The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-09-02
The Buried Stage
Coach
BY HAROLD
%, 1924. western Newspaper TnlonJ

You must not be discouraged, Alb
ner," spoke Mrs. Waldron in her pa
tient, s~ympathiZing way.
I'm not, mother" was the prompt
but infinitely weary response. 1T is
not the loss of business, home and
friends. What worries me is the fact
that after all my sacrifices, | shall
not be able to pay my creditors in
full. 1t is a pretty heavy load for
an old man like M to carry"
Remember the promise: ON whom
Gods hand resteth, hath God at his
right hand"
Abner Waldron tried to smile brave
ly, kissed the dear old patient face
OF his helpmeet, and left the house
for his accustomed stroll.
He had done very well in a business
way, until a smooth, smart city pro
mOter had come to Albion, with ex-
pansive ideas. He had branched out,
the sleek schemer had reaped a rich
harvest, and then-failure.
Abner had turned over every penny
he had in the world. 1t paid up every
thing except a few thousand dollars.
Mrs. Waldron had in her own right a
small farm in an adjoining county.
They had decided TO go there, and
were now on the eve of departure.
Its the older children, Richard and
Maud, that / care about" the thought
full bankrupt had told his close friends.
Abner evaded meeting his neigh
borS, and took a lonely route out Of
town. He was soon among the sand
hills. He wanted to think, plan out
resignation for the present, content
ment for the future. 1t was q great
sand district about Albion. Lying
along the lake shore, air currents had
piled up great yellow mountains of the
shifting particles.
The bleak environment chilled him,
but at the same time quoted. Alone
and undisturbed, he reviewed all the
past.
Then in a whimsical way q story
Of the long ago came to his memory.
His father had been well nigh ruined
IlSHl d1IOllS lUcSt lICdtIlcIOuS SdIlb
hills nearly forty years since. The
event was the sensation Of the hour
through the whole district. James
Waldron had removed his little country
bank to Albion from Sankatuck in the
next county. Over $4,000 in gold
had been carried in locked iron boxes
in an old stage coach. It's driver had
lost his way among the sand hills, a
great storm had come up, II he was
blown from his seat against a rock
and rendered insensible.
When he came back to conscious
ness the stage coach, the horses, the
treasure, had disappeared. There was
q search all over the country. Ii
brought no results. With difficulty the
banker met the great loss.
The sky had darkened while Abner
sat dreaming. A binding rain of sane
cut his face. This is getting seri-
Gus 7" he exclaimed, as he slid nearly
the length of a hill, to land in a gully
between two towering mountains Of
sand.
WHY shall DS ShSaii~N ~ -
like uuicksand ~ he reflected in vivid
alarm. He struggled N, came TO a
turn in the gully, and dimly made out
a slanting mass Of gnarled tree roots.
Abner ran to it, slipped, a cavity was
revealed, and he dropped into dark
ness fully 20 feet. He stood on a
sandy foundation, apparently of some
large sheltered void. Before him was
an open shed supported by posts.
Back Of 1t was a great, numbering, old
fashioned vehicle. Attached were the
skeletons of a team Of horses.
Thrilled, amazed, in almost a shout
the electrified observer gasped out:
"The lost stage COACH"
Yes, it could be no other-it was
no other.
To this shelter on the night the
bank was moved the horses had
strayed, to be envelOped, swallowed
ND in the great winding wreaths of
sand, past rescue and sight until now.
More matches, a closer inspection,
and there, intact: just as they had
been originally slowed, were the iron
boxes. Abner found the bank treas
ure-his by right Of discovery, his by
right Of legal inheritance.
SO all the dark clouds passed away.
Dropping root ends enabled the adj
venturer to regain the open air
the sandstone was over, and the fam
ily roof was saved, and soon there
were two joyful weddings.