Year: 1859

roDOe0; the ILLS OF the DarS at the waySldG
inns were robbed; and people had their
pockets picked. All this happened in the
region of country between Sidney and
Lowstone-not field of vast extent-and
yet the robber, or robbers could not be
found Officers had searched in every di-
reetion, and several suspicious looking in.
dividuals had been apprehended; but the
real one still remained at large. One day
the mail was robbed, and on the next a
man bad his pocket picked of ten thou
sand dollars while riding in the stage
coach. The money had been carried in
his breas, pocket, and he knew it had been
stolen from him while enjoying a bit of a
doze OH the road.


l had been confined to my home by a
severe cold for several days, and was no,
! fit to go out now; but as this matter was
becoming so serious, felt it my duty to
be on tie move, and accordingly | fortified
my throat and breast with flannel, and set
forth. | had no settled plan in my mind,
for had not yet been upon the road. and
was not thoroughly posted up A ride
of five miles in my own carriage brought
me to Sidney, and thence meant to take
the stage to Lowstone, where Sam Stick
ney, one of the shrewdest Of my deputies,
lived. Stickney had already been on the
search, and | wished to consult him before
making any decided movement. reach
ed Sidney at half past five in the morning,
and the stage left at six. Lowstone was
sixty miles distant, SO had goud ride
before me. During the early part of the
day | rode upon the box with the driver,
and from him | gained considerable infor-
nation concerning the various robberles
tha: had been committed He was forced
to admit that several peoplc had been rob-
bed in his stage. though he declared he
couldn't see into it. for he had not the mos
remote idea, even, of who the robber CO d
be.


We reached BonEvllle at noon, where
we stopped to dine, and when we left this
place | was the only passenger. A COO
wind was blowing. and as | wished to be
AS careful as possible got inside, where |
had room In plenty. At the distance o
twelve mle5--at a little village which wenr
by the name of poodle City"--we stop
ped to change horses. and hare anothe
passenger got on board. | had been occu.
pying the forward seat, as that happened
TO be wider than the others, and gave me
better opportunity for lying down; and
when the newcomer entered he took the
back seat. He was young man. judg
ed. and not very tall in stature; but so com
pletey bundled up was he in shawls and
mufflers. that his size of frame was not SC
easily determined. He was very pale and
coughcd badly; and l at once made up my
mind that he was far less fit TO travel than
| was. Aft"r we had got fairly on our
way, | remarked to him that had beer
suffering from severe cold. and that this
was the first time had ventured out fol
quite number of days. He looked at me
out of pair of dark. bright eyes; and
when he seemed to have determined what
manner of man was, he said


Il have something worse than a cold
SIR" He broke into tit of coughing
which lasted minute or so, and then add
Ied-"It wont be long before | shall take
my last ride i


You are cons umptive?' suggested.


Almost gone with it, he replied Agair
he was seized with spasm Of coughing
and when he had recovered from it, he
continued--'The disease is eating me uE
and shaking me TO pieces at the same
time


He further informed me that he haC
started on tour for his health, but that h,
had given it up, and was now on his way
home, which place he was anxious to react
as soon as possible. Another paroxysn
seized him at this point, and he intimateC
that he was unable to converse, as the eff
fort brought on his cough. | had noticed
this, and resolved not to trouble him any
more, even before he gave me the hint.


After this he drew his outer shawl more
closely about his neck and face, and hav
ing secured an easy posture, he closed his
eyes, and was not long in following hi:
example. Towards the middle of the af
ternoon the stage stopped at small vii
lage, where we changed horses again, and
where four passengers got in. This broke
up the arrangement of my friend and sci
for rest rs he had to take one of the stran
gers upon his seat, willis l took another
upon mine, the other two occupying tn,
middle seat. The new .Comers soon broach
ed the subject of the robberIes which haC
been committed in that region. and lis
tened to gain information if possible; hu
they knew no more than everybody elst
knew. They had heard all about 1t. anC
were inflated with wonder. One--an ole
farmer--asked me if | knew anything o
the robber. l told him that l knew bat
little of the affair in any way, having beer
sick, and unable to be out among folks
Then he asked my consumptive friend i
he knew anything about it, The latte
raised his head from its reclining position
when we heard the driver. in quick. abrup
tones. ordering some one to get out OF th'
road. instinctively put my head out a
the window to see what the trouble was
and nv eye was just quick enough to de
|, tect load of faggos in season 20 dodg'
back and avoid them. The road was quito
narrow at this point, and as the faggot'
were loaded very widely, it was impossi
4 bic for the driver to wholly avoid them
and the side Of the coach was swept b,
them quite smartly. | escaped withou