Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-06-22

year goes by they answer to the age
and the elements. and fall away into
dust and oblivion.
their weather.beaten forms are the
marks Of rife bullets. within their pro-
tccting sides came the best blood Of tho
East to find new homes and extend the
empire Of the great republic.
These thirty leathcr-springed, steel.
ribbed overland stages were for years
the one connecting link between the
hardy miners aud pioneers Of southern
Idaho and "hOme." Their very sight
recalls Indian fights. highway robberies
and daredevil flights. In them lives
the essence Of the fast dying "wild
west" Their day Ii past; their past
. but \ tale; their present IL forgotten.
! asked Owyhcc Joe about them once.
Owyhee Joe had been famous driver.
Wild stories IRE told Of bis daring trips
up from Winnemucca or out from
Boise with o coach well loaded with
gold dust. prOspectOrs and government
mail. Like Ben Halliday and Yuba
Bill his achievements live In the mem.
ory and on the tongues Of the oldest
Inhabitants and grow In luster % the
years pass.
1t was hot. sultry afternoon. I had
sent In copy" for the outside page Of
the Statesman and felt free to lounge
back In my chair and listen to Joe's
stirring II ut times mcndacious account
Of an Indian fight he had been In near
Kuna, when unaided he had driven on
ten BannOcks aud saved the gold bricks
H. tho boxes Of Wells, Fargo & Co.'S
express. I smiled patronixinsly when
be had concluded. "And how about
the time when you were relieved of
your bags without even an II you
pleaseY" A shade Of annoyance and
chagrin passed over his bronxed face
and he shifted uneasily In bis chair.
The click-cllck-click of job press In
the adjoining room sounded q running
commentary to our thoughts while
from the opposite corner the splash
splash--splash of an irrigating wheel
seemed to be rehearsing Its version OF
the incident that so weighed on the
drivers mind. The sun beat down on
the tin roof and adobe walls Of the old
office with q fierce, white intensity that
awakened the man from his rumin,
alton.
ut was o hotter day nor this out
there ON the mesa when that younG
chap stepped out from behind q little
clump Of grease-wOOd and as'd me per-
lite enuf ter throw up my hands. No
argument in the face Of that thar
shootin' iron, Mister Editor. He tool
over 1000 clean dust and made fol
Salt Lake ON the back of my best rider
Never hearn tell how We caught him
No? Wall, ye see took my wheel
boss and made for Boise. Found Bill
Mcconnell, Governor and senator since
the same, Col. Robbins, Jim Agnew
an Hank Fisher. We made bee line
cross country to head him of. Changed
bosses three times. We struck his trail
found whar his boss had broke d0wI
an he'd stolen another That stOleI
boss meant a necktie party. Sabe2
I'm twenty-four hours We came II
sight of him. H0ss played out. Gam,
up. NOthin' but sand and sage &usl
fur miles except 6ne lone tree. Kinde
placed thar by Providence. Mcconnell
said. Thar tibet young Teller set-On'
leg over the horn Of his saddle. Elm
locker. Stood six In his stockin's.
knew him the minute sOt eyes OF
him. He knew me but never twigged
Bill Mcconnell war ahead an be opene,
the meetin' without singin'.
"'Good morniu', stranger