The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-11-30
A Glimpse al GaDrIel Conroy

" OAAAbpAc ~ NNbFAcA SOuCOys
bret IIartes New Serial Story In sChbnerl
|. was raining. Not in the usual d..
rect, honest, perpendicular fashion OF that
mountain region, but only suggestiVely,
and IN vague, uncertain sort OF way,
a. II it might at any time prove to be fog
or mist, and any money wagered upon II
would be hazardous. Ii was raining IA
much from below as above, and the lower
limbs Of the lOungers who gathered
around the square bOX.stove that stood
in Briggs warehouse exhaled cloud OF
steam. The lOungers in Briggs were
those who from deficiency Of taste or the
requisite capital avoided the gambling
and drinking saloons, and quietly ap-
prOpriated crackers from the convenient
barrel Of the generous Briggs, or filled
their pipes from his open tobacco CAMS.
terS, with the general suggestion In their
manner that their company fully compen.
sated for any waste Of his material.
They had been smoking silently,-a
silence only broken by the occasional hiss
Of expeCtoratlOn against the hot stove,
when the door Of back room opened
softly, and Gabriel COnroy entered.
"liow is he gettin' on, Gabe% asked
one Of the loungers.
80, so" said Gabriel. "YOull want to
shift those bandages agin," he said, turn
ing to Briggs, "afore the doctor comes.
I'd come back In an hour, but I've got TO
drop in and see how Steve's gettin' on,
and its n matter of 2 miles from home"
"But he says lie won't let anybody tech
him but you" said Mr.. Briggs
81 know he says so" said Gabriel sooth-
ingly, "but he'll get over that. That's
what Stimson sed when lie took worse, but
he got over that and never got TO see
him except in time to lay him out"
The justice Of this was admitted even
by Briggs, although evidently disappoint.
ed. Gabriel was walking TO the door,
when another voice from the stove stop
ped him.
"Oh, Gabe you mind that emigrant
family, with the sick baby, camped down
the gllch2 Well, the baby up and died
last night"
az want 10 know said Gabriel, with
thoughtful gravity.
"Yes, and that woman's in heap Of
trouble. Couldn't you kinder drop in In
passing and look after things7'
81 will" said Gabriel thoughtfully.
a thought you'd like to know it, and |
thought she'd like me TO tell you" said
the speaker, setting himself back again
over the stove with the air Of man who
had Just fulfilled, nj great personal sacri-
fee and labor, work Of supererogation.
"You're always thoughtful OF other
folks, Jehnson," saii Briggs admiringly.
"Wcll, yes" said johnson, with mod.
est serenity, ~ alters allow that men in
Californy ought to think Of others besides
themselves. A little care and little Sabe
on my part, and there's that family in the
gulcfl made comfortable with Gabe
around them"
Meanwhile this homely inciter Of the
unselIish virtues Of Ohe.HorBc Gulch had
passed out into tho rain and darkness. So
conscicntiously did he fulfill his various
obligations, that 1t was nearly o'clock
before he reached his rude hut on the hill
side, n rough cabin Of pine logs, so unpre.
tentions and wild in exterior as 10 be but
n slight improvement on nature. The
vines clambered unrestrainedly over the
bark.thatched roof; the birds occupied
the Crevices Of the wallis the squirrel ate
his nCorns on the ridgc-pole without fear
and without reptoaCh.