Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-06-25
FROsTBURG, SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 1892.

coach, cracked the long whip over the
backs of the four coach horses, and they
ratified away from the tavern amid a
/ chorus of farewcIls and cheers Of Long
| live General Lafayettc!"
The horses seemed to realize that the
! coach contained royal visitor; they
,rched their glossy necks proudly as they
ped on their way, past lonely farm
houses, through woods which might be
| lonely at night, but which were fresh
and sweet in the early morning, as If
| their sole mission on earth was to provide
\ home for sweet singing birds. Now
they passed over gloomy piece OF road
where the branches of the tall trees IN
terlocked overhead then out into an open
space, where the sun burst through and
| Kissed the dew from the flowers that
were sprinkled plentifully over the green
MOSES; finally descending the hill lead
| ing down into the Connecticut Valley.
The city of Hartford although several
miles distant, was plainly to be seen,
while the long line of fog hovering over
the river lay like heavy cloud waiting
to be dispelled by the sunshin', and
marked the course of the old Connecti-
| cut.
AS they descended into the valley Cen
nral Lafayette spoke to John IN a COM
plmentary way about his fine horses and
the pleasant ride they were having. 1t
occurred to johnny that now was the
proper time to show their speed. He had
| previously trained them to respond to
particular whistle with their very best
rate, and when they came to level piece
of road, with scarcely rise for several
miles, John drew the reins tight, gave
the signal, and away they sped like tho
wind. They fairly flew past the trees
which lined the roadside, and the wheels
If the coach scarcely seemed to touch the
| bridges which spanned the small streams.
| As they continued to keep the same rapid
gait, the general grew frightened and one
of his companions anxiously thrust his
| head out of the coach window and
shouted, Are they running away? Can't
YOU stop them? Hold on tight, hoy!" etc.
But John said never word, and 1T did
not occur to him that as the general and
his friends had been travelling by stage
for several days they might b. too wealy
to enjoy such thorough shaking up. At
last the horses sIackened their pace and,
after few inquiries, the occupants of
| .lie corch learned that the treat which
they had experienced was quite usual
! occurrence on that route. The horses
! walked dcmurely over the long covered
wooden bridge across the Connecticut
River Ohe same bridge of to day, which
was then in its infancy, it having been
bnilt in the year 1919, on into the city OF
Hartford to the stopping place of Gen
"rHl Lafayette, which, if | remember
rightly, was the United Stats Hotel, "
where the general related his morning 5
adventure, treating it as an excellent
| Joke; and after putting French piece
of gold of generous denomination into
Johns hand, which he cordially shook at
parting, he went inside to play the hero
to more important audience, while
| John played the hero to the outsiders. AS
child l have listened to the story of
Johns boyish exploit many time, and
only year ago heard him as feeble
old man in the eighties relating it with
hearty laugh.