The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-12
A SPANISH DILIGENCE,
Got as Pleasant Mode Of Travea
as Supposed.
Joseph Pennen. the American Artist. Was
One of q Mixed Company ON the
Huge Laundering CoAch-An
Ei2ht-Nule Team.

ial," and for an insignificant sum, Mr.
Pennel hired the three seats in the
coupe; that is, the seats under the large
hood at the top of the diligence. which
are supposed to be the best. The com
mercial hurried him 10 the Office an
hour or so before the diligence started.
There it was in an open plaza in the
blistering sunlight, and though no
borses were about, the inside was al
ready filed with people. The CONNER
cial insisted upon climbing up at once,
and suggested that he ard j. should
each take corner and spread them
selves out as much as they could. This
settled, they sat down, but it was only
to jump up with yell; the diligence
had been standing there all morning,
and the seat was like a red-hot stove.
More people began to come, and more
again, but still there were no horses.
Presently large fat man, armed with
live chickens and water hotties and
various other breakable and killable
things, scrambled up and sat in the mid
die of the coupe. TELLS me that he
said very strong things in several lam
guages. and referred the matter to the
commercial, who had paid with him
that they might have the seat quite to
themselves. But the commercial only
answered calmly that they ought to be
thankful they had the corners. At their
feet was what looked like footboard;
at least four people came and sat on
that. At their back was another board
Ike it; lots Of people came and sat on
that.
In the course Of time the driver ap-
peared, all in gray, with short jacket,
q big hat and an enormous whip. He
carried huge water bottbes from which
all the people had q dSfnk, holding 1t IN
the air, and allowing q stream to pour
down their threats. But this required
too much experience for j to VEN
ture when his turn came. The team
was now brought out, eight mules. all
jingling bells. Those at the pole alone
were controlled with reins by q man who
sat somewhere underneath, and not by
the driver at al. A vast army of men
who always hang about stables sue.
ceeded in getting the heads of the
sqeahng, kicking, bucking mass some
attached to the bead very tall horse
decorated with real jaek-boots-and
then followed q very small boy with
Q very big jockey cap, . bYass-mounted
whip and a red and white shirt. There
was a tremendous arreing, a very
Babel. Two men seized the small boy,
threw him across the high brass-mount-
ed saddle, and he dived into the jack.
boots. He and the conductor in gray
shrieked like fends and cracked their
whips like mad; the men who had hold
of the mules let 60; there was . plung-
ing, q crash. a galiop, that ought to
have pulled the whole machine to pieces.
Away went the diligence, shaving
houses, sending people flying, clearing
the streets j thought it would be
splendid, despite the crowd into which
he was now wedged immo~ably. In
few hundred yards, however, the paw
ing came to an end. and before the
mules were of IL they were lost in q
cloud of dust In a second the nearest
diligence Yves enveloped in thick.
choking cloud of dust, and in five min
utes every face in the perspiEing. wilt
ing crowd was covered with mask.
In this whirlw{nd Of sitting misery,
everything completely hidden from
them, they travelled for an hour OF more
across the plain. Then third man
footed a horn as they swayed and jolted
through the streets of village. and
there was a sudden stoppage. Thepeo-
pie scraped the cake of mud of their
faces; they could net stretch where
they were, for there was not rooms
they literally could not move. But now
j thought they could get down ut
least for q moment. Not bit of IT.
Right alongside the diligence was au-
other kicking. squealing team to take
the place of the painting, done-up mules. |
The small boy was thrown from one
horse TO another, and the diligence was
Of again. There was not even time to
pass the water bottle.
And this went on the whole livelong |
afternoon Toward evening they got |
into higher ground. There was less
dust Bold. rugged mountains were
before them. The huge. numbering |
machine was slowly pulled up long.
steep inchnes. dropping Into holes and
pitching over stones. But the dust was
much less, especially when the pace
was slow. Suddenly night fell, ard
with it came a cold blast from the
II was q change from mid
summer 20 rniawinter. Dripping with
perspiration. is clothing seemed al
most TO freeze upon him; and TIE
whole crowd sh,vered end groaned 81
one man. Lamps were lighted, but they
only showed that the dust had thick-
bread was buttered with dust. ard the
chicken leg was sailed with II On
they went. a rocking. crashing load -
Suddenly a lantern was
swung Just IN front and there were
7elis and bowls: the mules stopped in a
.angled mass, some c7rbinss FILTERED.
and four civil guards appeared Thy
,larnbered up at once. sitting on every
boGy's lap. They rode for IN hour. ard
hen got of. Whether they were there
10 protect the passengers from the
Spanish hvi9aud. C. only IN get III.
= never knew On ard on w~ntfhe
'ilirence through the long. terrible
,chinr Observation-Disclosures z Pen
,en. in Century
KENTUCKY SENATOR.
Bottom Fails Ont of . Boo1-His Lasi