Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28

as 1t was new, raw whisky not fit for use.
put the driver said it was the best he could
get, and that he must have something "to
Keep the cold out" Before the day was
over 1 had evidence that the deputy had
given my driver good advice
we mad proceeded without incident until
late in the afternoon, when observed thar
the driver was sleeping in his seat. He had
been taking frequent draughts from his bot
Tie, ana knew at once that he was over
come by the hquor; so, taking the reins
from his hands. i proceeded to drive He
slept for about an hour, and my hands were
becoming benumbed with cold when he
woke up, and finding me driving, and reaIiz-
ing that he had been asleep he straightened
himself up, and, taking the reins out of my
hands. he struck the horses with the whip
a thing which he had not done beforehand
away they dashed. Being still under the
influence Of the whisky, he failed to guide
them in the road, and in a moment the
WneeiS went over a stump, and We were
Upset. fortunately, the horses stopped.
Inc driver was thrown over me out upon
the ground. ! was under the carriage
buried In robes and cushions. Working my
way out, ! found that / was not hurt,
.nough was good deal shaken up. and
hicle and found that. fortunately, 1t was not
injured. AS the driver began to pick up
the things that had been thrown out / OBJ
served his bottle lying upon the ground. and
Deen broken; that's what has made the trou-
Die AT this the driver said: That's the
nrS. time ! was ever told l was drunk. 1
oughbred. and 1 don't allow any man to
tell me that am drunk" And at that he
slapped his hands together in a very threat
ening manr er. as II he proposed to fight me
then and there. We were alone, in the
woods: he was drunk, and carried a pistol,
and was "a thoroughbred" and had insult
ca him 1t was not a nice situation. But,
happily. was equal to the emergency. My
Yankee wit coming to the rescue, counter
ed In way which he didn't expect. and
iert him hors de combat. Look here Young
man.. said I. looking him square in the
eye you are too good a driver to upset
me IL you had not been drunk" Thus /
FORCED upon him the alternative of admit
ting that he was either drunk or q Door
driver. He didn't like to admit the latter.
~. arNing was his profession, and he did
not wish to admit the former. So he suIk-
ed' out the tight was all gone out of him
Inc thoroughbred had become thoughtful
we proceeded in silence the rest Of that
Day. The next morning as we were about
10 enter our carriage to begin our second
oays journey homeward, my driver reach
cd under the seat, and taking out the half
nned bottle of whisky, he turned to me
good-naturedly and said: Major, 1 was
drunk yesterday. and / amt a goin' to
drink any more of that stuff" And at that
ne hung the bottle against a stump and
Droke 1t In pieces. This was very satisfac-
tory, Tor 1t was much more agreeable to
travel with a pleasant and laxative driver
than with drunken and sullen one
we made slow progress that day, partly
because OF the snow. and partly because the
horses were beginning to feel the effects of
the long, hard journey When night came
VILE
On the third day the carriage began to
snow the effects of the wear and tear il had
gone through. First the tire on one of the
wheels snapped. But the driver was equal
TO this emergency. Going a short distance
INTO the woods he came back with some
N n hrICh lob, l..
was leatherwood the bark of which he said
was as strong as leather. Stripping off the
bark he bound thongs of it about the rim
ana tlIe OF the wheel. and during the rest
OF the day this bark held the broken tire
nrmly IN its place. The driver told me
that during the war, when the SUNNY of
leather was beginning to be exhausted in
the south, the farmers used leatherwnod
park Tor traces to their harnesses and that
these were even strong enough to plough
with.
Later in the day the king pin broke. and
men a portion or the harness gave way
OUT each time ieatherwood was brought
INTO requisition with satisfactory results
About O'Clock in the afternoon Russell
vile appeared in sight, and we were All
elau 10 see II, especially the poor, faithful,
Jaded horses. The driver said that he
woul1nt make the trip over again for a
hundred dollars, and think it was worth
IT. L told him that l felt under obliga tions
TO MN Tor the agreeable manner in which
he had entertained me with his various mar
ratives, and that by his accounts of him
sell and his interesting experiences he had
made the journey much more endurabl
than 1t would otherwise have been
But you don't believe all nave told YOU
do you major?"
of course do: every word"
on! well, you must not believe more
than about half of what have told YOU
1 thought 1 would make it interesting for
you"
/ thereupon assured him that I now en-
tertained even a higher opinion of his tai
ents than did before, for l realized that he
possessed imagination, as well as the gift
of narrative
took the train that night for Little
Rock, and when / walked into the Collect
ors office the next morning. and reported
that the accounts of his deputy at Harrison
were all right he could hardly be persuaded
that had been there, and when told him
of my adventure with the moon sinners and
showed him the bullet hole in my hat, locat-
ing the place where the adventure occurred
he said tina he should send posse of depu-
ties to raid the gang and break up their
stills; and afterward / learned that he had
done so, though one of his deputies lost his
life in the ARRAY.
fortnight later / received a letter from
the department at Washington, expressing
the qualification of the commissioner at my
zeal and enterprise.
]. b. MARVIN.