The Second William Penn | Page 2

from the murderous attacks of unscrupulous white men.
I gladly recommend this tale as sound reading to all who desire to
know the truth concerning the incidents which actually occurred along
the Old Trail, and the real friendly relations which existed between the
Indians and the white men, such as our Author and Kit Carson, who
were well acquainted with their motives and characteristics.
Respectfully submitted,
MILTON MOORE.
"Bathe now in the stream before you, Wash the war-paint from your
faces, Wash the blood-stain from your fingers, Bury your war-clubs
and your weapons, Break the red stone from this quarry, Mould and
make it into Peace Pipes, Take the reeds that grow beside you, Deck
them with your brightest feathers, Smoke the calumet together, And as
brothers live henceforward."
(Hiawatha.)

REMINISCENCE OF THE OLD SANTA FE TRAIL.
BY W. H. RYUS, MAIL AND EXPRESS MESSENGER AND
CONDUCTOR.

Introductory
W. H. Ryus, better known as "the Second William Penn" by passengers
and old settlers along the line of the Old Santa Fe Trail because of his
rare and exceptional knowledge of Indian traits and characteristics and
his ability to trade and treat with them so tactfully, was one of the boy
drivers of the stage coach that crossed the plains while the West was
still looked upon as "wild and wooly," and in reality was fraught with
numerous, and oftentimes, murderous dangers.
At the time this story is being recalled, our author is in his
seventy-fourth year, but with a mind as translucent as a sea of glass, he
recalls vividly many incidents growing out of his travels over the Santa
Fe Trail.
Having the same powers of appreciation we all possess, for confidences
reposed in him, he lovingly recalls how his passengers would press him
to know whether he would be the driver or conductor to drive the coach
on their return. Some of these passengers declare that it was really
beautiful to see the adoration many Indians heaped upon the driver,
"Little Billy of the Stage Coach," and they understood from the
overtures of the Indians toward "Billy" that they were safe in his coach,
as long as they remained passive to his instructions, which were that
they allow him to deal with whatever red men they chanced to meet.
Sometimes a band of Indians would follow his coach for miles,
protecting their favorite, as it were, from dangers that might assail him.
They were always peaceable and friendly toward Billy in exchange for
his hospitality and kindness. It was a by-word from Kansas City to
Santa Fe that "Billy" was one boy driver and conductor who gave the
Indians something more than abuse to relate to their squaws around
their wigwam campfires.
The dangerous route was the Long Route, from Fort Larned, Kansas, to
Fort Lyon, Colorado, the distance was two hundred and forty miles
with no stations between. On this route we used two sets of drivers.
This gave one driver a chance to rest a week to recuperate from his
long trip across the "Long Route." A great many of the drivers had

nothing but abuse for the Indians because they were afraid of them.
This made the Indians feel, when they met, that the driver considered
him a mortal foe. However, our author says that had the drivers taken
time and trouble to have made a study of the habits of the Indians, as he
had done, that they could have just as easily aroused their confidence
and secured this Indian protection which he enjoyed.
It was a hard matter to keep these long route drivers because of the
unfriendliness that existed between them and the Indians, yet the Old
Stage Company realized a secureness in Billy Ryus, and knew he
would linger on in their employ, bravely facing the dangers feared by
the other drivers and conductors until such a time as they could employ
other men to take his place.
Within the pages of this book W. Ryus Stanton relates many amusing
and interesting anecdotes which occurred on his stage among his
passengers. From passengers who always wanted to return on his coach
he always parted with a lingering hope that he would be the driver (or
conductor, as the case might be) who would return them safely to their
destination. Passengers were many times "tender-footed," as the Texas
Rangers call the Easterners. Billy soothingly replied to all questions of
fear, soothingly, with ingenuity and policy.
Within Billy's coach there was carried, what seemed to most passengers,
a superfluity of provision. It was his fixed theory that to feed an Indian
was better than to fight one. He showed his passengers the need of
surplus foods, if he had an idea he would be visited by his Red Friends,
who may have been his