The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-04-15
BY II. l.. KErCHUM.

81 ~ GSW Imt {"s' "sd as deep ,pi
stead Of blowing oil to leeward, as it did
awhile ago, it hangs close around the
stage in thick, dense, reddish yellow
cloud, almost shutting off the view from
the passengers inside, if they cared 20
look out. But thc beauties of nature
hold their interest only slightly, just at
present. The dust occupies their atten-
ton to large extent 1t fills their
mouths, and eyes, and nostrils, and
clings to their hair aud ears in much
profnsion. It is sagreeable-very;
and the man who has enough spirits left
TO try to keep up the conversation is
voted an ass by his fellow passengers.
They were all very friendly only short
time ago; but they hate each other with
bitter hatred just now-all on account
OF the dust. Dust is great DESTROYER OF
good humor.
Somehow, the dust doesn't rise very
high, or else the driver and the passenger
on the box don't mind it, for we can
hear them talking. Old Ben, through
some unseen but easily imagined in.
fuencc, has relaXe from his usual taci.
turnity, and is quite communicative
to the beardless, bcysh-looking young
chap who got on back at Alpena aud is
sharing the box with him.
AS the stage reaches the level and
rolls into the shadows OF the mountain
and the tall pines, Ben points with the
whip to the mouth of the narrow pass
leading out of the canyon a quarter of
mile away, aud remarks.
"Sec them two big rocks-road runs
b'tween 'em. Uh-huh. Wal, right
thar-mebbe couple rods r so tu'ther
on-was whar l was helt up one day in
tn summer of '76."
'1es?' said the passengers pleasant
voice, interrogativcly. tWould YOU
mind telling me about it2"
Ben chirped to his horses, spat inn
rressivcly and literally, and began:
"Wal, 'twuz this a. way. That morn.
in th' 'xpress box was loaded plumb
full o. hard stuff, th't he'd t 60 through
that day. Now, iesz luck'd hev' it, one
O the gyards-we he'd guards them days
turned up missin' bout tn time we
was ready t start firm Eldorado in tn
mornin'. Berry Mcneil, tn other gyard,
goes arter i'm, an fms MIR. Man laid up
with cash in tn head firm beer bot
tle--oe'n scrappin' night b'fore.
"Th' agept-an' me was thinkin, dow.
rur 'Dout who we cd git t. take Haus-
er's place ef ne was sick, wen hyar
comes Mac. whistlin'.
"'Say, fellers,' says he, 'Hauser got
plunked with bottle las night, an is
layin' on his downy couch with head
ache. Reckon en- go it b my lone
some; 1 got Hauser's sawed off gun
eve both kicked a whole lot, but
Mac, he'd made up his min, an was
boun t hev' his own way; b'sides. we
didn't hev' no one right handy t go
whistiin' one o his evcrlastin' toons, piles
up on tn box, an we pulls out. They
want no passengers.
"Wal, we KEEP our peppers skun right
sharp, but ev'rythin went lovely till jes'
long bout hyar. Then Mac says: Ben,
/ b'lieve thcy's some cusses layin' fer us
up b them rocks--I think 1 seen fell
ler's head, jes' now Says |: Mac
y're full o mop. seen it, too, an
twa'n't nothin' but Il hawk, crossin' the
road. snv cr,tcrs-u pr. now.
| cOihSNOi, Dut ICo VIC IlTuCu III
somebody Jumps out fr'm both sides an
nails tn leaders, an they was so many
| guns starin' intuh my face th't it made
me ashamed o myself. Mac cut loose
wi tn sawed off shotgun, an then be
gun wi tn Winchester, gittin' two fel
lers an skinnin' up some more but the,
was too many of 'em, an they cd shoot
too, so Mac he never got no chance t
pump that gun dry. lie oughtn't t. heV
shot, nohow, but he allus was nerv
cuss-more nerve d seuse. Iusetuh say
'Mac-'"
Half dozen dusky forms leap from
the road sIde-the big cowboy who go
aboard early in the afternoon, and ha
been doing and swearing in a sleep,
way about the dust, is suddenly wild,
awake, and we, on the inside, get goot
look at the muzzes Of his two big re
volvers-We kesr Zen eJacuIate, rival
this do beat all !".--and then we are in
vited to get aown into the road, where
the pleasant-faced, boyish looking youn.
man, who got on back at Alpena, pro
cceds to business, and, politely, courte
ously, but tirmiy, withal, relieves us of ou
spare change and, more, too.
This IS my part of the story. o
course, there were quite number @
"'htr people present, including tn
E"uthful highwayman and his capabl
''si,tants, and they, also, have CLAIM
"n The above narrative. I did not mea,
nat owned it; what | tried to say WA
HAT that is the only one of the event
rom which come this veracious tale tina
took part in, and think it has beer
saown 'hat my part was entirely pas
PeSAaRs we had better cal
1910 gentemanly