Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-08-16

4 vi. MAIL GhCBBENS, OF Little
u Rock, Ark, was mixed up in a
little occurrence which could never
be repeated-that is, in the original
1atitude-for, a few weeks later, the
narrow gauge railway was opened
between that point and Malvern, on
the Iron Mountain road, and the
stage coach that used to connect the
Springs with Little Rock was hauled
off forever.
Zone day." said the colonel, ''the
stage leaving Hot Springs for the
capital of the state was several hours
later than usual. The fact is, it
ought to have set out at an earlier
hour in the forenoon, but it was de-
tanned by couple of accidents that
threatened at one time to postpone
the journey until next day.
eve made the start in time. but
on the outskirts of Hot Springs the
hind wheel went down with a crash,
and we climbed out very much in a
hurry. However, no one was hurt, and
the company were always prepared
for that kind of an accident We
walked back a short distance, the
team dragging the crippled coach to
point where a new wheel was fitted
on. Then we clambered into our
places again and were eff, in as high
spirits as ever.
ga half mile out of town what
should the coach do but collapse
once more! This time it was the
font axle, which snapped in two
like a pipe-stem.
1.-The horses plunged, and but for
the skill and GOODNESS of Burt Bunker,
the driver, some of the passengers
would have suffered.
This accident was so serious that
couple-I being one of them-ad-
socated giving up the trip until the
morrow; but the other three, as well
as the driver, were. anxious to go on,
'and Burt declared that he would land
us in Little Rock if he broke down
half dozen more times on the way,
though of necessity he would be sew
eral hours late in reaching our desti-
nation.
''That ended the discussion. Once
more we climbed out, and prepared
TO make ourselves comfortable until
the return of Burt with new axle,
the provoking feature being that he
generally carried one of those indis-
pensables with him, but happened to
have none on that day.
BURT rode one of the horses. and
told us he would not be gone more
than an hour. In the office of the
company at Hot Springs, as we'll as
Little Rock, was every part of a
stage coach, so that a breakdown
was easily remedied. since, as I have
said. it was the custom of the coaches
to carry a duplicate of the principal
parts of each vehicle.
II must now tell you about our
passengers. They consisted of three
gentlemen, besides myself and a lady
The last was handsome brunette
she was as bright as a new dollar
She chatted and laughed, and made
light of the accident, and became a
general favorite before we were out
of sight of Hot Springs. Indeed. I am
satisfied that the insistence of the
others that the journey should be
continued in the face of all discour-
agements was mainly due to the an.
ticipated pleasure of her society al
the way.
Il couldn't blame them, for there
was no denying that Miss Griersoi
was one of the most charming of hel
sex Had 1 been 90 years younger
and without wife Of my own,
think that I should have succumbed
before her fascinating self.
Zone of the men was Maj. Dacres
IN old army officer, like myself. He
was suffering from SO many wounds
tnat he walked with great difficulty
through the aid of a heavy canes but
he was one OF the grittiest soldiers
that went through the late war.
The third gentleman was dudisf