Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-10-24
A VILLAGE EBAR-RoOM.
Touching Story.

In Isl was travelling from Ithac
D to Buffalo, in New York State, by
5 stage. intending to reach my home j
{ time to partake of the annual Thanks
giving dinner with old and loviu
friends at the old homestead. 1t wa
a bitter cold morning when we set ou
? and the roads were frozen hard, ther
having been considerable mud only
day or two before.
The first night was put in at Dau
vile, and the Following morning whel
, l awoke, l found that the earth was no
only covered with snow, but that snov
was falling fast. Afteran early break
fast we set out again on wheels, but a
/ the end of eight miles we were force,
to take runners, the snow clogging ul
so that the wheels would not run
When night came we found ourselves
obliged to stop at small village onl.
twenty miles from where we set out il
the morning.
A good supper was provided at the
inn. and the place had the appearance
of comfort. We had just sat down tC
supper when the wind began to blow
furiOusly, and we could see by the
dim light without that the snow was
being whirled and driven about in a
furious manner. There was a small
fire in the small sitting-room, and thith-
er we passengers, six or eight of US,
adjourned. We sat there and con-
yersed until nine o'clock, and then |
went out into the bar-room to smoke u
cigar previous to retiring.
| In the bar-room | found a bright
wood fire burning. and some dozen peo-
pie were sitting there, smoking and
! drinking. (This was long before the
introduction of the Maine laws.) Sew
eral of the company | judged to be
teamsters; a rough, hardy, good-n ma
tured set, who were enjoying them
selves hugely over mug of flip. Then
there were several whom | found to be
villlagers--men who lived near the inn
set of village politicians and news
mongers, who made the bai-room a
place of social evening meeting.
had lighted my cigar and taken
seat near the FIRE, when | noticed a
buffalo skin on one end of the settee,
opposite to where | sat, and was con-
fident there was human beneath it.
| supposed it must be stable hand
who had been at work hard or was ex-
pected to be up most of the night, and
was now getting little sleep. l was
looking at the buffalo and thus medi-
tating, when heard low, deep, death
like groan come up from beneath it,
aud in few moments more the robe
was thrown upon the floor, and the
man who had reposed beneath came
down upon the top of it, and there he
lay for some moments like dead man.
/ had just started up when four of the
villagers FASTENED to his assistance.
They lifted him to his feet, and after
considerable effort he managed to
stand up. a.1e- ze.
My God what thrill struck to my
heart when / saw that face. 1t was
one of noble feauture; brow high and
amply developed, over which clustered
a mass OF dark glossy ringlets; the
face beautifully proportioned, and each
separate feature most exquisitely CHS
eled. But what an expression rested
there nowl
The great dark eyes had a vacant,
idiotic stare; the face was pale as
death, and the lips looked dry and
parched, 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 the 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 assistance.
But he only groaned in reply, and
was soon persuaded to lie down again,
being told that he would soon feel bet
ter. As soon as he was on the settee
once more, and had the buffalo over
him, the men returned to their seats.
Who is the chap?" asked one Of
the teamsters, looking toward the vii
layers who had been assisting the un-
fortunate man.
That's George Lockland," return
a stout honest-looking man.
Does he belong her02"
"Yes. Didn't you never hear of
him p
The teamster replied that he had |
not.
We'll, resumed the fat man, its |
too bad, declare it It's. LocklaDd !
might be one of the first men in town
if he d mind to; but you see he will |
drink; and the worst of it is, he |
makes fool of himself. He started
here as a lawyer, and a smart one
he is too. Why, he can argue old Up
ton right out of his boots. But ye see |
he's lost his best customers now.
They daren't trust him with his busi-
ness, cause he amt ever sure of
doing it. He's got one of the beauti-
fullest little wives you ever saw, and !
one of the handsomest children. But |
poor things | pity 'em. Then there's |
another thing; rum operates different
ly on him from what it does on most |
men. 1t doesn't show itself on the |
outside as it does on most everybody |
else, but it seems TO eat him up 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 | |
don't suppose he'll put bit of food |
into his stomach for week to come"
How long has he been SOP asked |
the teamster.
How dye mean?'
why how long both ways?' How |
long since he took to drink, an how
long he's been drunk now?"
We'll he's took drunk more or
less ever since he come from college
but it's about year that he's been
down hard at it. Ye see folks began
to find out how slack he was in his bus
mess, and they wouldn't give him any
job of consequence to DO | 'spose that
sort o set him agoingin this fashion.
And as for this drunk, | should say he'd
been on it fortnight He's got down
as llw as he can get and live. and l
guess he ii get sober in day or two.
but where does he get his liquor?"
asked his questioner.
"You must ask Mike Fingal that
question" was the others answer
All eyes we're turned upon the land
lord who now stood behind the bar.
He was evidently troubled at this turn,
and moved uneasily upon his high stool.
Mike Fingal," spoke the teamster,
do you sell that man rum 2"
"Yes, | dc" the fellow replied, with
an effort, Don't | sell the same when
you call for it?''
But | arn't poor drunkard, and
you know it.
That arn't no excuse, Mike,
ahouldn't tbioE vou'd do ~ -