Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1881 — The Stage-Driver’s Death-Ride. [ARTICLE]

The Stage-Driver’s Death-Ride.

About forty-five years ago Boston experienced an unusually-severe winter. It was so cold that one January morning, as two rural members of the Legislature were warming their purple hands at the cheerful open fireplace of the old City Tavern, one of them remarked to the other : “ Party cold weather, Cap’n.” “Yes,” replied the addressed party; “I heerd a man in the Plymouth stage say last night that the thermometer down there was below zero. ” On that night the stage from Newburyport arrived at its headquarters, the Eastern Stage House, No. 84 Ann street, under circumstances peculiar and extraordinary. The frost-laden wind howled around the ancient tavern with such effect that landlord, guests and stable hands kept as far as possible within doors. While thus making themselves comfortable, the Newburyport stage, quite prompt to its usual time, dashed through the archway into the yard in gallant style, but the driver seemed in no hurry to dismount. He was spoken to, but made no answer. Upon investigation he was found to be frozen stiff, and dead ; his icy hands still clasping the reinfl, which during the latter portion of the terrible ride had been powerless to guide the sagacious animals. They, with instinctive sagacity, had sought their accustomed shelter in the stable of the old stage tavern.