Year: 1868

and when ] got in pulled the mail bas
4 forward and got my feet upon it.


As was doing this, 1 saw the mar


take something from his lap, beneath The


buffalo and put it in his breast pocket


This I thought was a pistol. I had


caught the CLEAN of a barrel in the star


light, and when had time to reflect,


knew could not be mistaken.


About this fine began to think some


what seriously. From what I'had heard


and seen, soon made up my mind that


the individual behind me not only meant


to rob me Of the mail, put he was pre-


pared to rob me of my life. If | resist
ed him he would shoot me, and perhaps
he intended to perform that delectable
operation at any rate. While I was pom
aering the horses plunged into another
deep snow drift and | was again forced
to get cut and tread down the snow be-
fore them. | asked my passenger if he
would help me, but he didn't feel very
well, and wouldn't try, so Igorkcd alone
and was all of a quarter of an hour get
ting my team through tho drifts. When
I got into the sleigh again, l began to
feel for the mail bag with my feet.
found it where l had left it, but when
attempted to withdraw my teot, | dis
covered it had becoge egtangled in some
thing-I tho. :ght it Was the buffalo, and
tried to kick it clear; but the more
kicked, the more closely 1t was held.
reached down my hand, and after feeling
about for a few minutes, | found my foot
was in the mail bag9 I felt again and
actually felt my hand among the packa-
ges of letters and papers. ran my fin
gers over the edges of the opening. and
became assured HAT the stout leather had
been cut with a knife.


Here was a discovery. began to wish
| had taken little more forethought be-
fore left Danbury but as / knew that
making such wishes was only waste of
cime, quickly gave it UP, aad began to
consider what | had best do under the
existing circumstances. | wasn't long
making up my mind upon . few essential
points. First, the man behind me was a
villain; second, he cut open the mail bag
4nd robbed it OF somo valuable matter.


lie must have known the money letters
by their size and shape; third, he meant
to leaye the stage on the first opportuni-
ty; and fourthly, le. Was prepared to
shoot me if attempted to arrest or de-
tain him.


l resolved these things over in my
mind, ard Fretty soon | thought of
course of action TO pursue. | knew if |
could get my hands safely upon the ras-
C |, | must take him pnawares, and this
I could not do while he was behind me;
for his eyes were upon NE all the time,
so | must resort to stratagem. Only
little ahead was house, and an old farm
er named Logee lived there, and directly
before which was 4 huge snow bank
stretched across the road, through which
Il track for wagons had been cleared with
shovels.


As we approached the cot, l saw a
light in thc trGnt gQqm as felt confident
| would, for the old nsln generally sat
up till the stage went by. / drove Oh,
and when nearly opposite the dwelling,
as had frequently done when approach
ing difficult places, { say the SHOW bank
ahead and could discover the deep cut
that had been shovcled through it, urg
ed my horses to good speed, and when
near the bank, forced them into it.


One of the runners mounted the edge
Of tie bank, &fer which the other ran
into the cut, thus throwing the sleigh
over about as. QUICK as thoegh lightning
had struck it. My passenger had not
calculated upon such n movement, and
wasn't prepared for it; but [ had calcu-
lated aud was prepared. lie rolled out
into the deep snow, and with a heavy
buffalo robe about him, while l lighted
upoa 1aay feet directly upon.him l lpush
ed his head into the snow ait,a sang out
for old Logee. didn't have TO call a
second time, for the farmer had come to
the window to see me pasA and as soon
rs he saw my sleigh ogertnrned he had
lighted his lantern and hnrried out.


WHATS to pay ? asked the old man as
he came up.


LEAD the horses into the track, and
then come here'' -,


AS Ispoke | partially loosened my hold
upon the villains throat. and he drew 4
pistol from his bosom; but | saw it in
time and jammed his head into the snow
again, and got the weapoufrom him. By
this time Logee lad led the horses ont
and came back. 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 he had stolen
from the mail bag and slowed a&ay In
his pockets. :s


lie swore and threatened and prayed
but we payeq no attention TO his .blarney.
Logee got some stout cord, and when we
had securely bound the villain, We tum-
bled him into the pung. ! asked the Oil
man If he would accompany me to little
ton, and he said 'of course" So he got
his overcoat and mufier, and before long
we started


| reached the end of my route with my
mail all safe, though not IS snug as 1t
might have been, and my mail bag lit
tie the worse for the game that had been
Pl@yed upon it. HoweYer, the mail rob
Der was secure, and in a week he was
identified by some officers from Concord,
as an old offender; and I am inclined to
the opiHion that he is in the state prison
at the present moment. At any rate, he
was there the last I heard Of him.


That's the only time I ever had any