Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-01-03
saAfs 0EEBAE
RILLAqB RAR. RO0M.
A TOUCHING STORY.

In IS | was travelling FROM Ithica TO Buf.
talo, in New York State, by stage, intending
TO reach my home in time 10 partake of the
annual Thanksgiving dinner WiIh Old aud lOy-
ing friends al the U,d homestead IL was n
bitter cold InoTnIng When We set out aud the
roads were frUEVu bard, having been cou,
siderable mud only day or two before.
The first night We put iu ut Danyil!e, and
on the following morning When | awuke, |
found that the earth was not only covered
with snow, bat thaI snow was falling fast-
After an early breakfast We set out again on
wheels, but at the end OF eight uIiIcs We were
forced to take runners, the snow clogging up
50 that the wheels would mol run. When
night caule VIC found ourselves Obliged to stop
1t y small Vi!!ago only twenty miles from where
We set out III the morning
\ good SUPP or was provided It the nu, aud
the place tau the apIeaTIuce Oi comfort. We
had just sat doWu to supper when the wind
began to blow iuriousiy, and We could see by
the din light without that the snow vas being
whir!cd aud driven about in u furious uiauuur
There Was fire Ia the smaIl sitting vOoIn aud
thIEher We passengers, six Of Us. adjourned
We sat there aud conVcT-ed until ucar niue
o'clock and then ! went out into the bar
room 10 smoke cigar previous to retiring.
la the bar room | found a bright wood fire
burning, aud some dozen people wcrc sitting
there, smoking and driukiag. (rhi- was long
before the Introduction oI the Maine laws).-
Several OF the company judged to DC team
slers rough. hardy good set, who
were enjoying themselves hugely over a mug
Of h'p. Then there were several whom l
found to be villapers--meu " hu lived near the
iun--a set Of v!liiage politicians and news.
mOngers, who made the bar room = place Of
social evening uecting.
l had lighted my cigar and taken my seat
near tho hre, when | noticed buffalo skin on
one end Of the sct'ee, opposite to where sat,
and where was confident there was human
being beneath it. | suppose it might be a
stable hand who had been at work hard, or
was expected 20 be up most of the night. and
was now getting little sleep. / was looking
at the buffalo, aud thus mediatiug when |
heard 4 low, deep. deRth-like grOan come up
from beneath it, and in a few moments more
the robe was thrown upOn the floor. and the
man who, had Tepo=ed beneath came down
upon the top Of it, aud there he lay for some
moments like dead man. had just started
up, when four of the villagers hasteud 20 his
assistance. They lifted him TO his feet, and
by considerable effort he managed to stand up.
My God! what thrill struck to my heart
when l saw that face. Ii was one OF noble
features; n brow. high aud amply developed.
over which clustered mass OF dark glossy
riuglets; the face beautifully proportoned,
and each scpaTate feature most exquisitely
chisled. But what an expression rested there
now!
The great dark eyes had vacant, idio'ie
stare; the face was pale rs death aud the lips
looked dry and parched, and much discolored
His clothes were torn aud soiied. and one of
his hands bloody. Hc was surely not more
than five and thirty, and his appearance would
at once indicate man OF more than common
abilities. But the demon had him IN! had
made him now something below the brute.
GLOW do you feel now, George ?" asked
one of the men who had gone 10 his assistance
But he only groaned in reply, and he was
soon persuaded 20 lie down again, being told
that he would soon feel better As soon as he
was on tic settee once more, and had the buff
falo over him. the men returned TO their seats.
who is that chap!" asked one of the
toamsters looking toward the villagers who had
been assisting the unfortunate man.
That's George Locklaud," returned stout,
honest looking man.
Does he belong here?"
eyes. Didn't you never hear of him ?"
The teams;cr replied that he had not
"Well, resumed the ia: man, ats too bad,
l declare tits. Locklaud might be one of the
hrst men in town if he's mind to /; but you
see he will drink and the worst of it is, he
makes fool of himself He can't touch i:
without doing just as he's doing now. He
started here as a lawyer, and smart one he
Is too. Why. he can argue old Upton right
out of his boots. But ye see he's lost all his
best customers now. They darcn't trust him
with business, cause he amt sure of ever doing
It. He's got one of the benutifulest little
wives you ever saw; and one of the handsomest
children. But, poor things l pity EN-
Then there's another ching; rum operates
differently on him from what it does on most
folks. 1t doesn't show itself on the outside
as 1t does on Almost every body else. but it
seems to eat him mp inside. You see how pale
he looks-well he's always so when he's on
one OF these times. he don't eat nothin', and