Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-12-11
L.

clare. The anticipation of this day
always created good deal of excite
raent in the minds of the peasants in and
around Storport, for it was always con-
stituted sort of gala day; but the an
nouncement Of the fair of 1877 brought
with it whisperings of woe to many q
home. The crops had been bad that
year, and the miserable half starved
tenants had been unable to scrape to.
gether enough money to pay the rent, so
the proctor had summoned them to at
tend the sessions at Portaclare in order
that they might show cause why they
should not deliver up the whole of their
worldly goods.
On the eventful day, which WAS usher
ed in with hurricanes Of binding elect,
/ ordered Shawn TO bring out the horse
and car, that we might drive into Porta-
clare together. By the time we had
started the hail had ceased to fall, but
still the wind blew bitterly. freezing
with its icy breath the little pools on the
wayside, and when we drove into Porta-
clare | fell almost as if my blood was
frozen. 1t was midday by that time,
and, save for one or two decrepid old
men whom wehad passed on the road, we
were the last to arrive. What q gather
ing there was The streets of the little
town were SO crowded that it was almost
impossible to make ones Roadway
along. In the market.place bevies of
rosy checked servant girls stood waiting
to be hired; pigs grunted and squealed
as the drovers whipped them along; the
shop-keepers stood ut their doors shrek
ing to the passengers to buy; the agent
sat in his cosy parlor in the inn COM
fortably enjoying his glass of wine,
gazing with smile into the wild, Woe
BECOME faces of the creatures whom he
has summoned thither, and determinedly
shaking his head at every heart-broken
appeal.
Don't come to me-" ne said; Pm
done with yea lot of lazy spendthrifts
as ye are. Yell go before them to-day
as II make we pay"
l sat in a remote corner of the room,
and quietly watched the wretche
creatures who crowded around the man;
their wild eyes, their famished faces,
their trembling bodies clad in the dirty
rags which were their sole protection
from the cold. And as | glanced from
them to the frozen window panes, and
the sleet which fell, covering with thin
my heart turned sick.
"Poor, miserable, half-starved wretch
esp l thought, most of you will have
sore hearts tonight, for you will lose
your little all, God help you! and there
will be nothing but starvation lef.v
Heart-sick at the sight of so much woe
which l was utterly powerless to relieve,
arose and was about TO leave the room,
when my eye was suddenly arrested by
figure, ragged, wild, and woebegone,
which Crouched close up by the window.
Five minutes before, had seen this man
crouched like stricken beast before the
his parched lips suing for mercy.
"For the love of God, Toney Norma
CHEN, niver be hard on poor boy" he
had said; all my potatoes had the black
disease this year, and they rotted in the
ground. My pig took the sickness and
died. have two little children down
wild fever, and if We take away my
cow, I'll have no dhrsp Of milk to give !
them, and they'll die"
This appeal, heart-breaking as it WAS,
had met with eusual repulse:
"Don't bring yer lies to me. Yell go
before them IN II make we pay.
So the man had crept back into the |
shadow, and rs / saw him crouched be-
side the window, | noticed that the pit |
eous look of appeal had lett his face; his
features were strangely convulsed, his |
wild eyes cleaned, and his hand cline.
ed and unclinched in nervous dread.
"That man means mischief" said as
| passed out into the street.
At two clock the tenants cases were
to be called on, and rs the hands of the |
clock approached that hour l made my
way through the crowded street in the |
direction of the court. The wind blew
bitterly, thin takes of snow were fall. |
ing, and as | walked | felt the ice crack
ing and breaking beneath my feet
noticed to my wonder that The streets
through which passed were almost de-
serted. Presently a succession of means
and cries struck upon my ear; then
noticed that people were running ex-
citedly, and, following the direction
which they took, at length found my
self on the outskirts of great crowd |
which WAS collected III the princips
street before the opening door of the
court. Seeing my own servant among
the throng, questioned him ~ to the
cause OF the excitement, for j noticed
many of the people were wringing their
han Is, others moaned teebly, while