THE TIMES, NEW BLOOM FIELD, PA. DECEMBER 23, 1875).
A St.ige Driver's Story.
FOURTEEN years ngo, I drove from
I)iuihury to Littleton, a dlHtanoe of
forty two miles, and as I lind to await
the arrival of two or three conches, and
I did not start until after dinner, I very
often had a good distance to drive after
da k. It was In the dead of winter, and
thefieasoti had been a rough one, A
-great deal of snow had fallen, and the
delfts were plenty and deep. The mall
that I carried was not due at Littleton
toy oon tract until one o'clock In the
-.Morning, hut that winter the postmaster
was obliged to sit up a little later than
'that hour for me.
One day in January, when I drove up
my mall at Dan bury, the iMstniaster
called me Into his office.
"Pete," said he, with an Important,
erlous look, " there's some pretty heavy
money packages In that bag," and he
pointed to it as he spoke. He said the
money was from Boston to some land
agents up near the Canada line. Then
Jie asked me If I'd got any passengers
who were going through to Littleton ?
I told him I did not know. " But sup
.pose I have not ?" pays I.
u Why," said he, " the agent of the
lower route.came In to-iluy, and he says
that there were two supicious characters
on the stage that came up last night,
and he suspects that they have an eye
upon this mail, so it will stand you In
. hand to be a little careful."
He eaid the agent had described one
of them us a short, thick-set fellow,
about forty years of age, with long hair,
and a hick, heavy clump of beard
under bis chin, hut none on the side of
hla face. He didn't know anything
about the other. I told him I guessed
there wasn't much danger.
" O ! no, not if you have got passen
gers.way through ; hut I only told you
of this so that you might look out for
your mall, and also look out sharp when
you change horses."
I answered that I should do so, and
then took the bag under my arm and
left the office. I stowed the mail under
my seat a little more carefully than
usual, placing It so that I could keep
ny feet against it, but beyond that I
-did not feel any concern. It was past
one when we started, and I had 'four
ywwseiigers, two of whom rode ouly to
my first stopping-place. I reached
Oowan's Mills at dark, when we stopped
for supper, and where my other two
passengers concluded to stop for the
night.
About six o'clock In the evening I
left Uowan's Mills alone, having two
liorses and a pung.
I had seventeen miles to go, and a
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
ud closely packed. It was slow, tedious
work, and my horses soon became leg-
weary and restive. At the distance of
-six miles I came to a little settlement
called Bull's Corner, where I took, fresh
horses. I'd beeu two hours going that
distance. As I was going to start, a
.man came up and asked me if I was
going through to Littleton. I told him
I should go through If the thing could
possibly be done. He said he was very
anxious to go, and as he had no baggage
I told him to jump la and make himself
an comfortable as possible. I was gath
ering up my lines, when the hostler
came up and asked me if I knew that
one of my horses had cut himself badly.
I jumped out and went with him, and
found that one of the animals had got
a deep cork cut on the off fore foot. I
gave such directions as I considered
necessary, and was about to turn away,
when the hostler "remarked that he
thought I came alone. I told him I
did.
" Then where did you get that pas
engerr"' said he.
" He jUBt got in," I answered.
" Got in from where V"
" I don't know."
" Well.now," said the hostler, "that's
kind of curious. There ain't been no
such man at the house, and I know
there ain't been none at any of the
neighbors."
' Let's have a look at his face," said
I. " We can get that much at any
rate. Do you go back with me, and
when I get into the pung, just hold
your lantern so the light will shine into
Ids face."
Jie did as I wished, and as I stepped
jnto the pung, I got a fair view of such
portions of my passenger's face as were
not muffled up. I saw a short, thick
frame, full, hard features, and I could
almost see that there was a heavy heard
.under the chin. I thought of the man
whoni the postmaster had described to
iue ; but I did not think seriously upon
it until I had started. Perhaps I had
.gone half a mile, when I noticed the
maiHag wasn't In its place under my
xeet.
""Halloo!" says I, holding up my
neraes a little, where s my mail V"
My passenger sat on a seat behind me,
ma I turned towards him.
