The Republican journal., 1875-11-11

/ III her arms. She seemed faint and fro
zen, but she yet clung to her child. The
man who carried the lantern, held it up
| TO her face. The features We're half coy
| cred with snow. but the momentarv glare
of the lantern was sufficient to reveal to
me face OF more than ordinary beauty.
"HeaNens,H uttered the man. rs he
| loWere the lantern, and caught the wo-
man il his arms kate Lockland. is
this y'u:?' But without waiting for Il re-
ply, he turned to the rest OF us and cried :
"Here, take the child, some of yon, and
III carry the mother"
The child was quickly taken, and ere
many minutes we were back in the bar
room with our burden The two were
taken to the fire and the snow brushed
from them.
who's them y asked the host
"Only Kate IocklanI and hel' child, h
answered the fat man.
"What dye bring EN- in here lor?" The
host uttered angrily. 'Why didn't ye take
'em to your own house, Jim Drake?"
Cause my house is too far
The host was coming round the bar and
his eyes was flashing with mingled shame
and anger, but before he got fairly out
the stout and bnlly teamster who had said
so much, started up.
mike Fingal 2 he uttered. in tones
such as only 4 man confident Of his own
| physical power can command. Don't
We put a finger on that woman. Don't We
do it. II ye do, III crush yc rs would
Il pizcn spider,'
Fingal looked the speaker in the eye for
Il moment, and then muttering something
about Il man having Il right to do as he
| pleased in his own house, he skunk away
| behind his bar again
l now turned my attention to the wo-
man and her child. The former was sure
| ly not yet thirty years OF age, aud She was
Il truly beautiful Woman-only she WIS
pale and wan and her eyes We're swollen.
| She trembled iearnlly, and | could see
| her bosom heave as she tried to choke the
sobs that were bursting forth. The child
was 4 girl about four years Old She clmg
close to her mother, and seemed fright
| ened into a formotiulness of her cold fin
gers and feet
=" Kate locbland, what in Heavens
name are YOU ,Ioin' out This night, asked
| jim Drake.
"Oh, was trying to find your own
!
me shelter But rot lost in the snow
| wouldn't have cried out in front OF this
place, but my poor child did Jim Drake.
| have YOU seen George9 Oh, God, have
mercy ON him Poor dear George! He
don't know we are freezing, starving in
our own house, No iuel-no f00d--no-
! no.
She stopped and burst into tears, and
i'll u moment more George Lock land leap
ed to his feet
"Who called mr?" he cried, gazing
wildly around.
Kate sprang up inStinctiyely, but ere
| she reached her husband she dropped.
The man saw her and for while stood
riyetcd to the spot. soon he gazes around
upon the scene about him, and gradually
a look Of intelligence relieved the utter
blank of his hitherto pale and maniac
face.
"No fuel! no food" he whispered,
gazing upon his wife, "Starying! God
have mercy who was it said those words ?
! Where am p
George! Geor@ei' cried the wife, now
rushing forward and tlingin@ her arms
around her husbands neck ''Don't YOU
know me?''
'hate no IRE lntfe 5 Ire
I" Aye, George Lockland. " said Jim
Drake, now starting up; "thls amt Your
own home. Don't you know where We
are? ?n
Again the poor man gaZed about him,
and a fearful shudder convulsed his frame,
and his hands inyoluntariy closed over
his eyes knew that the truth had burst
upon him.
mo fuel. no food - he groancd
go, sir" whispered the wife, catching
Drake convulsiyely by the arm, '.take US
away from here, sir"
but you're cold Kate"
"No, no. It's only little way to your
house. shall die here" -
"Will you 90 home with me, George ?''
jim asked of the husband.
"Anywherem gasped the poor man.
80. God! no fuel. Kate! Are you
hurt ?n
But the wife could not speak, and as
soon as possible the fat old vilager had
the lantern in readiness, and half dozen
went to help him.
Come" he said, ''lead George one Of
YOU You take Kate you are stouter
than land I'll take the little one"
This last was spoken to the stout team
ster, and he took the wife in his arms as
though she had been an infant.
Its only few steps, said Drake, rs
he started to 90. '.I'll send your lantern
back, Mike tngal -
And with this the party left the bar
room. | went to the window and saw
them wading off through the deep snow,
and when they were out OF signt turned
away. The host came out and began to
explain matters; but | was sick enough
already, and with an aching heart | lett
| the room.
"On the following day came down to
breakfast later than usual, tor | slept very
little through that night About 8 O'Clock
the driver called in and told us the stage
would be ready in five minutes. went
to the bar room for Il cigar. Jim Drake
had Just come in to bring back the old
cloak they had wrapped around the child
the night before.
"What will you have this morning,
jim ?" | heard the landlord ask, as he
set out a tumbler.
"Nothing," returned the fat man, en-
pAatica.ly. 'I'm done. Mike Fingal, Pm
done with the stuff. LII drink no more of
it. Wouldn't come now, orly poor Lock
land was up, and his sweet little wife was
hanging around his neck. They were
crying so that couldn't stand it, and hayt
to clear out Oh. it's dreadful, Mike Fin
gal. You don't know what them poor
things have suffered But they shan't
have my example any more"
"Al ready" shouted the driver, and
was forced to leave.
The wind had all gone down; the air
| wnS Sharn and hrapinu and SloWlV we
wallowed away from the village.
l reached Buffalo two days later than
expected to when started, and having
transacted my business there, l went to
Mississippi, and so on down to New Or
leans -Four years atterward had occa-
sion to travel that same road, and stopped
in that same village to take dinner. The
bar was still open, but Michael Fingal had
gone away. l walked out after dinner,
and soon came across neatly painted
| office over the door of which | read.