The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-11-11
Vol. X.
SsIsetsh Story.
4 VILLAGE BAR-R0oM.

re:tch my nome IN time " pallah
of the annual Thanksgiving din
ner with old and loving friends u
the old homestead. 1t was bit
ter cold morning when we Sc
out, and the roads were frozel
hard, there having been consider
able mud only day or two be
fore.
The first night we put in q,
Danville, and on the following
morning when [ awoke, | foun<
that the earth was not on y cover
ed with snow, but that snow Wa:
falling fast. After an early break
fast we Set out again On wheels
but at the end Of eight miles W.
were forced to take runners, the
snow clogging up so that the
wheels would not run. Whcr
night came we found ourselves Oh
liged to stop at small village
only twenty miles from where we
set out in the morning.
a good supper was provided a:
the inn, and the place had the ap
pearance OF comfort. We had just
sat down to supper when the wind
began to blow furiously, and we
could see by the dim light without
that the snow was beng whlr'ed
aud driven about 10 a furious man.
ner. There was fire in the small
sitting room, and tEither we pas.
sengers, six or eight Of us adjourn
ed. We sat there and converscd
until near nine o'clock, and then
went out into the bar room to
smoke a cigar previous to retiring
In the bar-room I found i bright.
wood fire burning, and some
dozen people were sitting there,
smoking and drinking. (This was
long before the introduction Of
the Maine laws.) Several Of the
company I judged to he teamsters;
8 rough, hardy, good-natured set,
who were enjoying themselves
hugely over . mug Of flip. Then
there were several whom l found
to be villagers-men who lived
near the inn-a set ofvillage poll
ticians and news-mongers, who
made the bar-room a place Of So
ciai evening meeting.
l had lighted my cigar and ia
ken a seat near the fire, when |
noticed a buffalo skin on one end OF
the scttee, opposite to where |
sat, and I was confident there was
y human being beneath it. | sup
posed it must be a stable hand who
had been al work, or was expected
to be up most Of the night, and was
now getting q little sleep. l was
looking at the buffalo and thus
meditating. when l heard low
deep, death-like groan come W
from beneath it, and in o few mo
ments more the robe was throwl
upon the floor. and the man who
had reposed beneath came dowr
upon the top oft, and there he lay
| for some moments like q dead man
l had just started up when fou'
Of the villagers fastened TO HI;
assistance. They lifted him te
his feet, and after considerable ef
fort he managed TO stand up.
My God! what thrill struck
to my heart when ! saw that face
It was one Of noble feature;
brow high and amply developed
over which clustered a mass o
dark glossy ringlets; the fac
beautifully proportiored, and eacl
separate feature most exquisitc!,
chiseled. But what an expression
rested there now!
The great dark eyes had a va
cant, idiotic stare tho face wa
pale as death, and the lips looke'
dry aud parched, and much dis
colored. His clothes were tor
and soiled, and one Of his hand
bloody. lie was surely not NOR
than fve and thirty, and his az
3earance would at once Indicate
man of more than common abllj
: tics. But the demon had him, an
had made him now something bc
low the brute.
Glow do you fee! now, George?
asked one Of the men who ha
gone to his assistance.
But he only groaned in reply
and was soon persuaded to Ii
down again, being told that h
would soon feel better. AS 500
IS he was on the scttee once mor'
and had the buffalo over him, th
men returned to their seats.
"Who is the cbap?" asked on
Of the teamsters, looking towar
the villagers who had been aSsls
ing the unfortunate man.
"That's George Lockland," r.
turned q stout honest t-looking MAJ
Does he belong here p
"Yes. Didn't you never he;
of him ?"
The tnnmstar rnnliad TINT I