The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-10-31

named Cook opened travellers ranch,
or hotel; near Mr.. Thompson's; and be-
tween this man and the farmer there
soon subsisted the warme<t friendship.
Night after night Mr. Thompson would
60 to Cooks, and it in the society OF
bad men until the small hours Of the
morning. The wife and daughter,
alarmed for his safety, redoub!ed their
efforts 10 make his home attractive, and
re<orted 20 every WON ,nlv device 70 keep
him with them; but, de=pite their exer-
tions, he spent more than Ia!f his time
at Cooks.
For a long time he resisted every
temptation to drink; but at length the
evil Of keeping bad company became
apparent, and one night Mr. Thompson
came home 10 his family reeling drunk.
His downward course was now rapid;
he was drunk every day; and TO the
vice of drinking he soon added that of
gambling. The land on which he lived
was Il homestead, and the title could
not be perfected for FIVE years, so he
could not gamble it away; but, one by
one, the horses, cattle, and farming i'm
plements were put up and lost, until at
last all that was left we're Two horses a
wagon and harness.
Among the persons who visited Cooks
was a person called Long Ned, a flash
lily dressed individual, an eX-stage dri-
yer, Il drunkard, gambler, and unprin-
pied scoundrel Ned had won most of
Mr.. Thompson's stock and money, and
was now waiting to fnishe up his dew
lish work by taking the last thing the
poor men had. He had not loEg TO
wait, for one evening Thompson, with
his team and wagon, came over to the
ranch, and after sundry drinks had been
taken Ned proposed to play for the team
and horses. At first Thompson refused,
saying il was all he had left, and he
meant to keep that; but a drink or two
more and the exhibition by Ned of a
hundred dollars in money changed his
mind, and he sat down at the fatal table;
he was so sure he could win this time,
and then Ned said he only wished ne
would, for he wanted to see Mr.. Thomp-
son get back some of his property.
4 In one hour the last horse was gone,
and Mr.. Thompson rose from his chair
and staggered to the wall, where he stood
with his head hanging upon his breast,
pondering his misfortunes, and realizing
at last that he and his family were pen
niIess, and he had not even the means
of getting home. Ned came up, and
slapping the farmer lamiliarly on the
shoulder said: "Come, cheer up, old
fellow, and let us take drink"
Thompson moved mechanically to the
bar, and, filling his glass to the brim,
drank it off again and again he drank,
and at each swallow of the vile stuE'
seemed to grow more desperate. He
was now maudlin drunk, and Ned led
his victim 10 one side, and said he had
long wanted wife and n Mary was a
fine girl he would like to marry her
He really sympithizel with Mr.. Yhomp-
son ia his losses; and as it was the Gus
tom in new settlement. for men to buy
their wives f ON the Indians he would
put up all he had won OF Mr.. Thomp-
son against Mary. At first the farmer
was shocked and surprised; but the more
he thought of it, the more reasonable
Ned's proposition seemed to be, and af-
ter another glass he sat down and staked
his own daughter on q hand of cards.
Ned won, and the farmer burst into
tears. The gambler made light of the
matter, and assured him, if he had lost
daughter, be had won a son-in-law.
Again and again they drank, and, Ned
calling for a bottle of whiskey, the two
got into the wagon and started for the far
mer's house. On the road, Thompson
drank heavily from the bottle, so that,
when they arrived at the farm, the far
mer was so drunk he had to be helped
out of the wagon. 1t was very late, but
the wife and daughter were still up wait
ing for his return, and Mary was clad in
a neat white muslin dress, which made
her look charming. They were both
much surprised to see stranger with
Mr.. Thompson, but received him kind
ly, thinking, no doubt, he had merely
came TO see Mr.. T. safe home.
Ned turned out the team-his team
and then entered the cabin. He was
repulsive looking fellow at best; but,
now that the night wind had puffed and
flushed his bloated face, he looked per-
fectly hideous Fixing his bleared eyes
on Mary, he stared the girl out of coun-
tenance, and caused her to blush and
turn away. Wherever she went Ned
followed her with his ferret eyes, until
the girl became so nervous and uneasy
she went into the room and walked up
the old man. When she returned to the
outer room, she found her mother had
fallen into a swoon, and her father, who
had been asleep in the chair, was now
sitting up, apparently quite sober, and
talking to Ned. Mary ran to her moth
er, and, raising her in her arms, placed
her upon the bed, where she sprinkled
water in her face until she recovered,
and began to sob bitterly.
Her father now called her to his side
and said:
"Mary, we have lost everything; this
gentleman has won all, and he wants
you for his wife. have promised him
your hand. Go to him.
The surprised and confused girl ran
to her mother; but Ned called to her, in
a rough voice:
"Come here to me, girl; you're now
my little woman, and want you"
Scarcely knowing what she did, with
one bound she reached the door, and in
moment more was out in the dark
night and flying across the prairie to-
wards the barn. She heard her father
call to her to come back, and then hal
loo to Ned to run, round the house while
he went to the barn. Mary had intend