Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-06
THE CONCORD COACH
"REMINISCENCES OF THE OLD STAG
ING DAYS IN MISSOURI.
Women and Children Were Always
ChivalrOusIy PrOtected-A sketch
of Kit Carson That Does Not Agree
with Ned BuntIfne's Stories.

late to experience the joys OF stage
coaching in the early days of Missouri,
while they may felicitate themselves
upon the luxurious and speedy modes
of transportation prevailing at the pres
ent time, can never in the slightest de-
gree appreciate the delights stored up
in the memories OF those who recall the
introduction of the Concord coach and
their many rides in the same, says the
| St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The vehicle was a revelation. revO-
luton and an evolution that seemed to
leave nothing further to be accomplish
ed for the comfort of the overland trav-
eIer. 1t was a cradle on wheels, Il par
Tor in daytime and comfortable sleep
ing room at night. With its full quota
of twelve passengers it never seemed
crowded. In the summer time, with
its curtains rolled up, it was breezy
and sweet In winter with its curtains
down, light being admitted through
small glass panes fixed in them, it was
almost impervious to cold, the vitiated
air being carried off through ventila-
tors in the roof.
In that day also buffalo robes were
plentiful and about as cheap as blan-
kets. These robes were finely tanned
with the hair on them, and when the
hides had been taken at the proper sea-
son the hair was as soft as the fur of
some of the animals taken at this day
for their fur alone. They were fieXi-
bic and could be handled with as much
facility as the ordinary bed comforter
OF today.
The robes were generally tanned by
Indian squaws through Il process in
which the brains of the deer and ante
lope were the principal ingredients,
while many of them were queerly and
beautifully ornamented with wild
scenes and incidents of life among the
red men in indelible colors. Probably
not a robe of this kind can now be
found in all this land, and were it pos
sible the value of the same as me-
mento of old times would be incalcu
liable.
In cold weather the coaches were
generally furnished with one of these
robes for each seat, while the floor was
covered with sweet, clean hay or straw
And then, also, at the stations any one
who desired to do so could secure some
kind of foot warmer.
Even in the coolest weather stage
coach travelling was pleasant. 1t was
only in the rainy season that its dis
agreeable aspects materialiZed. Then, |
while the passengers paid an advance |
price for passage, it was understood, |
if not mentioned in the contract, that |
he would be expected to walk over spe- |
cially bad stretches of the road and, |
if necessary, carry a rail to help pry |
the coach out of rutS and mudholeS, |
while never hesitating to lend a Shout !
der or a willing hand to assist the |
horses in dragging the coach up the !
hill.
Under emergencies of this kind, how
ever the women and children remained |
i'll the coach. They must be pulled |
hind and front traces
While many OF the men who Travelled |
in that early day i'll Missouri We're |
rough in speech, uncOuth in manner |
and devoid of the table etiquette that |
is now deemed essential TO good breed |
ing, they were the fewest in number |
who did not possess tender hearts and |
chivalric souls. Women were as safe |
in Concord coach, even without an /
escort, at that day as if they were in |
their own homes, and in more than one
instance the writer has witnessed the
carrying of the women in the arms of |
stalwart men from the coach steps to
the dining room of the station that |
they might be free from the discomfort |
of wet or muddy feet. Again. he has |
known great bury fellow to lend his
shoulder as a resting place for the head |
of sleeping woman or one perhaps
suffering from some temporary indis-
position.
Every woman was a lady in the esti-
nation Of the men, and every man be-
lieved that it devolved upon him indf-
vidually to care for her.
Occasionally, however. some brute in
the guise of man would appear in the
but to the credit of the
MissOurians of that day not one of
them was ever numbered in that class.
The brute usually was some half edu-
Gated, supercilious dude, who esteemed
himself made of better clay than any
Of his fellow passengers. The write;
recalls only one specimen or this genus
homo, and he was called down so
promptly that possibly never thereaft-
er did he require a similar lesson
At that day the Mcpherson hotel at
BOonviIle was one of the most whole
some and best kept hOstelries in the
state The coach stopped there for a
late breakfast. and during the meal
our dude was hard TO satisfy. Nothing
pleased him, and consequently he re-
the vehicle in rather an i'll hui
NOR. There were nine passengers il
the coach when it pulled up before the
hotel, but during the breakfast three
others had been added, and they occu-
pied one of the middle seats facing the
front
One of the three was man Of seem
forty VOC If fSva foot 81 |