Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-07-30

Portable as possible.
At the Cold Spring House, six miles
from town, Olin pulled up to water
his horses, winding the ribbons
around the brake before leaving the
box.
A dog ran q drove of hogs under
the horses feet, and in flash the
spirited animals were tearing down
the ridge.
Some one at Nevada City happened
to be scanning the road through q
feldglass. and suddenly shouted, "The
stage is coming an Olin amt on the
box"
The news spread through the town
like wildhre, and in anincredibly short
time the whole town turned out and
all who had fieldglasses were anxious
ly Watching the swaying stage in its
mad career along the ridge toward the
steep grade leading into town. 1t was
still some four miles distant.
The excitement was intense. Every
one knew that Mathewson, helpless
and weak, lay inside, at the mercy OF
the four blooded animals. The wheel
ers especially were splendid pair OF
mettlesome stations, and the leaders
carefully selected. Nopower on earth
could have stopped them on that
ridge. Down the grade they plunged.
The speed was terrific. Strong men
turned away in horror, expecting
from moment to moment that the
staoe would 90 crashing into the
canyon below.
Half the distance toward town had
been accomplished in safety when q
hoarse cry broke from the watching
multitude. "The stump the bowlder u
Three miles from town the stage road
led between stump on the lower side
and bowlder on the upper side OF
tie grade.
With long plunging strides the ami
mails approached this danger point.
The crowd was too Mortified to
shout. Only a stifed groan, moro
eloquent than words could have been
heard.
ga few rods moro and God help
poor Mathewson," reverently MUIR
INJURED q grizzled miner, as the tears
flowed down his wrinkled face. Many
d.looking but tender hearted man
around him murmured, "Amen."
Gaining increased momentum at
every bound, the stage ran into a
cloud of dust just before reaching the
stump and bowlder. Awed, pallid,
upturned faces gazed with fascinated
intentness ut that little cloud of dust.
They've done it," whispered man
in front, with eyes still glued to his
glass.
With only fourteen inches to spare
on either side of the stage it had
passed through it safely. But the
danger was not yet over. The steep
est and roughest part OF the road was
yet to come.
As the stage reached town the people
gave way on either side, none dream
ing OF trying to stop the foam-covered
stations in their wild run.
Along Coyote street they whirled,
then making fat-iron turn entered
Main still on they dashed, wheeling
into Commercial, then up into Pine
and still at full speed to Broad, head
ing for the destination of the stage in
front of the National or Persons
Hotel, in the middle of the block.
Arthur Hagadorn, the owner of the
stage line, was standing, pale with ex-
citement, close to where the stage
usually reined in. None can ever know
how it came about, but at the sight Of
the familiar figure the four intelligent
animals slowed up and came to n stop
within foot of where they would
have been driven had Olin been on the
box.
Stepping up to the lead horse, Haga'
dorm stroked his wet neck and said {:
'tNoble fellow, you've done your last
days work"
Mathewson was unhurt and feebly
thanked friends and acquaintances
who crowded around the stage to con-
gratulate him on his miraculous es-
cape.
Such is tho record OF one of the
widest stage rides ever taken by man.
A Vessel Collides With Whale.
The schooner Etna put into the Della
ware Breakwater recently, leaking, as
result of most remarkable accident,
having run across n monster sperm
whale off Cape Hatteras. The vessel
was bound from Jacksonville, Fla, to
New York, with cargo of lumber.
She was beating up the coast at a
lively speed, and when off Hatteras
was suddenly stopped with shock
that sent all hands staggering about
the deck, and subse luently caused the
schooner to roll violently.
None of the crew knew at first what
the big submerged object was with
which the Etna had collided, and con-
sternation reigned for time. Cap
tain Craft and his men Investigated,
with the keenest possible interest, for
they knew the vessel was N very deep
water. and couldn't conceive what OBJ
ject under the surface of the sea could
have caused shock SO severe. There
,yoa ~ - r,r,t;pn of tho laaI oc tbora