The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-12-06
4 GlImpsc Of Gabriel COnroy.

From Bret HArtnS low serial story III
.Scri6ner, We clip the following extract :
It WAS nining. Not in the usual Iii.
rect, honest, perpendicular fashion Of
that mountain region, but only sdsgss
lively, and in q Vaguo, uncertain sort Of
way, as il it might at any timO provo In
be fog or mist, and my money wngercd
upon It would bo hazardous, II was
mining rs much from below Rs above,
and tic lower limbs Of the iOungcrS who
gathered around tho square box stove
that stood in Briggs warehouse, cxllaled
cloud Of steam. The loungcrs in
Briggs were those who from deficiency
OF taste or the requisite capital avoided
the gambling and drinking saloons, and
quietly appropriated crackers from the
convenient barrel OF the generous
Briggs, or filed their pipes from his
OpOn tobacco cnnisters, with tue general
suggestion in their manner TINT their
company fully compensated for any
wastO Of his material.
They had been smoking silently
silence only broken by the occasional
his3 Of cxpCctomtion against tho hot
stove, when the door. Of q back room
opened softly, aud Gabriel Conroy en-.
tered.
GLOW is he gottin' on, Gabol" asked
one Of the loungcrs,
$50, 80" said Gabriel. "YOu'll
want to shift those bnndages agin," ho
said, turning to Briggs, "afore the doc
tor comes. I'd come back in an hour,
but Two got to drop in and see how
Stevc's gcttin' on, and it's matter OF
two miles from home"
"But he says he wont let anybody
tech him but you, said Mr.. Briggs.
AZ know ha says so, said Gabriel.
soothingly, "but he'll get over that.
That's what Stimson scd when he was
took worse, but he got over that, and
never got to sec him except in time to
lay him ont"
The justice OF this was admitted even
by Briggs, although evidently disap.
pointed. Gabriel was walking TO the
door, when another voice from tho stove
stopped him.
"Oh, Gubc you minlthat immigrant
family with tho sick baby campcd down
tho gulchl Well, the baby up and
died last night"
az wnnt to know" said Gabriel, with
thoughtful gravity.
eyes, and that woman's in a heap OF
trouble. Couldn't you kinder drop in
in passing and look after thingsl"
~ will, said Gabriel, thOughtfully.
az Thought you'd like TO know ii, aud
1 thought she'd like mo to tell you,"
said tho speaker, settling himself back
again over the stove with tho air OF
man who had just fulfilled, at great per.
soual sacrifice and labor, work Of SUI
pcrcrogation.
"You'ro always thoughtful Of other
folks, Johnson" said Briggs, admir-.
iugly.
"Well, yes" said johnson, with a
modest serenity, al alters allow that
men in Caliiony ought to think Of
others besides themselves. 4 little kcer
and little saJc on my part, and there's
that family in the gulch made comfort
able with Gabo around on"
Meanwhile this homCly incitcr OF the
unseltish virtues Of Ono Horse Gulch
had passed out into tho rain and dark
ness. So conscientiously did ho iulGll
his various obligations, that it was near
~ ono o'clock before he reached his
rude hut ON the hillside, n rough cabin
Of pine logs, go unprctcntious and wild
in exterior rs to be but slight improve
ment on nature. The vines clambercd
unrcstrainedly over the bark thatchcd
roof tho birds occupied the creviccs OF
the walls, the squirrel ate his acorns OH
the ridgepOlc without fear and without
rcprOach.