Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-02-11


gazed around upon the scene about
him, and gradually look of intel
ligence relieved the utter blank of
his hitherto pale, wan and mauiac
face.
mo fuel mo food r'he whispered,
gazing upan his wife. "Starving!-
God have mercy! Who was it said
those horrible words? Where am
II"
George! George r'cried his wife,
now rushing forward and .finging
her arms about ner husbands neck.
Don't you know me-" aa
''Date! No fire there's firer'
Gay, George Leckland," said Jim
Drake, now starting up; "this arn't
your home. Don't ye know where
ye are p
Again the poor man gazed about
him, and as fearful shudder con-
vulsed his frame, and his hand in
voluntarily closed over his eyes, l
knew that the truth had burst upon
him. .
mo fuel mo food" he groan-
ed.
90 sir" whispered the wife, catch
ing Drake convulsively by the arm,
''take us away from here
''But you're cold, Kate
mo, no, no. 1t is only a little
way to your own house, shall die
here"
"Nill you go home with me,
George p Jim asked of the husb-
and.
"Anywhere!'' gasped the poor
man.
40, my god! no fuel ! no food =
Kate Kate! Are you hurt %
But the wife could not speak, and
as soon us possible the fat old villa
ger had the lantern in readiness and
half a dozen went to help him.
Come lead George, one of you.
You take kate-you are stouter
than land I'll take the little one"
This last was spoken to Il stout
teamster, and he took the wife in
his arms as though she had been an
infant.
Its only few steps. said Drake
as he started to go. LII send your
lantern back, Mike Fingle.''
And with this the party left the
bar-room. l went to the window
and saw them wading through the
deep snow, and when they were out
of sight l turned away. The host
came out and be gan to explain mat
ters but was sick enough already
and with an aching heart [ left the
room.
On the following morning I came
down to breakfast latter than usual,
for 1 sleep little through the night.
About nine O'Clock the driver came
in and told us the stage would be
ready il; five minutes. I went to the
bar room for u cigar. Jim Drake
had just come in to bring back the
cloak they had wrapped around the
child the night before.
"What'll We have this morning ?"
| heard the landlord ask, as he set
out a tumbler.
Nothing returned the fat man,
emphatically. ''I'm done, Mike
Flngle, I'm done with the stuff. I'll
drink no more of it. / wouldn't t
have come now, w,only poor Lockland
was up, and his sweet little wife was
hanging about his neck. They were
crying so that couldn't stand it,
and had to clear out. 0, it's dread
ful. Mike Fingle. You don't know
what them poor things have suffer-
cd! But they shan't have my exam
pie any more"
Cali ready" shouted the driver:
and l was forced to leave.
The wind had all gone down; the
air was sharp and bracing, ,and slow
ly we wallowed away from the vii
lage.
l reached Buffalo two days latter
than l had expected to when 1 set
out and having transacted my bust
ness there,I went to Mississippi.and
so on down to New Orleans. Four
years afterwards had occasion to
travel the same road again and stop
ped in the same village to take din
ner. The bar was still open, bu:
Mike Fingle had gone away. walk
ed out after dinner, and soon came
across a neatly painted office, over
which l read: George Lockland
Attorney and Counselor at Law
In less than five minutes afterwards
saw fat good-natured looking
man coming towards me, whom l at
once recognized as Jim Drake. AS
he came up, said;
"Ecuse me, Sir. but wish to ask
you how Mr.. Lockland is getting on
now ?"
"Sqnire Lockland, you mean !'hc
answered with proud look. "You
Know him then p
Il did once" said /.
"Then you ought to know him
now. He is the first man in the
county. Four years ago this next
month that is coming, he was just
about as low man as could be.
Did you know the Sauirs wife ?'
Il have seen her," I replied. I
saw Drake did not recognize me.
but you should see her now. All,
twas great change for her. That's
their child-that little girl coming
this way. Amt that a picture for
ye?'
looked and saw q bright eyed,
sunny-haired girl ofsome eight sum-
mers, coming laughing and tripping
along like fairy. She stopped as
she came to where we stood, and
put her arms to sNncle Drake as she