Show STAGE COACH TALES By Dy E. E C C. C TAYLOR The Lost Whisky M SI M. Ml was a noted JOIN JOHN stage coach driver of the early days In ID Wisconsin Ho lIe afterward became became became be be- came a n farmer and tavern keeper kelper and aDd his name Is written In the annals of the development of that state from froma troma a wilderness to a thriving common common- wealth One Ono dl day was driving his stage between Madison and du Sac Besides his passengers he heas was as carrying on the coach a barrel of whisky consigned to Max 1 hammer of Sauk City The barrel of whisky accidentally rolled oft off the coach some distance out from Sa Sank Sauk uk City and dill did not notice the time loss until he pulled up In front of ot the post office at Sauk Sank City While 1 the postmaster sorted the mall mail hurried his hit horses back over o the roo road II In the tho forlorn hope of ot finding the lost barrel He Re had gone goue only a n short distance when he noticed the missing keg kg restIng rest rest- Ing brag on a pair of brawny shoulders disappear behind a n rick of ot woods b by bythe bythe the tho III side do of the road rood Pulling his stage and horses up near the wood he was able to look over o the tho brush There on the other side was an n Irishman Irish man sitting on the keg and mopping his brow Hello lIello f sir lr Have you seen a keg kei of ot whisky asked Yes Yea sir l r It t Is right here hert I lost It from rom my load and would like to have o It back again said Well sir the Irishman replied you will have havo to be bo a bigger man than 1 I am nm to get It it What transpired during the next nest halt half alt hour never would say n 1 I I lie lle explained that mat niter some time and unu persuasion the Irishman agreed to give up the whisky but only on conn condition condition con con- that carry him free of ot charge on his stage coach to Madison Which did did Henry Henty Cowles was a famous driver on the Baraboo Madison stage line In Wisconsin Bridges had not been built In those days In the summer lummer summertime summertime time the coaches and horses forded th this the streams stream and In winter they crossed on the 11 ice Ico One day Y Cowles was driving his stage across the Wisconsin river over the ticklish bender Ice of boyhood days When driving over this rubbery rubbery rubbery rub rub- bery Ice that undulated as It was crossed It was necessary for tor stage stagecoach coach coach drivers to gallop their horses to keep from breaking through Cowles' Cowles teams broke through The Tho horses were extricated with much dif dlf Timid passengers always walked across The more daring rode but always held themselves In n readiness readiness readiness readi readi- ness to leap for safety at lit an Instants Instant warning Salmon E. E Cowles was driver when his kinsman Henry later ow owned ed the theline line Salmon Halmon Cowles was driving four tour horses hors's and a stage between Lodl Lodi and the present site of ot Waunakee when one wheel horse became stubborn and deliberately lay down In the time water and mud which filled the highway itlay It Itlay Itlay lay there for tor a long time and after much coaxing threatening and punishing punishing pun pun- even the coach and Its load of passengers were stuck fast tast The Theother Theother other horses could not pull pun them out Mud Iud was knee deep and the situation was embarrassing to the several ladles who were vere passengers At last a big natured good-natured Individual ual who had appeared amused at Salmon Cowles' Cowles frantic efforts to free the mud fast coach and relieve the stranded passengers stepped from tram the coach and waded wadell through the mud to high dry ground lIe He volunteered to carry carryall all the passengers pas to dry land and removed the women and children one by one Then he made the men wade After Atter much more maneuvering maneu the themen themen themen men pulled the coach to firm ground and finally persuaded the balky horse to resume Its task and the coach rolled on again O. O 1931 western Union |