The Republican journal., 1875-11-11
A Village Bar-room.

In IS | was travelling from Ithaca
to Buffalo, in New York State. by stage,
intending to reach my home in time to
partake of the annual Thanksgiving din
ner with old and loving friends at the
old homestead. 1t was bitter cold
morning when we set out. and the roads
were frozen hard. there having been con-
siderable mud only a 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 that snow
was falling fast. After an early break
fast, we set out again on wheels, but at
the end of eight miles we 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 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 com
fort We had Just sat down to supper,
when the wind began to blow turiously,
and we could see by the dim light with
out that the snow was being whirled and
driven about in furious manner. There
was fire in the small sitting-room, and
thither we passengers, six or eight OF us,
adjourned. We sat there and conversed
until near nine o'clock, and then | went
out into the bar-room to smoke q cigar
previous to retiring.
In the bar-room | found a bright wood
fire burning, and some dozen people
were sitting there, smoking and drink
inc. (rhis was long before the Maine
law) Several of the party | Judged to
be teamsters rough, hardy, good-na-
tured set, who were enjoying themselves
hugely over Il mug OF flip Then there
were several whom | found to be villag-
ers-men who lived near the inn-a set
Of politicians and newsmongers, who
made the bar-room place Of social even
ing meeting.
had lighted my cigar and taken Il seat
near the fire when | noticed q buffalo skin
on one end Of the settee opposite to where
| sat, and | was confident that there was
a human being beneath it. | supposed it
must be stable hand who had been at
work hard, OF was expected to be up
most of the night, and was now getting Il
little sleep. | was looking at the buffalo
and thus medtaling, when | heard a low
deep, death-like groan come up from be-
meath it, and in Il 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
hastened to his assistance. They lifted
him to bis feet, and after considerable
effort he managed to stand up.
My God what thrill struck to my
heart when | saw that face. 1t was one
of noble feature: a brow high and amply
developed, over which clustered Il mass
of dark glossy ringlets the face beauti-
fully proportioned, and each separate
feature most eXquisltcly chiseled. But
what an expression rested there now
The great dark eyes had vacant, IDIOT
c 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. lie
was surely not more than five and thirty
and his appearance would at once indi-
cate a man of more than common abli-
ties But the demon had him, and had
made him now something below the
brute.
GLOW do you feel now, Georgc?" ask
ed 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 better. As
soon as he was on the settee once more,
and had the buffalo over him, the men re-
turned to their seats.
"Who is that chap?" asked one of the
teamsters, looking toward the villagers
who had been assisting the unfortunate
man.
..That's George Lockland," returned a
stout, est-looking man.
"Does he belong here?'
Eyes Didn't you never hear OF him ~
The teamster replied that he had not.
.'Well, =" resumed the fat man, sit is too
bad. | declare it is. Lockland might be
one of the first men in the town if he'd Il
mind to; but you see he will drink; and
the worst of it is, he makes a TOOL of him
SELF He started here as lawyer, and q
smart one he is too. Why, he can argue
old Upton right out of. his boots. But ye
see he has lost all his best customers now.
They daren'ttrust him with business. cause
he amt ever sure of doing it. He's got one
of the beautifulest little wivesyou ever saw,
and one of the handsomest children. But
poor things Ipity 'em. Then there's an
other thing; rum operates differently on
him from what it does on most men, 1t
doesn't show itself on the outside as it does
on almost 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 cat nothing,
and | don't suppose he'll put bit OF food
into his stomach for a week to come"
GLOW long has he been so?' asked the
teamster.
"How dye mean?'
"Why, how long both ways? How long
since he took to drink, and how longs he
been drunk now?"
"Well he's took to drink more on less
ever since he came from college; but it's
about year that he's been down hard at
it. You see folks begin to find out now
how slack he was at his business, and they
wouldn't give him any job of consequence
to do. 'spose that sort o'set him agoing
in this fashion. And as for this drunk,
should say he'd been on it fortnight.
He's got down now as low as he can get
and live, and | guess he'll get sober in Il
day or two"
:sBut where does he get his liquor?'
asked his questioner.
"You must ask Mike Fingal that ques
tion," was the others answer.
All eyes were turned upon the landlord,
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, edo
YOU sell that man rum?'
eyes, l do," the fellow replied with an
effort. "Dont | sell the same when you
call for it?''
"But l arn't poor drunkard, and you
know it. That arn't no excuse. Mike.
shouldn't think you'd do it"
"But when he wants rum he's bound to
have it. and if | didn't let him have it
somebody else would" the host replied.
"Now that's odd" energetically pur-