The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-05-02
"But You're cold Kate"

"But you're cold Kate" s
"No, no, no. It's only little way to
your house. ! shall die here" o.
VIII you 60 home with me George"
Sim asked of the husband. ~ fti =.
"Any wherc!" gasped the poor man.
so, my God No. fuel!-no food Kate,
Kate are you hurt?" .4irrr...
But the wife could not speak, andas soon
as possible the fat old villager had the Ian
tern in readiness, and half dozen went to
help them. A
"Come," he said, "lead George one Of
you. You take Kate-you ore stouter than
land will take the little one."
This last was spoken to the stout team.
stcr, and he took the wife in his arms, ms
though she had been IN infant. 3.
"It's only few steps," said Drake, as
he started to 60. "I'll seud your lantern
back Mike Fingal." f.
And with this the party left the bar-room.
went to the the window and saw them wa
ding of through the deep snow, and when
they were out Of sight turned away. The
host came out and began to explain matters;
but I was sick enough already, and with an
aching heart left the room. r
On the following morning came down
to breakfast later than usual, for I had slept
but little through the night. About nine
o'clock the driver came in and told us the
stage would bc ready in five minutes; went
into the bar-room for cigar. Tim Drake
had just come in to bring the old cloak they
had wrapped around the child the night be-
fore. r.....
"What'll ye have this morning jim ?"
heard the landlord ask, rs he set out tum-
bier. ...... ...
"Nothing," returned the fat man /: en-
phatically. "I'm done, Mike Fingal. I'm
done with that stuff I'll drink no more of
it. wouldn' have come now only poor
Lockland was up and his sweet little wife
was hanging about his neck. They was
crying 20, that I couldn't stand it, and had
to clear out. o, it's dreadful, Mike Fin
gal. You don't know what them poor
things have suffered /! But they shant have
my example any more"
"All ready y, shouted the driver. And
| was forced to leave. The wind had oil
gone down; the air was sharp and bracing,
and slowly we wallowed away from the vii
lage.
reached Buffalo two days later than l
expected when set out, and having tran
sactcd my business there, went on to the
Mississippi, and so on down to New Orleans.
Four years afterwards / had occasion to
travel that same road again, and stopped in
that same village to take dinner. The bar
was still open, but Mike Fingal had gone
away. l walked out after dinner, and soon
came across a neatly painted office, over the
door Of which 1 read :-GEoRGE LocHLASD.
Attorney and Counsellor at Ldp." In less
than five minutes afterwards, l saw fat
good-naturcd man coming towards me,
whom / at once recognized as Jim Drake.-
As he came up, said
"Excuse me sir, but wish to ask how
Mr.. Lockland is getting along now."
esquire Lockland, you mcan?' he an
swered, with proud look. "You know
him then?"
al did once" said l. So.
"Then you ought to know him now
He is the first man in the county-the first
man sir. Four years ago this next month
that's coming, he was just about as low as
man could be, but he star ted right up,
and now he's almost as high as man can
be. Did yc ever know the Squires wife?'
81 have seen her." l replied. l aw that
Drake didn't recognize me.
"But you should see her now. All, twas
a great change for her. That's their child
that little girl coming this way. Amt
there little picture for yc?"
/ looked and saw brighteyed, sunny
haired girl of some eight summers, coming
laughing and tripping along like little
fairy. She stopped as she came to where
wo stood, and put her arms to "Uncle
Drake" us she called the old man, and
while he was kissing her and chatting with
her, | moved on, looked back once at that
happy, bcautcous face, just to contrast it
with the pale, frightened features l had
seen on that dismal night, in the bar.room.