The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-08-04
A WILL AGE BAR ROOM.

WILL AGE BAK kOOM.
In 1S-I was travelling from Ithaca tC
Buffalo, in New York State, by stage, in
tending to reach my home in time to par
take of the annual Thanksgiving dinner
with old and loving friends at the Ole
homestead. 1t was bitter cold morn
ing when we set out, and the roads were
frozen hard there having been con sdera
Bile mud only day or two before.
The first night we put in at Danville
and on the following morning when
awoke | found that the earth was not
only covered with snow, but the snow was
falling fast After an early breakfas.
we set out again on wheels, but at the
end of eight miles were forced to take
runners, the snow clogging up so that the
wheels would not run. When night came
we found ourselves obliged to stop at a
small village only twenty miles from
where we set out in the morning,
A good supper was provided at the
inn, and the place had the appearance of
comfort. We had just sat down to sup,
per when the wind began to blow furious.
ly, and we could see by the dim light
without that the snow was being whred
and driven about in u furious manner
There WAS u fire in the small sitting room,
and thithcr We passengers, six OF US, ad.
iourncd. We sat there and conversed
until near nine o'clock, aud then | went
out into the bar-room to smoke i cigar
previous to retiring.
In the bar.room found 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
| judged to be teamsters a rough, har.
dy, good .natured set, who were enjoying
themselves hugely over mug of flip
Then there we're several whom | found
to be villogers-men who lived near the
inn--a set Of village politicians and news.
mongers who made the bar.room place
of social evening meeting.
had lighted my cigar and taken my
seat near the fire, when | noticed bufia-
10 skin on one end Of the scttee, opposite
to where sat, and was confident there
was human being beneath il. sup.
posed it might be a stable hand who had
been at work hard or was expecting to
be up most Of the night, and was now
getting little sleep. was looking at
the buffalo, aud THIS meditating, when
heard low. deep, deaih-liko groan come
up from beneath lt,and iu few moments
more the robe was thrown upon the floor,
and the mau who had rcposyi beneath
came down upon the top Of it. aud there
he lay for some moments like u dead man.
| had Just started up, when four cf the
villagers has,eued to his assistance. They
lifted him to his feet, and after cou,i Ter
able effort ho managed to stand ur.
My God what . thrill struck 10 my
heart when saw thar face. 1t was one
of pohc faatuco brow high AID amply
developed, over which clustered Il uass
OF dark glossy riuglets; the face beau,i.
fully proportioned, and each separate
feature most exquisitely chiselIed. But
what an expression rested there now
The dark eyes had vacant, idiotic
stare the face was pale as death, and
the lips looked dry and parchcd, and much
discolored His clothes were torn and
soiled, and one Of his hands bloody He
was surely not more than five and thirty,
and his appearance would at once indicate
a man Of more than common abilities.
But tho demon had him, and had made
him now something below the brute.
How do you feel now George p asked
one Of the men who had gone to his as.
sistance.
But he only groaned in reply, aud he
was soon persuaded to lie down again,
being told that he would soon feel better,
AS soon as he was on the settee once
more, aud bad the buffalo over him, the
men returned to their seats.
Who is that chap? asked one OF the
tcamsters looking toward the villagers
who had been assisting the unfortunate
man
That's George Locklsud, returned II
stout, honest looking man
Does he belong here?'
Yes Didn't you bevcr hear of him p
The teamster replied thar he had not.
Well resumed the fat man, Its too
bad, declare It's Lockland might be
one of the first men in the town if he'd u
mind to but you see he will drink and
the worst Of it is, he makes fool Of him.
self. He can't touch it without doing
just as he is doing now lie started here
as a lawyer, and a smart one ne is too
Why he can argue old Upton right out oil
his boots. But you see he's lost all bis
best customers now. They darcn't trust
him with business, cause he amt sure oi
doing it. He's got one of the beautiful.
est little wives you ever saw and one Of
the handsomest children. But, poor
things | pity EN-. Then there's aBoth
er thing; rum operates differently oil
him from what it does on most folks. 1
doesn't show itself on the outside as il
does on almost everybody else, but i
seems to eat him up inside. You see how
pale he looks-well, he always so wher
he's on one Of these times. lie don't ca
notAin', aud don't suppose he'll put I
ult Ol luou lh'O MS stomach Tor week u
come
How long has he hecn 50 p asked tn
teamster.
How dye mean?
Why how long both ways How Ion
he look to drink, an how long he's bee
drunk pow 2
We'll, he's took a drunk more or les
ever since he came ircm college. but it.
about year that he's been down hard q
it le see folks begin to End out ho'
slack he is in business, and they woudn
give him any job of consequence to dc
! 'spose that sort o set agoipg in thi
fashion. And US for this drunk, shoul
say he'd been on it fortnight. He
got down now as low as he can get an