' Here Is a bag of some kind slipped
back under my feet," he said, giving It
a kick, as though he would shove It
forward.
Just at this moment my horses lum
bered Into a deep snow drift, and I was
forced to get out and tread down the
snow In front of them, and lead then)
through it.
This took me all of fifteen minutes;
and when I got In again I pulled the
mall-bag forward and got my feet upon
it. As I was doing this, I saw the man
taking foinething from his lap, beneath
thebufl'alo, and put it Into his breast
pocket. This I thought was a pistol.
1 had caught a gleam of a barrel lu the
starlight, and when I had time to reflect,
I knew I could not be mistaken.
About this time I began to think
somewhat seriously. From what I had
heard and seen, I soon made up my
mind that the Individual behind me not
ouly meant to rob me of my mail, but
he was prepared to rob me of my , life.
If I resisted him he would shoot me,
and perhaps he meaut to perform that
delectable operation at any rate. While
I was pondering, the liorses plunged
luto another deep snow drift, and I was
again forced to get out and tread down
tlie enow before them. I asked my
passenger If he would help me, but he
didn't feel very well, and wouldn't try ;
so I worked all alone, and was all of a
quarter of an hour getting my team
through the drifts.
When I got Into the sleigh again, I
began to fuel for the mail-bag with my
feet. I found it where I had left it; but
when I attempted to withdraw my foot,
I discovered it had become fast in some
thing I thought it was the buffalo, and
tried to kick it clear; hut the more I
kicked, the more closely was It held.
I reached down my hand, and after
feeling about a few moments, I found
that my foot was in the mall-bag! I felt
again, and found my hand in among
the packages of letters and papers!
I ran my lingers over the edges of the
opening, and became assured that the
stout i leather had beeu cut with a
knife!
Here was a discovery. I began to wish
I had taken a little more forethought
before leaving Danbury ; but as I knew
making such wishes was only a waste
of time, I quickly gave It up, and began
to consider what I had best to do under
existing circumstances. I wasn't long
in making my mind upon a few essen
tial points. First, the man behind me
was a villain ; second, he had cut open
the mail-bag and robbed it of some valu
able matter he must have known the
money letters by their size and shape ;
third, he meant to leave the stage on
first opportunity ; and fourthly, he was
prepared to shoot me if I attempted
to arrest or detain him.
I revolved these things over in my
mind, and pretty soon thought of a
course to pun-ue. I knew that to get
my hands safely upon the rascal I ntust
take him wholly unawares, and this I
could not do while he was behind me,
for his eyes were upon me all the time
so I must resort to stratagem. Only a
little distance ahead was a house, and
an old farmer named Lougee lived there;
and directly before it a huge snow-bank
stretched across the road, through which
a track had been cleared with shovels.
As we approached the col, I saw a
light in the front room, as I felt confl
dent I should, for the old man generally
sat up until the stage went by. I drove
on, and when nearly opposite the dwel
ling, stood up, as I had frequently done
when approaching difficult places. I
saw the snow-bank ahead, and could
distinguish the deep cut which had been
shoveled through it. I urged my horses
to a good speed, and when near the
bank forced them into it. One of the
runners mounted the edge of the bank,
after which the other ran into the cut,
thus throwing the sleigh over about as
quick as though lightning had struck it.
My passenger had not calculated on any
such movement, and wasn't prepared
for it; but I bad calculated, and was
prepared. He rolled out into the deep
snow with a heavy buffalo robe about
him, while I alighted directly on top of
him. I punched his head into the snow,
and sung out for old Lougee. I did not
have to call a second time, for the farm
er had come to the window to see me
pass, and as soon as be saw my sleigh
overturned, he had lighted his lantern
and hurried out.
"What's to pay K" asked the old man,
as he came up.
" Lead the horses Into the track, and
then come here," I said.
As I spoke, I partially loosened my
hold upon the villain's throat, and he
drew a pistol from his bosom ; but I saw
it In season and jammed his head into
the snow again, and got It away from
mm.
By this time Lougee had led the horses
out and came back, and I explaiped the
matter to him in as few words as possi
ble.
