Smyrna times., 1901-09-04

Top, the horses gallOping wildly, spring
ing wildly now and then to a cut from |
the shouting drivers whip, while, abso-
lutely sick with terror, l had not
strength to leap into the road, as | |
made up my mind to do time and again.
l would undoubtedly have been killed |
ut the rate at which we were going,
and it was the bare shred of hope,
which they say never wholly leaves
us, that kept me from springing out.
Part of the time l crOuched on the
floor, hiding my face in the cushions;
but, fascinated by the terrible scene
outside, could not refrain from look
ing out upon it again and again. On
one side rose a perpendicular wall of
rock as bare as my hand. On the 9TH
er and barely five feet from where l
looked out were the canyon and GER
tain death.
THE stage swayed fearfully, and
every time the whip cut into the horses
they would swing it to the very verge
of the precipice, when l could look
down the wall and see the rivers
CLEAN, when l would throw myself
against the opposite side of the vehicle.
Once the hind wheels literally hung
over the edge for the thousandth part
of a second, though it seemed an eter-
nifty to me, but were jerked on to the
road again just as felt the stage drag
| back into the chasm. =.
Il remember screaming like a fright
ened child and standing up in the
stage laughing horribly when | saw
the wheels back in the road. l doubt
if the mailman on the box was further
off his balance than at that moment.
He was standing up, though how he
could have retained his footing was
marvel to me, and yelling with delight,
occasionally breaking out into a
screaming song, varied by bursts of
laughter.
1--WE had covered nearly five miles
when the road widened several feet.
and all at once l saw as we tore by the
faces of group of men drawn to one
side to let us pass. l shrieked to them
in wild cry for help, but as our speed
was undiminished made up my mind
the noise we made had kept them from
! ilc VI lDdl IL WAS llDDOSSIDlG
for them to Overtake us. But even as
despaired l heard n hOarse cry and,
looking out, saw my lunatic's body
hurled from his seat into the road and
the next minute felt the horses check.
ed and finally stopped. The door of the
stage was flung open and a bearded
face thrust in, when l threw myself
into pair of strong arms and knew nC
more.
"When | came to, | heard q voice
say: Give the chap mother swallow o
the stuff, Jim. He's comm to- Some
fiery liquor trickled down my throat
/ and, opening my eyes, gasping, founC
myself surrounded by a crowd O
roughly dressed men, but they, to ID!
| eyes, had the appearance of angels
They were miners, who. judging from
the drivers actions, had guessed some
thing of the truth and, hearing my CT.
l for help, had stopped the stage. Thi
2 was accomplished by two of then
b. catching hold of and climbing up owe
+ the boot behind and over the top AM
: thus reaching the seat, from whic
: they knocked the madman and secure
the lines.
: ION examination the lunatic wa
: found to be only stunned, when W
:. bound him securely and took him bac
G to Virginia City, where he was ident
d fed as a prosperous merchant frOI
It Carson City who had recently lost hi
a mind through grief over the death c
l. his wife. l joined my rescuers i'll the
l. search for gold, and in six months W
Il had struck it rich, when, selling out N
e share for $4,000. returned to Phil
,e delphia, having had enough of the we
If and it's adventures"