The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-11-16
4 SERIOUS JOKE.
Eow a Party Of Tourists Came snd-
denly Upon s
MOVING PICTURE STAGE CoAcE
Hold Up and Nobly Pitched in and
Shot the Gentle Bandits, Res.
cuing the AstoUn0ed Ac-
tors in the Coach.

cuine the AstounGeo Ac-
tors in the Coach.
New subjects, new situations and
new films Of pictures must be con-
ssantly provided for the moving pic
ture machines st the theatres, Vaude-
vile houses and country fairs. The
last express trains, prize fights anc
Boer wars having been worn thread
bare, the enterprisine oioggaph agents
decided to pose a real, live, thrilling
Western stage coach hold up" in the
good, old-fashioned style. =
Colonel William n. Selig, Of Chica.
90, after much care, assembled togeth
er all the necessary paraphernalla, In
Guiding genuine old fashioned mail
coach, a half dozen mail bags and a
picturesque company Of men, women
and children, who we're willing to
pose as passengers on the "held-up
stage, while Colonel William n.
Selig's squad Of picturesQuely mount
cd imaginary bandits fred blank cart
ridges at them and otherwise carried
out the desperate end Of the under
taking.
To make sure Of every possible
touch of realism, Colonel Selig care
fully selected the very canon IN tne
turn Of the road on.!the old Leadville
trail, where, surely enough, many a
successful hold up" by real bandits
had Ebeen accomplished in the days
that are row long passed.
With this brief statement or the
quite proper ambition and active
efforts Of the energetic moving pic.
ture agent, who for some Gays hao
been spatiently rehearsiDg his little
hold -up' operations just outside the
city OF Colorado Springs, COL, the
reader is invited to go back to las
Thursday at about 2 O'Clock In she
afternoon.
THE HISTORIC ''EoLD-UP" TRAIL.
Fred c. Aikens, the wellknown
Philadelphian and party including
Mrs. Aickens and another lady, hac
started from Colorado Springs anc
were being driven over that part Of
the old Leadviile trail by an old tins
miner, now in the livery business
The ladies were delighted with the
mountain scenery, and the driver was
RECALLING them with historical data.
Now, right around that bend" he
went on, is one OF the most celebrat-
ed spots in the whole State"
Dear me-" said Mrs. Aickens ca
gerly, what happened there?'
It always vas a lonesome place,
mused the driver, land it's just as
lonesome now as it ever was"
How interesting! Do you meal
that it was hauated?'
mot by ghosts, na'am." answered
the driver, with a grin. The gar
that haunted that part OF the Ole
LeadYile trail were just about a
quick with the trigger as they max
EN-"
Are you talking Of stage robbers
On, how very interesting"
"Yes'n, hold-ups. A couple OF hun
dred yards ahead is where more stage
were held up in the 70's, and pasSsn
gers half scared to death, and Wells
Fargo treasure boxes busted open
than in all OF the rest OF the West pu
together"
You don't say so. J Just like Bufal'
Bill's Wild West, I suppose?"
Not exactly. You see, IN thos
days there weren't 10 blank carl
ridges. When those six-shooters wen
of somebody was bound to drop"
but nothing Of that kind happen
nowadays, Of course" /" said Mrs. Aic
kens, pervouSly.
WAL, not SO often," drawled th
driver.
THE LADIES WERE GETTING SCARED
The ladies were visibly trembling b
this time, and even Mr.. Aickens look
ed a bit serious. In another monen
they were rounding the bend. Th
scot Just ahead was indeed lonesome
with the canon on one side and beet
ling crags on the other, obscuring tn
sunlight. Suddenly the driver uttered
an exclamation:
''Jumpin' Judas! Do you see that?'
A strengthening vehicle was ap
preaching just beyond where the trai
crossed the mouth OF a ravlne.
It's only a stage coach" said Mr.
Aickens.
Stage coacho' repeated the driver
"Stages don't run on this road any
more not for twenty years.
why, it's just like Buffalo Bill's. .
said Mrs. Aickens. "See what an ole
rattlstrap it is"
It carries the mails all right" re.
marked Mr.. Aickers. Look at the
bags piled up around the driver"
At that instant half dozen pic
turesoue mounted men with drawn re
Yolyers dashed out Of the ravine and
surrounded the coach, with seGo,vers
aimed at toe drivers head. The driver
OF the Aickens party, with q smother
ed oath, quickly turned his team out
of sight behind jutting rock.
'Quick! Jump out and hide your
selves with your valuables," be said.
''They hayen't seen US yet"
Half-fainting the ladies were help.
ed out Of the carriage by Mr.. Aic
kens, who, considering the suddenness
Of the surprise, had no difficulty in
convincing himself that discretion was
the better part Of valor. Around the
c;rner OF the ambuscade he and the
driver gazed upon the "hold-up." Both
had revolvers. Mr., Aickens drew his,
but the driver cautioned him:
No USE Put up your gun. They re
too many for us.''
A REALISTIC 'sBoLD-UP.
In fact, the hall hysterical ladies
were demanding al their attention. Il