The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1892-08-27
RUNNING A PONY EXPRESS.
E1eftins Experiences Of Mail Carrier
the Early Days of ths Wat


the Early Days Of the West.
When the venerable Steve Rugles ,
pulled OF his storm defer and touched |
up with parlor match goodly pinch |
OF old Virginia natural leaf, he was
only moment sending more than Q
cloud winding among his neighbors In
the Grand Pacific corridor. Steve hsd
come In from Denver O few hours be-
fore and had been In the city Just about
long enough to not care blank wheth-
or no saw anything, anybody or any
where.
"You can bet that I'll show some Of
these tenderfeet, IL they tackle me, that
TN the biggest glizzly this side of
the peak" and Steve gyrated and de-
scribed a few circles with his feet.
Mary jump in the road are any OF these
here umbrella swingin dudes goin ter
step up next ter me. fer right sudden
there's goin ter be er row. Now, there
CANT anybody realize any better than
kin that Chercawgo is Their city Of Their
only Worlds fair, but let me tell you,
Pardner, some Of these young ducks what
thinks they'sa got an immortal cinch On
the universe is goin ter get into hull
lot OF trouble II they fools with this old
cormorant from away ont west"
Old Steve took an extra puff on his
well seasoned black brier and settled
into reminiscent mood. He had taken
part IN many Of the early incidents OF
the border days. and when he was in
ciined could tell many interesting tales.
Why. young fellow, way back in
1919 Was one Of the first Of the boys to
tackle the pony express business. 1t
didn't take much nerve the way nerve
weighs nowadays. but when you come
10 look at II in them days fellow had
TO take all the chances Of lifetime, and
II was a kinder ticklish job TO tackle a
horseback hide across the lnjun country
alone.
Il would start out from ST. 10, pony
on the gallop from the second put my
hand on the saddle horn. and Their want
no lie, up on that jump till landed in
Denver. Right through tho redskin
country then. and now when you can
look at TN Twin quiet down in Florida
or occasionally kickin over the traces
up north, they ain't "a marker 10 what
Nc had 10 deal with IN tibet country
them days. Ii was likely 10 be run.
nin tight from start ter finish. and am
only sorry tibet yer didn't live ter write
erDont tibet old time from actual ex
isrience."
Tel! me something about the pom,
express"
Well. Of course It's ain old s,or,
about how she was started and run un
Ill the stages and railroads knocked III.
business ont But III the early days o.
that gsllop!u mail arrangement n felle
60; all the excitement he wanted ever,
, ,np ion know we wasn't supposed I,
, lose "a seconds time along the road. an,
many's the time I've ridden a quarter o
, half "a mile on the dead run with th
saddle cinches uudouc completely. 30
the minute got longside my chang
pony Ia lose no time transferring IN
saddle
Per a long time we didn't know
whether er not we WAS suin 10 find an
transfer htill runnin fer our benefit, fe
iho ponies Was good ones and the In un
didn't care much fer tnan er two whe
they Was after bosses Several times
struck deserted transfer station, ~,
tho poor fcllers lynn there with the 10
Of their head gone. bu; had 10 NOV
on. a. ! had "a itr.d pony and couldn
luso time getting Ia the next station I
!, change.
Did you eve; have any personal CT
counters with the Indians. Mr.. Rugles!
You bet. bn, don't call me Nj
3 .tas a A...
!, the whiEE of tho Arrcr and hum Of III
bullet. have gone Il; dead run with III
>, hridlc r,ius between my teeth. bo,
hands busy with two ak shooters, an
have t-ou plugged three times. That
the narrowed cscapc ever had" All
!, tho veteran pushed back his gray ha
and oIhihitod scar tina; ex,cnde
across the SIDE 81 the head on n lev,
, with the l"f, temple,
: II, WAS getting along toward nigh
- and about the time the pony began
&C; kinder queer commenced 10 reali.
that lnjuus waN somowhorcs close. Su,
enough the first thing knew, gang
en- comes gailoptn from some ,imber
short ways OIL. yclln and shco;in. Pot
and me went fer all we was worth. al
then remember holdin onto the saddl
. horn and all grew suddenly dark.
= heavy jol,inR woke me ur. and four
y that my saddle had saved my seal
Wounded and stunned, had never 10
: my horsc seuso. yer nigh, say. and
. had hung on all the time"
" Al this junction one Of Steyc's ear
i friends came up, everybody went l
and "SIn,led," and Steve promised
talk more some other time --Chica;
News.