We hauled the rascal out Into the
road, and upon examination, we found
ebout twenty packages of letters which
he had stolen from the mall-bag and
stowed away in his pockets.
He Bwore and threatened and 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. I asked
the old man if he would accompany me
to Littleton, and he said, "of course !"
Bo he got his overcoat and mufller,and
ere long we started on.
I reached the end o my route with
my mall all safe, though not as snug as
It might have been, and my mall-bags a
little the worse for the game that had
been playpd upon them. However, the
mall robber was secure, and within a
week he was Identified by some officers
from Concord as an old offender, and I
am rather Inclined to the opinion that
he Is In the State Prison at the present
time. At any rale, he was there the last
I heard of him.
That's the only time I ever had any
mall trouble; and I think that under
all the circumstances I came out of It
pretty well.
OUT-WITTING THE POLICE.
HOME years ago the contraband trade
I in Bwlss watches was carried to
such an excess, that the Paris chief of
Police considered himself called upon to
make a great exertion to seek to punish
the offenders. With this view lie repair
ed incog, to Geneva. He then applied
to a celebrated dealer in watches to sell
him one hundred of the finest quality.
When the price was agreed upon, the
chief disclosed the condition that they
must be delivered in Paris, to which the
watch-dealer readily assented, upon an
additional sum being added, for the risk
of transport. The chief gave a feigned
name and address, and it was settled
that within a month the watches should
be within the French capital. Upon
Ills return the chief gave notice to the
French officers on the frontiers of these
facts, and after exciting their vigilance
by everything calculated to act upon
their fear, their pride or patriotism, he
watched, not without anxiety, the event
of his mission.
Within the time limited, a stranger
called at the street and uumber which
the chief had given, inquired for him
by his feigned name, and upon seeing
him, signified ills readines to deliver
the one hundred watches agreeably to
contract. This agent was taken luto
custody, was examined, threatened, and
re-examined, but to no purpose; he
protested that he was only a common
messenger in Paris, hired to deliver the
articles lu question for astlpulated price,
The chief, inoitilltd and enraged, went
back immediately ,stlll incog.,to Geneva.
He sought out the watch maker, and be
sought him to disclose the means he had
used to pass the watches over the lines;
but he met with only a smile and an
evasion. Finding that persuasion had
so little effect, he next resorted to threats,
but with no better success. Finally he
determined to use that master key which
bo often unlocks the bosom where
secrets not otherwise discoverable lie
hidden. He agreed to give the watch
dealer ten thousand francs, provided he
would make a full disclosure, and, more
over, he guaranteed to.iudetnnify him
from all the disagreeable consequences
which otherwise might have occurred.
This bargain being agreed upon, and
consumatcd by the payment of the
money, the watch-dealer began :
" Sir," said he, " when you came to
my shop, disguised like a dealer In
watches, I knew you as well as you
knew me. Indeed, before you calle'd
upon me, I had information that you
were lu Geneva, and I was therefore on
my guard. When, therefore, you made
me stipulate that the one hundred
watches should be delivered in Paris, I
bad no doubt but that you meditated me
111, and I governed myself accordingly.
I perceived at once, that the watches
could not be passed the frontier in the
ordinary way ; I therefore bribed your
own servant, and passed them over the
frontier as a part of your own baggage,
which, on account of yourpubllo situa
tion, I foresaw would escape examlna-.
tion."
The chief returned to "the great city"
wiser than he left It, for he learned- that
Geneva watch-denlers could use spies
and bribes as well as French detectives,
Anecdote of Disraeli's Wife.
A STORY is told of Lady Beaconsfield'i
devotion to her lord and his ambi
tion, which If true, is a touching com,
mentary on the unselfishness of woman.
ly affection.
On one occasion, when Disraeli was
Chancellor of the Exchequer, bis wife
accompanied him to the Parliament
House. It was " Budget " night
most momentous of all sessions to
Chancellor of the Exchequer, for he bad
to unfold bis huaneiul plans for the en
suing year to a critical and not too east
ly satisfied House. Disraeli, as be took
bis place in the carraige, was wholly
wrapt up in bis figures; it was a erisis
in his career ; If he failed this night,
he
might well take Woolsey's advise
Cromwell, "Illng away ambition
to
!1
His wife entered the caralage also, softly
so as not to disturb the thinker. In
gettln In however, her linger was caught
by the door, which, shutting upon It,
am mud it terribly, and held it so fast
that she could not withdraw it. She ut
tered no cry, made no movement; her
pain and agony must have been Intense.
