Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-07-07
The Buried Stage
Coach
By HAROLD sINcLAiRE.
b. IA. Western Newspaper Union.l

"YOu must not be discouraged, Alb
ner," spoke Mrs. Waldron in her pa
tient, sympathizing way.
"Tm 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, l shall
not be able to pay my creditors in
full. 1t is a pretty heavy load for
an old man like me 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 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
weEe now on the eve of departure.
ITS the older children, Richard and
Maud, that I care about" the thought
full bankrupt had told his close friends.
Abner evaded meeting his neigh
bors, and took 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 a 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 quieted. Alone
and undisturbed, he reviewed all the
past.
Then in a whimsical way a story
Of the long ago came to his memory.
His father had been well nigh ruined
right among these treacherOus sand
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. Its driver had
lost his way among the sand hills, a
great storm had come up, and he was
blown from his seat against a rock
and rendered insensibIe.
When he came back to conscious
ness the stage coach, the horses, the
treasure, had disappeared. There was
search all over the country. It
brought no results. With difficulty the
banker met the great loss.
The sky had darkened while Abner
sat dreaming. A binding rain of sand
cut his face. "This is getting serl-
ous!" he exclaimed, as he slid nearly
the length of a hill, to land in a gully
between two towering mountains Of
sand.
"Why! I shall be engulfed! 1t is
like quicksand he reflected in vivid
alarm. He struggled on, came to a
turn in the gully and dimly made out
a slanting mass of gnarled tree roots.
Abner ran to it, slipped, 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 it was great, numbering, old
fashioned vehicle. Attached were the
skeletons of a team of horses.
Thrilled, amazed, in almost a shout
the electrified observer gaspUd out
''The lost stage coach"
Yes, 1t 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
up in the great winding wreaths Of
sand, past rescue and sight until now.
More matches, a closer inspection,
and there, intact, just as they haF
been originally slowed, were the ir04-,I
boxes. Abner found the bank treas
by right Of discovery, his by
right Of legal inheritance.
So all the dark clouds passed away.
Dropping root ends enabled the ad-
venturer to regain the open air when
the sandstorm was over, and the fam
lily roof was saved, and soon there
were two iOVf1l waddinOS