The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-18

something of a contractor. He talked
with Van Buren, about the road over
which he had to carry his contracts, and
stated that the national road from In.
dianapolis to st. Louis was really IN
bad shape and that because Of oceans
of mud he could hardly get his stage
coach through. But Van Buren, gave
him deaf ear. He ordered his stage
to be on hand the next morning, and
about noon he and the secretary came
out and took their places on top of It
and were given glorious farewell from
the city.
Hale had decided that he would have
to impress on Van Buren, the necessity
Of more funds for improvements. He
called his driver, Mason Wright, to one
side and offered him new fve-dollar
hat and relief from all damages If he
would dump Van Buren, in the deepest
mud hole on the road. Wright was
wild, reckless fellow, and he accepted the
offer. He took on a supply of nerve
and drove the stage out.
The trip from Indianapolis to PIainfield
was uneventful. The road out of Indian
apolis was not bad, but after the stage
crept down several hills into the lower
lands through which the national road
passed the good gravel disappeared and
there were many bad ruts. These grad
ually became worse and worse, Just
morass through which the road passed
There were two paths through 1t. Wright
drew rein just as he approached 1t and
stopped to take survey. After consid-
ering 1t some moments he turned to Van
Buren,, who was on top of the stage, and
asked him which way he should go.
CHOSE HIS OWN ROUTE.
There was good method In all of this
The driver had gone through that morass
three times a week for several years.
He knew that the north path, which look
ed the more threatening was in fact an
right and the mud and water would only
come up half way to the hubs while
the southern passage which looked nice
enough when compared with the other
was really dangerous to the most expe-
rienced driver 1t led under a great elm
tree. Van Buren, readily fell in.o the
trap and told him 'to the south" Wright
turned his horses and gave them the
whip. The people who had gathered In
the other side Of the morass to see the
president yelled their warning, but the
driver was out to win his s. hat and was
doing It on the advice of his victim
the president of the nation, who was at
tired In his conventional broadcloth. He
did not stop, but drew his horses rapidly
toward the bank on which the tree
stood. The roots, which he knew where
to find, did not go back on him. There
was an awful moment Of suspense, then
a cracking, a crash and the stage coach
lay on Its side in the very center of the
morass.
The president and the next highest Of
fetal in the nation alighted on all tours,
as 1t were, in the very slimiest and mud
diest spot in the wallow. They fairly
dived In, and then scrambled around I'M
til they found one of the submerged
roots, onto which they climbed until the
spectators fished them out. An old quaker
lady took Martin out behind the elm
tree and scraped him off with a chip.
Another lady did similar service for the
secretary of state. When they were re-
lieved of part of the mud they were taken
to the old Castin tavern, where two
big wash tubs were prepared for their
reception. They took baths and then at
tired themselves After some time they
appeared on the veranda. decidedly