There was the finger crushed between
the panels; to speak, or to endeavor to
wlthdiaw It would disturb her lord
would drive the figures and arguments
from his head. So there stayed the fin
ger, every moment more painful, until
they reached the House ; nor did Disraeli
hear a word of It till long after the fa
mous debate of that night had become
history. All that evening the fulthful
wife sat lu the gallery, that her hus
band's quick glancing eye might ntt
miss her from it; she bore this pain like
a martyr, and like a woman who loves.
No wonder that by her husband's act
she has become Viscountess Beacons-
field; still less wonder that, as Lady
Ileaconslleld, she Is honored In En
gland's proudest castles, and has taken
her place in the hereditary society as
naturally and easily as if she, too, had
been " to the manor born."
Turning a Joke.
Some time in '01 there were a
number of army officers stopping at a
holel in Washington. Amoncr them
was a Captain Jones, who was a first-
rate fellow, a good officer and very pom
pous. Emerson and Jones used to have
a good deal of joking together at the
table and elsewhere. One day at the
diuner-table, when the dining hall was
well filled Capt. Jones finished his din
ner first, got up aud walked almost to
the dlnlng-hall door, when Emerson
spoke to him in a loud voice and said:
"Halloo, Captain! see here; I want
to speak to you a minute." The Capt.
turned and walked back to the table
and bent over him, wheu Emerson
whispered : " I wanted to ask you how
far you would have gone, if I had not
spokeu to you?" The Captain never
changed a mucle, hut straightened up
and put his fingers Into his vest pocket
and said in a voice loud enough for all
to hear him: "Captain Emerson, I
don't know a man living that I'd rath
er lend $5 dollars to than you, but the
fact is, 1 haven't a cent with me to-
day," and turned on his heels and
walked away. Emerson was the color
of half a dozen rainbows, but he had to
stand it. He never heard the last of it,
and it cost him more than $10 to treat
on it.
An Obstacle Overcome.
Mrs. Howltt relates the following an
ecdote of an elephant aud an astonished
Kentish toll-bar keeper:
Van Amburgh, who was a great man
for lions, aud who kept wild beasts, had
a famous elephant called Jack. As
Jack aud his keeper were travelling from
Margate to Canterbury (they were trav
elllng on foot), they came to Up-Street
toll-bar, when the toll-bar man wanted
them to pay a higher toll than . was
right. Jack's driver offered the right
toll, but the man would not take it, and
kept the gate shut. On this the man
went through the little foot-gate to the
other Bide of the bar, and called out to
the elephant, " Come on Jack," and at
once the elephant applied his trunk to
the rails of the gate, and quickly lift
ing it from its hinges, dashed it to the
ground, breaking it into pieces as be
did so. He then proceeded on his way
without any attempt being made to ar
rest his progress by the toll bar man
who now stood petrified to see what a
mistake he bad made In demanding an
unjust toll from an elephant.
O Mr. Bear was at a public dinner
two gentlemen by the name of Bird be
ing in the company. After the cloth
was removed, Mr. Bear, who was a
good singer, was called on to oblige the
company with a song. He immediate
ly arose, and said, "Gentlemen, your
conduct on this occasion is so highly Im
proper that I cannot help noticing it.'
' Why, why V" said the gentlemen.
" That you should call on a Bear to
sing when you have two Birds in the
company."
O" A stout backbone is as essential to
physical health as to political consisten
cy. For weakness of the back and
disorders of the liver and kidneys, the
tonic and moderate dietetic action of the
Bitters is the one thing needful. Ite-
member that the stomach is the main
stay of every other organ, and that by
invigorating tne ingestion by tins prep.
aration, the spinal column and all its
dependencies are strenethed.
For Hostetter's Almanac for 18H0 ap
ply to uruggists anu dealers generally
40 4t.
