Nevada County picayune., 1889-01-02
ANNANiAS.
BY PORTE STROTHERs.

Annanias had always done his best, and we hear of angels who did no more. But doing his best wasn' [ of any advantage to him. He was always too late. Once, when he was carrying the banner in poverty and distress, he saw an advertisement in the paper for a man. Annanias ap- piled for the situation but was toe late. It may have been luck or fate that held him down. whatever 1t was Annanias was always down. He was down at the heel, and down in the mouth, and because he couldn't af- ford shave there was generally down on his face. For three days he hadn't tasted food. and the pros poets were that he wouldn't eat any thing for three weeks more. He went to mans door one evening and asked for crust of bread. He pointed to his ragged clothes, and his shivering form and pinched face told their own story.
 The amiable proprietor of the house informed Annanias that a tramp had been there an hour before, and while waiting for something to eat, stole a coat from the hall; he. therefore, wanted nothing further to do with tramps, and, to show that he was in earnest, called great dog, with yearning mouth attachment and turned him loose.
 Annanias endeavored to reach the gate first but was too late. When he emerged from the conflict he was a sight to behold. Night came on apace. The wind walled and shrieked and Annanias was homeless and hungry. He wandered out of the town-Out on the lonely country road, where skeleton trees on either side mocked and moaned at his mis- cry. People who saw him locked their henhouse doors and avowed that he must be a dangerous charac- ter. It never entered their minds that perhaps he was unfortunate.
 Annanias had done his best but they didn't know it.
 Annanias had an education but they never suspected it.
 After awhile Annanias came to river which was covered over with thin ice, and shadowed by giant trees, Its dark waters looked for bidding, as seen through their trans parent covering. Annanias shud- dered a little-hesitated, and then.
 Three days later they fshed his body out. It was not an inviting spectacle. His lank hair fell clami- ly over his emanciated form, and his rigid arms still bore the marks of the dogs teeth. There was one who looked at him and sighed deeply. Just few hours before he had ar rived to inform Annanias that an ac- commodating relative had died and left him a large sum of money, The accommodating relative was too late. All the wealth in Solomon's mines would not enable Annanias to carry the banner again. The man who had turned the combined dog and mouth upon him was there, and looked at the body, and sighed, and said: unfortunate man.
 Those who locked their henhouse doors, looked at him--looked at the fang marks, sighed, and sad: "Poor Fellow -
 Of course he would have a nice headstone with u hand pointed up- ward graven on it, and some original verses underneath to relate his vir- tues. Why should man murmur or repine though he is living on one meal in three days, when it is alto- gether probable that he will have a nice headstone after death, and ride to his grave in valuable hearse, with white plumes on it. So Annanias had an elegant funeral, at which he was the honored guest. The man who set the dog on him possessed an ad- mirable "base" voice, and when he sung, He is not lost, but gone be- fore" strong men wept. The man who locked his henhouse door con- ducted the servlces and said "that this tender flower having been cut off by the reaper, whose name is death, we should all take warning, and real ize that in the midst of life we are in death,
 Then they laid him down in the praVp nrenarq1 spaciallv for that pur-