself into pair of strong
arms and knew no more.
"When came to l heard voice say;
Give the chap mother swallow O the
stuff, Jim. He's a-comin to-. Some
fiery liquor trickled down my throat,
and opening my eyes, gasping, I found
myself surrounded by crowd of
roughly dressed men, but they, to my
eyes, had the appearance of angels.
They were miners, who, Judging from
the drivers actions, had guessed some
thing of the truth, and hearing my cry
for help had stopped the stage. This
was accomplished by two of them catch
ing hold of and climbing up over the
boot behind and over the top, and thus
reaching the seat, from which they
knocked the madman, and secured the
lines.
''On examination the lunatic was
found to be only stunned, when we
bound him securely and took him back
to Virginia City, where he was identi-
fed as q prosperous merchant from Car
son City, who had recently lost his mind
through grief over the death of his wife.
joined my rescuers in their search for
gold, and in six months we had struck
it rich, when, selling out my share for
$50, 900, returned to Philadelphia, hav-
ing had enough of the west and its ad-
ventures. True Flag.