Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-02-07
9 Storg of 8eal 9ilte.
From Ballou's Pictorial.
SCENE IN A VILLAGE BAR.ROOM.
BY HORACE B. STAMFORD.

BY HORACE B. STAMFORD.
In the fall of 18-,I was travelling from
Ithaca to Buffalo, in New York State, by
stage 1t was bitter cold morning when we
set out and the roads were frozen hard, there
having be en- considerable mud only few
days before. The first night we put up at
Danvile, and on the following morning, when
I awoke, I found that the earth was not only
covered with snow, but that the snow was then
falling fast. After an early breakfast we set
out again on wheels, but at the end of eight
miles we were forced to take runners, the snow
clogging up so that the wheels would not run.
When night came we found ourselves forced
to stop at small village only twenty miles
from where we set out in the morning.
A good supper was provided at the inn, and
the place had the appearance Of comfort. We
had just set down to supper when the wind
began to blow furiously, and We could see by
the dim light without that the snow was being
whirled and driven about in furious manner.
There was fire in a small sitting-room, and
thirther we passengers, six of us, adjourned.
We sat there and conversed until near nine
o'clock, and then I went out into the bar.room
to smoke cigar, previous to retiring.
In the bar-room found bright wood fire
burning, and some dozen people were sitting
there, smoking and drinking. (This was long
before the introduction of Maine Laws.) Sew
eral of the company I judged to be teamsters;
a rough, hardy, good-natured set, who were
enjoying themselves hugely over big mug of
flip. Then there we're several whom found
to be villagers-men who lived near the inn
sort of village politicians and news-mongers,
who made the bar-room their place Of social
evening meetings.
had lighted my cigar, and taken aeat
near the fire, when noticed buffalo skin on
one end of the long settee opposite to where
I sat, and I was confident there was human
being beneath it. suppose it might be some
stable hand who had been at work hard, or
who expected to be up most of the night, and
was now getting little sleep. I was looking
at the buffalo robe, and thus meditating when
I heard low, deep, death-like groan come up
from beneath it, and in few moments more
the robe was thrown upon the floor, and the
man who had reposed beneath it came down
upon the top of it, and there he lay for some
moments like dead man. I had just start
ed up, when four of the villagers and one of
the teamsters fastened to his assistance. They
lifted him to his feet, and after considerable
effort he managed to stand up.
My God what thrill struck to my heart
when saw that face. 1t was one of noble
features ), a brow high and amply developed,
over which clustered a mass of dark, glossy
ringlets; the face beautifully proportioned,
and each seperate feature most ezquisitely
chiselled. But what an expression rested there
now The great dark eyes had a vacant, ,idi-
otic stare the face was pale as death and the
lips looked dry and parched, and much discol-
ored. His clothes were torn and soiled, and
one of his hands bloody. He was surely not
more than fve-and-thirty, and his appearance
would at once indicate man of more than
common abilities. But the demon had him,
and had made him into something now below
the brute.
"How dye feel now, George" ?" asked one
of the men who had gone to his assistance.
But he only groaned in reply, and he was
soon persuaded to lie down again, being told
that he'd soon feel better. AS soon as he was
on the settee once more, and the buffalo over
him, the men returned to their seats.
"Who is that chap?" asked one of the team
sters, looking towards the villager who had
been assisting the unfortunate.
seThat's George Lockland," returned a stout
honest-looking man.
"Does he belong here? 2"
"Yes. Didn't ye never hear of him ?"
The teamster replied that he had not.
DWELL" resumed the fat man, 'it's too
bad, I declare It's. Lockland might be one
of the first men in town if he'd a mind to; but
ye see he will drink aud the worst of it is, he
makes fool of himself He can't touch it
without doing just as he's been doing now.
He started here as lawyer, and smart one
he is too. Why, he can argue old Upham
right out of his boots. But you see he's lost
all his customers now. They daren't trust him
with business, cause he amt sure of ever do
ing it. He's got one of the beautifulest little
wives you ever saw and one of the handsom-
est children. But poor things! I pity 'em.
Then there's another thing: rum operates diff
ferent on him from what it does on most folks.
1t doesn't show itself outside, as it does on al
most everybody else, but it seems to eat him
up inside. Ye see how pale he looks-well
he's always so when he's on one of these times.
He can't eat nothin,' and don't s'pose he'll
put bit of food into his stomach for week
to come"
Chow dye mean {"
Chow long has he been so?" asked the team.
ster.
Chow dye mean?"
nWhy, how long both ways2 How long
since be took to drink, an how long since he's
been drunk now?"
"Well, he's took to drink more or less ever
since he come home from college; but it's
been only about year that he's been right
down hard at it. Ye see folks began to find
out how slack he was in his business, and they
wouldn't give him any jobs of consequence to
do. s'pose that kind O. set him goin' in
this fashion. And as for this drunk, should