The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1914-01-23

driver is still heard In the
Ozarks on both sides of the
Missouri and Arkansas line"
This rollicking old style vehicle OF
early day travel still carries it's daily
load of passengers and mail on hun
dred different trails through the hills.
A thousand little villages that appear
as fly specks on the postal map are
served In no other way.
The driver is the same old chArac-
ter we knew 30 well In the early days
of the west, except that he is modern
lied to some extent. He Ia compla-
cent, loQuacious, gossipy and genial In
fair weather; grouchy, swearing and
pessimistic in bad. Barring the road
agents and hostile Indians, the over
land trips by stage through the more
isolated sections Of the Missouri and
Arkansas Ozarks hold all the roman
tic interest of the old time trails OF
the west, says the Memphis CONNER
cial Appeal.
Each Route HaS Its lnterest&
Each overland route holds its own
interesting anecdotes, Its special
brand of scenery, it's chacteristics and
individuality. Each driver knows them
all by heart. Each time he talks
about them they are magnified There
Is romantic strangeness in the name
of every mountain, valley, ridge and
hollow. The stage tolls slowly up
Pine mountain, dashes gaily around
the mouth of Coon Hollow or the Lit
tie Sugar Orchard and descends into
Turkey Bottom.
Coon Hollow blends gracefully into
Postum walk, way over to the west,
and the driver calls our attention to
Buzzards' Roost big white bluff on
the river that winds lazily away like
blue ribbon in the distance. The
eye never grows tired, the scene Is
ever changing. From mountain to
farm, from farm to Ildge, from ridge
to valley, and always no matter where
you look a creek or river.
Stage travel In the Ozarks Is slow,
but sure. 1t Is wasted apprehension
to worry about getting to your des-
tination when you Chamber into one or
the numbering old vehicles. They al
ways go through. The driver takes
as much pride in coming in on time
AS the most punctual engineer on any
of the other fast trains Of the west
or south. He has a reputation to
maintain as we'll as the skilled rail-
road engineer and he is fain to Ear
nish It,
He also has a schedule, furnished
by Uncle Sans postal department
that calls for report every time he
is late, and the average stage driver
isn't called on to make but few. About
the only thing that will stop him at
all Is high water, and only then when
the ferry boat Is washed away or
sunk. Modern times have modernized
the stage driver II they haven't his
vehicle.
He does not drink any more and
| there is no hidden bottle in the boot.
1t is not because he does not want to
! drink In most instances, but because
| Uncle Sam has put taboo on 1t. The
taboo was pretty hard to swallow, but
/ he did-because he liked his job. No
driver can drink and no liquor can be
carried on any conveyance that car
ries Uncle Sans mail now. He has
discarded the broad brimmed felt hat
| for SLOUGH He has cut off his long
mustache and discarded the high top
ped boots.
He does not pack any long barreled
guns. He Is held up only by some
weary pilgrim who tries to work him
for a free ride, for which he generally
falls IL there is room 1t is weather
he wants protected from and the gun
has been replaced by slicker. That
, romantic part of overland travel that
used to center around the drivers cos
tune is no longer visible. All the rest
b still intact
In the last fifty years all sizes and
kinds of horses and mules have been
tried on the stages of the hills as mo-
i've power. The medium sized horse
has been the greatest and only sue
ess. He has stuck and made good.
Occasionally some man breaks into
he game with large teams, but II isn't
ong before they are limping badly.
With tender Feet cut to pieces. Tho
Dads are rocky ard their weight and
sait make theH IN desirable.
/ With mules fNe same foot trouble
. as c~0-'r'sa rrA bo i'ae H'ie sf-e- a
! az ..l-Js--y y become Sc sio4 ,ley