The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-07-25
TWO WASTED LIVES.

little fellow from northwes tern
Texas, and this rare specimen oper-
ated the caraVansary in way that
puzzled natives and Sojourners.
Some time in the spring of 1866,
John Mckay, an engineer from the
Cumbres was carried up the steps
and into The Office OF the landlord.
Mckay was an invalid. lie had ex-
/ posed himself while in the employ
of the Imperial railway company
and was rapidly passing into a
hopeless decline. lie had been
notably reekies aud disposed to
/ live fast Oi all the staff OF English
and American engineers he was the
most expert and the ablest.
! Vast sums of money were seuah-
iered in connection. with this rail-
way. enterprize. The employers
dung away all their earnings at play.
They wonld toll all DAY in the gorges
and on the hillside. "a then devote
the night 10 monte and fa,o. Nc
Kay was a desperate player, and at
times he would drink with the reck-
lessness of the abandoned drunkard.
Seemingly he took no account of
time or OF health. His plans. his
past history, and his grief we're com
municated TO no one. lie had no
| confident in the land of the cactus
and brigand. Among the army of
railroad men at that time engaged
at the Matrata centre his face was
the saddest of al. Many time he
would saddle his mustang and gal
lop toward the snow covered Orizaba
peak. People who saw him while
on these rides say that his face was
gloomy and that he rode recklessly.
Once he was seen walking away
from his cabin towards the hills; and
then for honrs he faced the plateau
with the sleet and rain beating upon
his head. He quarrelled with no
one; but while at play in cafe lie
was insulted. when n pistol eneoun-
ter followed, ending in the wounding
of Mckay and the death of his as
sailant. The same evening poor
woman approached him. asking for
charity, when he enptied his pockets
into her hand. Mckay was ut this
time drifting rapidly into the wild
est dissipation. lie courted monte
and drank the fiery rum of the coun-
try, besides frequently facing the
poisonous night winds. until a fear
full cough began to rack him. When
the French troops abandoned the
distant metropolis. and prepared to !
march towards the gulf. and a panic
seized the projectors of the road /;
and the numerous bands OF men on
the Cnmbres and along the line of
the railway scattered higher and
thither. Mckay. too, worn out aud
sick, bade adieu to the hills and
cliffs forever. and drifted down to
the lowlands. He was sick and with
out money. Bitterly did he repent
of his folly.
Without some means of sub>ist. |
ance a stranger must fall by the way, |
for which all the tropical fullness
and wonderful powers of production
of the soil, to one without money |
the land seems q vast desert. a i
Mexican can look upon starving
man without one jot of sympathy.
He never dreams of charity.
No wonder the young engineer Of
the Cumbers looked gloomy as he
made a survey of TIE future. | saw
him as he sat on the balcony OF the !
hotel the day of his arrival.
Indeed. he was then compelled TO
accept help from his old comrades
who were passing out of the empire.
And Mckay was changed man.
From this time on he touched no
liquor, and when once solicited TO
play. refused. But be would sit for
hours together on balcony, his face
turned eastward, with look woe.
He listened to the DOCTOR plan
of moving him to the coast. and be-
lieyed life might be prolonged in the
warm air of the lowIands. But the
lower country was swarming with
guerrillas, so time wore on. Mckay
in the Spanish Mexican
city of Cordova, surely and swiftly
drifting toward dissolution.
And when spring rains had ceased
in the valley. and coffee tree had
grown red with riPening fruit the
host grew uneasy about his rich
guests poverty and probable disease
Mckay would accept charity from no
one. He was proud as a large land.
ed baron. lie owed no man. Even
osses az faro we're liquidated To
asst farthing. He looked upon the
advances of his friends as so many
oans. to be Cancelled upon an ar
.ival Of remittance from Boston.
lie was growing restless about the
lelay. Each mail was fresh hope,
md at the same time bitter disap-
continent. But hope died at last,
md from that day on ne smile ever
lto.e into the face of the engineer.
1 little girl. beautiful as q LILY.
would occasionally present him with
/ Wild flower, and in thanking the
,irl in his courteous way his eyes
travelled out toward the east, and
Vhen the little one questioned. he
not word.
One day he heard the landlord
omplain Of delinquent guests. He
new he was meant, and he was. IL I
1as a cruel ailusion. 1t struck home. {
face hitherto pale. underwent a 9
grew Older in an hour.
Tot a friend with means was left !
i'm. 9
Despair was clear cut in that suf- !
ering face.
Sometime before the doctor had
lvited him to Potrero. sugar plan $
alton on road to Vera Cruz. One t
vening I passed out upon the front t
alcony, and Mckay was there.
He began to speak In a voice that :
uivered with emotion: - go 10 q