Year: 1861

the individual behind me not only meant
TO rob the mail, but he was prepared 10 rob
me of my life. If L resisted him he wonld
shoot me, and perhaps he meant to per-
form that delectable job at any rate
While l was pondering, the horses fell in
to another deep snow drift, and l was
again forced to get out and tread down
the snow before them. l asked my pas
senger if he would help me, but be said he
didn't feel well, wouldn't try it; so l work
ed alone, and was all of a quarter of an
hour getting my team through the snow
drifts.


When got into the sleigh again, be
gan to feel for the mail bag with nv feet
and found it where | had left it, but when
I attempted TO Withdraw my foot: l discov.
cred that it had become entangled In
something-I thought in the buffalo, and
tried to kick it clear; but tho more |
kicked the more closely was it held. !
reached down my hand, and after feeling
about few minutes, l found that my foot
was in the mail bag. | felt again, and
found my hand in among the packages OF
letters and papers! I ran my fingers owe,
the edges Of the opening, and became as.
sured that the stout leather had been cut
With a knife


Here was discovery. | began to wish
[ had taken a little more forethought be
fore leaving Danbury but as knew that
making such wishes was only waste oi
time, I quickly gave it up, and began to
consider what | had best do under the ex-
istng circumstances. wasn't long in
making up my mind upon few essential
points. First, the man behind me was q
villain second, he had cut open the mail
beg, and robbed it Of some valuable matter
He must have known the money letters by
their size and shape; third, he meant to
leave the stage on the first opportunity
and, fourthly, he was prepared 20 shoot
me if | attempted to arrest or detain him


l resolved these things over in my mind
and pretty soon thought Of a course to
pursue. l knew that to get my hands
safely upon the rascal must take him un
awares, and this | could not do while lie
was behind me-for his eyes were upon
me all the time-s3 must resort to stra-
tagem.


Only little distance ahead of US was a
house. An old farmer named Lougee
lived there, and directly in front of i: was
a huge snow bank, stretched across the
road, through which a track for wagons
had been cleared with shovels.


As we approached the cot | saw ligh.
in the front rooms, and | felt confdeRl
that should, for the old man generally SAT
up until the stage went by. | drove on
and when nearly opposite the dwelling
stood up, as l had frequently done, when
approa ching difficult places. I saw the
snow bank ahead, and could distinguish
the deep cut which had been sh hoveled
through it. | urged my horses to a good
speed, and when near the bank forced then,
into it.


One Of the runners mounted the edge
of the bank, after which the other ran in
to the cut, thus throwing the sleigh over
about as quick as though lightning had
struck il. My passenger had not calcula





PREPARED for it; but had calculated land
was prepared. He rolled out into the
deep snow, with a heavy buffalo robe
about him, while lighted upon my feet
directly on the top of him. Ipunched his
head in the snow, and then sang out for
Lougee. did not have 10 call second
time, for the farmer had come to the win,
dow to see me pass, and as soon as he saw
my sleigh overturn, he had lighted his Ian
tern and hurried out.


What's to pay?" asked the old man,
as he hurried out.


"Lead :,ne horses into the track, and
then come here" said |.


AsI spoke partially loosened my hold
upon the williams throat, and he drew a
pistol from his bosom; but l saw it in sea-
son, and jammed his head into the snow
again, and got the weapon away from him.
BY this timo Lougee had led the horses
out and came back, AID l explained the
matter to him in as few words as possible
We hauled the rascal out into the road,
and upon examination we found about
twenty packages of letters which lie had
stolen from the mail bag, and slowed away
in his pockets. lie swore, threatened, aud
prayed but we paid no attention to his
blarney.


Lougee got some stout cord, and when
we had securely bound the villain, we
tumbled him into the pung. l asked the
old man if he would accompany me to
Littleton, and he said "of course" So
he got his overcoat and muff,er, and ere
long we started.


l reached the end of my route with my
mail al safe, though not as snug as it
might have been, and my mail bag a little
the worse for the game he had played up
on it. However, the mail robber was
secure, and within week he was ident:-
fled by some officers from Concord as an
old offender. and I'm rather inclined TO
the opinion that he's in the States prison
at the present moment. At any rate, he
was there the last heard of him.


Ey A Chicago broker, member oi
the church 1uripO tho prasent crisis has