Year: 1861

Fourteen years sgo drove from Little-
had to wait the arrival of two or three
coaches, did not start until after dinner !;
so I had very often had good distance
to drive after dark. 1t was in the dead
of winter, ard the season had been a tough
one. A good deal of snow had fallen and
the drifts were plenty and deep. The
mail that carried was not due at Little
ton, BY the contract, until one o'clock in
the morning, but that winter the post
master was very often obliged to sit up a
little later than that for me.


One day in January, when l drove up
for my mail at Danbury, the postmaster
called me into his Office.


"Pete," said he with an important SER
ious look, there's some pretty heavy money
packages in that bag ; and he pointed 20
the bag as he spoke. He said the money
was from Boston to some land agents up
near the Canada line. Then he asked me
if | had got any passengers who were
going through to Littleton. l told him |
did not know, but suppose haven't, says


/" Why, says he, the agent of the lower
route came In to day, and he says that
there have been two suspicious characters
on the stage that came up last night
and he suspects that they have an eye
upon the mail, SO that it will stand you in
hand to be a little careful"


He said the agent had described one
of them as short, thick set fellow, about
forty years of age, and a thick heavy
cluinp of beard under the chin, but none
on the side of his face. He didn't know
anything about the other. l told the old
fellow | guessed there was not much dam
ger.


"Oh, no, not if you have got passengers
through but only told you this SO you
might look out for your mail, and look
out for it when you change horses"


l answered that l should do so, and
then took the bag under my arm and left
the Office. l slowed the mail under my
seat little more carefully than usual,
placing it so that | could keep my feet
againstit it; but beyond this l did not feel
any concern. 1t was past one when |
started, and l had four passengers, two Of
whom rode on to my first stopping place.
reached Gowan's Mills at dark, when we
stopped for supper, and where my other
two passengers concluded to stop for the
night"


Aboat six o'clock in the evening l left
Gowau's Mills alone, having two horses
and an open pung.


| had seventeen miles to go-and hard
seventeen it was too. The night was quite
clear, but the wind was sharp and cold,
the loose snow flying in all directions,
while the drifts were deep and closely
packed. It was slow, tedious work, and
my horses soon became leg weary and
restive.


At the distance of six miles l came to a
little settlement called Bulls Corners,
where l took fresh horses. l had been
two hours going that distance. Just as |
was going to start a man came up and
asked if | was going through to Littleton,
| told him l should 60 through # the thing
could possibly be done. lie said he was
was very anxious to go, and as he had no
baggage, l told him to jump in and make
himself as comfortable as possible. l vas
gathering up my lines when the hostler
came up and asked me if knew that one
of my horses had cut himself badly. I
jumped out and went with him, and found
thar one OF the animals had got deep
cork cut ou the off fore foot. | gave such
directions as | considered it necessary, and
was about to turn away, when the hostler
remarked that he thought came alone.
l told him | did.


"Then where did you get that passen-
ger?" be asked


"He just got in" answered.


"Got in from where?'


"I don't know"


"Well, now," said the hostler, that is
kind O curious. There amt no such man
been at the house, and l know there amt
been none at any of the neighbors.


"Lets have look at his face" said !;
we can get that much at any rate. Do
you go back with me, and when get into
the pung, just hold your lantern so that
the light will shine in his face.


He did as l wished, and as l stepped
into the pung got fair view of such
portions Of my passengers face as were
not mutfled up. l saw short, thick
frame; full, hardy, features, and l could
see that there was heavy beard under
the chin. I thought of the man whom
the postmaster had described to me; but
| didn't seriously upon it until had start,
ed


Perhaps l had got half mile when I
noticed that the mail bag wasn't in its old
place under my feet.


Halo J" says |, holding up my horses
a little, "where's my mail 2"


Ny passenger sat on the seat behind me
and | turned toward him.


Here is bag of some kind slipped
back under my feet" he said, giving it
kick, as though he'd showed it forward.


Just at this moment my horses lumber
ed into deep snow drift, and was forced
to get out and tread the snow down head
of them, and lead them through it.


This took me all of fifteen minutes, aud
when got in again pulled the mailbag
forward and got my feet upon it. AS l
was doing so | saw the man take some
thing from his lap, beneath the buffalo