The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-18
Old Stage Coach Days

high-souled, chivalrous, tender. hearted
man. and tyas always the friend md
counsellor Of the Indians never using
force against them except In the defense
Of his own raj &C. VI 3,
BEA uT1Es or Al SUMMER TRIP.
If stage cnlcning In the long, long
ago was PLEASANT In winter. how mucn
more SO It must have been when all con-
dltions we're rllolly favora Bile.
The coach,,g parties OF to-day. With,
men and anna tour hugler. housekeeping
horses and gold. plated harness, may enter
ain the thought that they know something
Of the delights OF conching, but It scetnsat
least to one OF the old fellows who utll-,
tied the Oxford coach long before single
State, tina thtre' cannot be any compari-
, son with RESPECT to that between the past
and the present.
For instance, picture rare day In June,
away back In Inc early '40's. "a coach
4 fresh and sweet as the daisies and but-
tercupsi growing so profuse1y along the
highway FOUR horses. all prime roadsters,
each one" knowing his business: Jefu
on the seat with n ong-lashed whip In
hand, with which he can flick a ny off
the ear Of ethel leader; the sun Just
ing out from tic fence corners. the peach,
apple and chc1y1trecs In bloom, and tho
4 foliage OF the forest showing uo In ten.
der green tho birds singing. the sautr-5
srels chattering al ach other as they go
scafnpering Off to the nearby brook TOR
Just showing above the rich. black soil,
and out Of the pastures the horses, tho
cows the sheen, the patient. mld-eyed,
oxen, and the risky mule Just waking up
to the duties OF the new day. u
a The team is fresh, and Is bowling along
At almost n C.4n rotalt'nrH hrac kf1 OF la
K only i've miles ahead .5s
4 You are seIted by tho driver. and he
has told. you CT the virtues OF old Buck,
the off leader. and what Zeke, the near
one, ca IN do. when Just as he is starting
into the story Of the wheelers, the refrain
Of horn comes floating to your4sears
upon the soft. falmy air of that sweet
June morning: again and again II comes.
and as 1t dis away for the last time the
Jehu beside you draws from under his
seat long TN horn. and seemingly With,
out an effort evolves from It such notes
as It would seem impossible to produce
from such a source It was his answer
to his brotherEJeh coming from the other!
direction. Half an hour elapses. and with
blast from tue horns and sharp cracks
and In less titan half AN hour more the
coach draws ui at the station, and your
olfnctories arc greeted with tho odors
Of frying chicken, boiling coffee and,
brown corn bread AS you descend. from
your8lofty SALT face beneath home
made chip hat surrounded by white
ribbon and tied benea TIL the chin with a,
blue one. gicets you with pleasant
smile, while curl Of soft brown hair
creeping down from under the hat in an
attempts to kiss the dlinple on the rosy
cheek. The surprise to you is complete.
for the girl was IT. the coach when you
mounted the sea on the outside. Natu-s
rally. as a Missourian, you open the,
coach door, take her BY the hand and
escort her into the dining room or tho
station. r. 8 3
In resuming the Journey, at your Invita-
ton, she takes a seat beside you and tho
driver, and 3l,aifSa days drive brings the
coach to the ii ont ola homely double
log house, wnel g the girl alights. taking
with her your heart even though you had
met her for the first time tina t morning.
The resultsotS une such accidental meet
[ Ing witnessed by the writer between a
young man aud "a maiden, was wedding
within year and the foundation of one
Of the most. eminent families Of Missouri,
the sole living representative OF which Is
a United states army officer, irecentlyi sta
toned In ST. Louis.-St Louis Globe-Dem-