Baby Saved.
We are so thankful to say that ou
baby was permanently cured of a dang.
erous and protracted Irregularity of the
bowels by the use of Hop Bitters by Its
mother, which at the same time lestor
ed her to perfect health and strength.'
The Parents, Rochester, N. Y. See an
other column.. 2t No. 6:
HELLERS
COUGH
SYRUP!
50 Years llelbro the Public !
Pronounced by all to be Mir. moft Pleasant
flfl .fllfU nlmi. rpin.ilf nnu In ti.a f..i . Via
euro of Coughs. Col (In. Croup, Hoarseness.
Tickling ceneallon of the Throat. Whooulnif
'ough, etc. Over a million bottles sold
'llhlii the last few fears. It gives relief
rhnrPVPr naorl ntirl ttna Ilia linuur t n l.at
benefit that cannot be had from the cough
ixuircs now in use. bum by all Druggists at
cents per bottle.
SELLERS' LIVER FILLS
are also highly recommended for coring liver
complaint, constipation, elck-hcadaclifB, fever
and ague, aim all diseases or the stomach and
liver. Boldjby all by all Druggists at 25 cents
per box. 40 ly
It. E. SELLEK8 A CO., Pittsburg, Pa.
J. M. OiKvm.
J. II. OIKVIM
J. M. GIRVIN&SON.,
FLOUR, GRAIN, SEED it r'ROWJCE
Commission Merchants,
No. 04 South (.'ay, St.,
, BALTIMORE, MD.
We will nav strict attention to the sale of all
kinds of Country 1'roUuce and remit the amounts
promptly. 4Slyr.
J M. U1KV1N OS BUN.
jypSSER & ALLEN
CENTRAL STORE
NEWPORT, FENN'A
Now otter the public
A HAKE AND ELEGANT ASSORTMENT 01"
DRESS GOODS
Consisting sf all shades suitable for the season
1JLA CK A LP A CCAS
AND
Mourning Goods
A SPECIALITY.
BLEACHED AND UNBLEACHED
MUSLINS
AT VARIOUS PRICES.
AN ENDLESS SELECTION OF PRINTS!
We sell and do keep a good quality ot
SUGARS, COFFEES & SYRUPS
Aud everything under the head of
GROCERIES I
Machine Needles and oil for all makes of
Machines.
To be convinced that our goods are
CHEAP AS THE CHEAPEST,
IS TO CALL AND EXAMINE STOCK.
No trouble to show goods.
Don't forget the
CENTRAL STORE,
Newport, Perry County, Pa!
DRUGS.
DRUGS.
JACOB STRICKLER,
(Successor to Dr. M. B. Strlckler)
PHARMACIST,
NEW BL00JIFIELD, PENN'A.
HAVING succeeded the late firm of Dr. M. B.
Strickler In the Drug Business at his Store-room,
on MAIN STREET, two doors East of the Big
Spring, I will endeavor to make It In every way
worthy the patronage of the public
Personal and str'ct attention AT ALL TIMES
given to the compounding and dispensing Physi
cians' presclptluns. ho as to Insure accuracy and
guard against accidents.
BEAR IN JIIXD
that my stock has been recently selected and care
taken to have everything it the BEST QUALI
TY. The public may rest assured that ALL med
icines tiat leave my store shall be as represented
-PURE and UNADULTERATED.
I HATE CONSTANTLY OS HAND
HAIK OIL and POMADES
11AIK, TOOTH and NAILBRUSHES.
BURGEONS. TOILET. and
CARRIAGE 8 HONG EH,
PUFF BkXKS, TOILET POWDERS.
CASTILE aud FANCY SOAPS. -
PERFUMERY OF ALL KINDS,
Together with Fresh and Genuine Patent Medi
cines of every description.
ALSO,
Scgars, Tobacco, School Books, &c.
ORANGES, LEMONS & BANANAS,
In season.
Fure Wines ami Liquors for Medicinal
rurposes.
Terms, Htrlotly Cush.
By strict attention to business. I hope to merit
the couUdeuee aud favor of the public.
JACOB STRICKLER, Ph. G.
April 29, 1879.