The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-02-04

AOdu a. ocOASclO"A uO", Out d. lQdI
time there was nothing but turn
pike. A green hand at driving, an
Irishman, Mike Rourke, from the sta
bles, had been put on the box, the reg
ular driver, Dan Patterson, having
been laid of for illness. Patterson
was inside the coach, going down to
Golden City, where he lived.
1T was a fine day, and. we were re-
called with many extensive views Of
the plains at the foot Of the range,
appearing for all the world like an
ocean. Indeed, biologists say that it
was once an ocean bottom. From the
brow Of an eminence where we were
admiring one Of these views we could
see the road before us winding down
a steep incline and at the bottom ris-
ing shorter distance to another sum-
NIT. A few moments after we started
down we noticed that instead Of going
slow, as was necessary for safety on
such 1nclines, we seemed to start off
with quickening pace and we're soon
rolling downward at a furious speed.
Patterson thrust his head out Of the
window and drew it in again. white
as cloth.
"What is it.? we all asked breath
lessly.
Don't know, but we're all likely to
be dashed to pieces
"Coming from a trained stage driver,
this set us all Wild. Some Of the
women grasped frantically at the
doors, but two Of US men. one on
each side. knowing that to jump would
be certain death and remaining inside
might mean life, held the doors shut.
But the inside Of that stagecoach was
the widest scene I ever Witnessed
women shrieking and men (some Of
them) trying to reassure them, while
others were holding on to something
as if in that way they could hold the
coach back. F..
But looking outside was worse then
the inside. The few scrub trees there
were beside the road SHOT by like ar
rows. The coach swayed, and as ev-
cry curve in the road we felt sure It
would upset, and sometimes an upset
meant spill over the side of a preci-
ptce. We kept hoping that there
would be some slackening Of speed,
but instead Of slacken1ng;the pace was
continually growing faster, and the
quicker the pace the more the coach
reeled.
by this time the babel among the
passengers was deafening Some were
praying. while others were shouting
at us two men who kept strong grip
at the doors to let them out. One big
strong man, maddened by terror, ham,
mered me numerically to make me
open the door. But I held on with a
death grip. think that having some
thing to do helped me. to retain my
own equanimity. If Anything more
was needed it was supplied by the
sight Of men crazed by fear ready
to do any foolish or selfish act. Pass
ing house beside the road. saw a
man standing in the door looking at
the coach with his eyes and mouth
wide open. But saw him only a mo-
ment, for he flew by like a cannon
ball.
"Then the swaying of the coach grew
less and the terrible speed at which
we were going seemed to be lessening.
put my head out the window and,
looking forward. saw that we were
near the bottom Of the incline and in
few moments would be rolling along
comparatively straight ascent. The
sudden transition from almost certain
death to sure safety produced a very
singular effect on me. The blows of
the big man who had tried to force
me to open the door had produced no
effect on ME. Of any kind. Relieved
from the strain, my first act was to
stretch my arm and plant my fist
against his eye and knock him sprawl
ing on the seat behind him. Then I
cried: .,
"'Hurrah! We're safer
From this moment our pace slacken-
ed, but we went far up the bill before
It was reduced to anything like quiet
run. The coach was long while CON-
ing to a full stop, seemingly as though
it must do SO Of its own weight. When
it did we all tumbled out. The driver,
too, came down from the box and
stood at the head Of his trembling
leaders. :. So:
What was It? we all cried in q
breath. =
" Tt wor that, replied Mike, pointing
to the tongue that lay on the ground
at the heels Of the wheelers. Patter.
son, who In addition to being Ill had
been on terrible strain, saw It and,
realizing what We had escaped, had to
hold on to 4 wheel to avoid dropping
down. I went DIP to Nike and asked
him what measures he hid taken> with
the horses after the tongue dropped.
"'1 licked 'em ali the way down, sor,'
he said.' %s.s& 49,