Salt Lake Tribune | 1904-04-10 | Page 17 | Buffalo Bill- the Young Expressman

Buffalo Bill the Young- Expressman. Express-man. The real story of the Pony Express Is, after all, the story of the bravo riders. Weather, Indians nnd highwaymen beset them; sometimes even the peaceful peace-ful emigrants, scared by the speed and fierceness of passing messengers, wouid shoot them wantonly. More often, desperadoes, des-peradoes, who knew the . value of the letters In those little pouches, would Ho In wait to catch tho unwary riders at some quick turn of the road or In some narrow pass. One of Col. Cody's struggles with a highwayman Is perhaps typical of tho experiences and the courage of the riders. Billy he wns then only fifteen was galloping around a sharp bend ln a narrow trail when he came face to faco with a burly man with an equally burly six-shooter. To the usual request Billy lost no time In skiing his hands, but he kept his head strictly level. As tho pony sunk on his haunches, the robber rob-ber saw that the rider was only a kid and accordingly lowered his gun, advancing ad-vancing with the not unkindly words: "Yer ain't er going to git hurt provided pro-vided yer part with them bags." Saying nothing, the boy slowly rose In the saddlo nnd regretfully loosened tho saddle pouch. The man held out his hand for the booty. At Just that moment the brave little rider drove both spurs Into the steaming flank of his fiery mount. There was a wild plunge upon the outlaw, a quick oath, a dull thud and a cloud of dust. By the time the fellow was able to walk, Cody was ready to tow him, a sad and swearing convoy, to the nearest station. Billy was twenty minutes behind his schedule but he had a good excuse Outing.