The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-04-26
The FAiry'S Warming or, the Rec
formed Miller.
BY JOHN BROUGHAM.

"A broth OF boy" as ever stood in
shoe leather was Mickey Mcguire. At
hurting, wrestling, kicking the football,
or kicking up Shindy generally, there
wasn't his equal in the barony. 1t would
really do your heArt good to see him with
the fun glancing all over his face, like
sunbeams glancing on Shannon's water,
" batein' the tiure" at a fair or q path
ern," with some bright-eyed "coieen,"
for there was no better hand at the jig in
the country round and that the giIls
knew mighty well, for there wasn't one
of them that wouldn't walk . mile to
dance "Plan1ty Molly" or the "Old
FOxhunter," with "Sportin' Mickey Ma
guire. "
Now, y6A Must know that Our friend
Mickey was the sole and only proprietor
Of the only mill, such as it was, in the en-.
tire vicinity ty-consequently at the early
part Of his life, the hopper was e0nsfnuaf-
ly going, and the result was very COM
Portable living for the thriving miller; but
as he increased in years, instead Of grow
ing wise by experience, and outstanding
his present resources, SO that, in the event
Of accid4Vt, Ill H~>,t!eeoSS nSscTsYn.cf any
kind, he might have a trihe laid by to fall
back upon, like too many Of his country
men, he lived from hand to mouth, spend
ing exactly what he had, be that much
or little. To be sure, little always sat
isfied him when he had no more; but, if
it were ever so large a sum. he invariably
found way to get rid of it. Itmay be
readily conceived, therefore, that Mickey
was quite unprepared for a rainy day
indee1,s be aeyer Suffered himself to thiak
of anything beyond the passing moment.
If to-day were only provided for, to-mor-
row might take care of itself.
BY singular continuance Of equally
balanced luck, Mickey Mcguire managed
for number Of years to scramble on tOl-
trably well. Tie mill was his banker,
and it depended upon lis yielding much
or little as to whether he had "high
ould time," or merely satisfied the few
wants to which he could circumScribe
himself, if Unnecessary.
Notwithstanding the carelessness Of his
general disposition, Mickey was diligent
worker in working hours. No one ever
saw him lounging about in idlenesS when
labor was in demand; and, moreover, he
was possessed of true, honest and be
nevolent heart: the latch Of his door was
never lifted without a welcome-rich or
poor it was all the same to him. A bit
and sup, given with pride to his equals,
and with joy to the hungry wsy.farer,
was ever to he had at his table, a seat by
his cheerful chimney corner, and smoke
Of the pipe-and, may be, drop Of noun
tain dew was always proffered to the wea-
ry Traveller.
II was a thousand pities that, to his
many hcavcn-scnt virtues, he did not add
the worldly one Of prudence. But he
didn't, and there's an end Of the matter !;
nor was he to blame for it either, although
some felt sell. satisfied money scraping
InOrta'S, who, fortunately for their sons
and SUCCESSORS, happen 10 have that same
groveling virtue to vicious extent, ele-
vate their eyes, shrug their shoulders,
and cry shame upon the open hand and
all the time the wOuld.be philosophers
forget that they might as we'll find fault
with an individual for the shape Of his
nose, or the color Of his hair, as for the
pecuiaritics Of his temperament and dis.
position.
Well, it so happened, that year after
year, Mickey affairs got worse by de-
grces, and, in the thick of his distress,
what does my poor miller do but take un-
to himself wife, as he said himself, " for
to double his joy, halve his sorrow, which
was two to one in favor of some comfort
according to the rule-of. three"
How it answered his expectations, it is
rnifsessarv t0epquFs intf,t, S0fat- 40
say that, inasmuch as she brought him
nothing in the way OF worldly gain, sa.
wing pair of blue eyes and a stuff gown,
all settled -On herself, his prospects were
not materially Enlightened by the alliance.
At last came the year Of the bad har-
vest; the crops all failed, and the mill be-
came quiet and desolate; that put the
finishing stroke to poor Mickey's perplex-
tiles. and, for the first time in his life, he
began to think that there was such a
thing as future to provide for.
"Musha, then, it's time for me to come
to my senses" said he one day, as he took
up his pipe after a most unsatisfactory
meal. Many'S the fine night | spint as
much as nd last US a month now, and,
more betoken, it's suppin' sorrow | am for
that same, sure enough"
Indeed an ye are, an sarve you right,
too" continued his help-mate. But it's
me that is to be pitied-me, that niver
had the good Of it when it was goin'; and
now it's gone, it's me that'Il have to cry
salt tears lor the want of it. All! if you
had only put by ever so little of the mon
ey that you wasted in rollickin' about,
and iratin' thin that gives. yoD she cowld
shoulder now, you might snap your fin.
gers at the harvest; an, more betoken,
wouldn't be shamin' your name by wear
in the same gownd to market an at
mass"
Ara be aizy," said Mickey. "AVhere'S
the use IN tellin' me what know mighty
we'll already? I've been fool, as many'S
the one has been afore me; but I've had
my jig, and now the piper's to be paid
out Of my bones, if not out of my pocket
Well, to make long story short, Mick
ey went down the hill in hurry, as easy.
tempered people generally do, when the
light OF good fortune doesn't show them
their way. Puzzled. confused and blind.
ed in the darkness of distress, he made a
few Intellectual struggles towards an up
ward movement, only to plunge deeper
into the mire Of disappointment; so that,
tired atlast ofendeavoring to buffet against
the current of misfortune, he made no ex-
ertion to sustain himself, but allowed it to
float him where it chose. And it is not
to be wondered at, that, amidst the noisy,
reckless revelry Of the village whisky
shop, was his general anchorage in
deed mSfortnne'S most dangerous food
tide could not have carried him into a
worse haven; for when prospects grew
brighter, and plenteous harvests again
smiled upon the land, the habits which
he had acquired in his despondency rem
dered labor distasteful, and the old mill,
once more in brisk demand, was deserted
for fht tinnlin0 honca