The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-29


weeks ago.
! that leads to the river (and therefrom
The canyon at the end of which was
our destinatien) than Josh" threw
down the lines. grasped the whip piled
il on the horses, while Doc" grabbed
his lap robe, waved it in the air and
| Joined by sid all three yelled like
incarnate demons, until the horses
goaded by pain of the whip and mad
dened by fear of the robes and the
yelling. dashed with fury ungoVern-
able down the dugwaY, while l SAT
crouched in fear and terror convinced,
with what sense l had unconsumed by
dread, that sure destruction faced all
each second. Yet no injury befell, and
just before we reached the bridge that
crosses the river Josh reached down,
grasped the reins, and, eXerting the
whole force of his body. checked the
yet dashing horses, bringing them to a
stand so suddenly as to throw US all IN
a heap, while the poor animals stood
painting for wind and sweating with
fear and eXertion.
Swan the River.
We were now on the approach to the
bridge-almost touching the bridge, IN
fact This approach is made by filling
of which slopes to the river bed at an
angle of not less than forty degrees. II
is twenty to thirty feet high. No pei
ter or safer crossing was ever bulll
than that facing the team. Yet TINS
maniac, JOSH" pointing to it with the
whip, said: I never could drive across
a bride" and, with sudden jerk ana
before a protest could be uttered, and
with a lash of the whip, turned the
horses SO sharply around so as to al
most upset the vehicle, and dashed
down the eGnbankment and unto the
river with a wild yell that was fearful
to hear 1 do not know the depth of
the stream, but to the excited state l
was in. it seemed fathomleSs | had
endured all I could-three times my
life was in jeopardy in thirty minutes
and approaching a fourth-dnd as the
horses. were being forced deeper and
still deeper into the rushing river, L
swung out of the vehicle into the
stream, and hastily wading to the
shore, hid myself in the high brush
bordering the river, determined, when
these wild beings had departed, that L
would walk back to Ogden, returning
thanks at having escaped SO happily,
not TO say miraculously.
l heard the wild and threatening
shouts of my deserted companions as
they saw me making for the shore and
dive into the thick brush. l heard the
horses FLASHING in the stream. L heard
the whip plying. 1 heard the horses
reach the bank (having been turned in
the stream) nea- where I was secreted
and then 1 heard the bush breaking
near me and then the heads of the
horses were over me. The crazed beings
had actually forced the poor beasts
through the tall thick brush to where
was in hiding, and to keep from being
trodden under their feet l was forced
to arise quickly. determined however
to make still another dash for freedom
and from danger. But as 1 arose 1
heard a voice yell loudly, and with an
ger: stop" 1 turned and saw
double barreled hair triggered shotgun
in the hands of the doctor leveled di-
rectly at me. His eye was wild. I
dropped to the ground, and just as 1
did so a shot rang through the quiet
evening air. My presence of mind had
this time saved my life. 1 was COM
manded in a voice. in the tones of which
there was no uncertainty, to get back
into the wagon and to get back -
quick!" You viii readily believe my
assurance that I got back in the wagon.
Then the horses were driven across the
stream and 1 sat silent watchfully,
with dread in my heart, not knowing
what new deviltry was being conjured
up in the brain of the antidote mad
Gened maniacs.
An Hour Of Horror
The next hour was one of unrelieved
horror, for no sooner were we safely
escaped one fools trick than another in
fnitely more insane was undertaken.
The drive - Ogden canyon is smooth
and even. 1t follows the windings of
the river, and the road is banked
against the angry waters by rock re-
tanning wall. often thirty and forty feet
in height. The precipitous mountains,
shrub covered and densely timbered at
their greater heights. pierce the blue
vault above, and from which dizzy
height the river and the road seem lii1s
twin threads winding through the little
slit beneath. Yet the road is absolutely
safe with a team not actually driven to
the danger point. Urged by Doc and
Sid Josh" continued to give evil
dences of the skill acquired by him as a
stage driver in the earlier days. First
he would drive one hind wheel over
the embankment, then he would run the
front wheel over, and We were only
prevented from. going to the river by
lodging first from one side to the other
of the vehicle, and by hanging far out
with our united weight until fac horses
had pulled the dropping wheel back on
to the level road again. Then Doc"
would dare Josh" to drive I'D the
mountain and along its side. How far,
all told, we rode on the upper side of
the wagon. our weight thrown far out.
the good Lord alone can tell; yet we
did not overtum or cur mangled bodies
would have been picked up on the road
on arb
Lord in his infinite wisdom had still
some work for these antidoted maniacs
to perform. There was no challenge OF
the skill of Josh" too daring for him
to accept, all of which deepens my
that the animal which
the Savior rode on his entry into Jeru-
salem was named JOSH
Yet, in spite of all, we reached a rest
ing place in the canyon known as the
Hermitage" and had broken only two
wagons. Many times had l determined
TO make another dash for liberty, but
Doc" seemed never to take his eyes
from me, and he never let the gun out
of his hands. So / remained. Not wish
ing TO further harrow the feelings of
the reader with a repetition of occur
rences so damnable in their foclhardi-
ness as TO seem impossible of perform
ance, l skip detailed reference of the
ride through the beautiful little valley
of Eden, of the rich sunset that glowed
like living fire through the clouds
banking the western azure of the cool
winds tanning all living things with
life giving freshness, and a breath of
new mown hay that carried me away
from the agonies Immediately past.
from the sorrows. the joys, the good
and the evil of intervening years
away even from the fears and hopes
Of the future), and waited me once
more to the days of yore. when all the