Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1891-12-25
THE CHRISTMAS CURSE.
BY The EDITOR

"Will you be KIM enough to tell
me where Mrs. Ainswortn lives?"
Turning saw face at my elbow
that belonged to the sad vo.co I
had just heard.
1t was that OF a man who had
some heavy bu den on mis- min !.
His eyes looked Into mine. search
ING for an answer and beseeching
for it.
81 know no such person" / re-
piled, preparing to move on. The
stranger grasped my a m.
"You certainly must have seen
her somewhere. She Was medium
height with grey eyes and brown
hair"
'J can't keep track OF all tie
women ii San Francisco who hive
gray eyes aud brown hair" l re-
piled impatient y.
''5he lived on Mission street
once and"
II have no time to bother with
either you or M 8. Ainsworth.'
I dismissed him roughly, but aS
Hooked back the tears we're cours.
ing down his cheeks and the ,ce
which was stamped with ire b're
the impress OF hunger IA well.
But what struck me rs odd was
his dress, when taken into c .n-iu-
GRAFTON with his features. He W.
a broadcloth suit. immaculate iin-
en- and Was freshly shaver. DE
spite his costly attire. hi| p'i-,
shruuken features told the story
Of long fast. There was nothing
rude in tue mans adj ess. He
was polite. n ~ aim nst ~upplicatins
In his request to me e. reveal the
whereab ,uts OF the WON IN. had
treated him ru lely LII fact 1 had
used Language 1 fnrb ar {, Ieprat
here, for it was Christmas night
and I had been drinking freely 1t
seemed to me tn Il the best apollo
Sy could make to him would be
an invitation t. take something
warm, for there WAS an unplehs
ant dampness in the air and the
wind was chill.
Come wi me my good fellow
and have Sonrtnln =.
He looked w stfully at the ga
loon d few doors away anu sh ok
his head.
"Imnsn't go in there
ssWell old boy let's go into the
restaurant aud try some oysters.
He stepped toward the rest VI
ant with "a look II inte ,>e gratitude
but to my su Prise on reaching the
door he parsed and with sigh
shook his head.
"Have you eaten latAly?" /
asked in q tone Intended at the
same time to be one Of inquiry and
apology.
Nothing for two days. Good
night sir"
He bowed as he lifted his silk
hat and his goodnight Was ut
tered in a tone OF studied dignity.
N a few moments he had disap-
pearei. I walked away in the OPP
posite direction wondering wat
could be the reason of such extra
ordinary conduct but 1 couli
frame no hypothesis TO reach the
case. Then | recalled a Iii mond
ring that had cleaned from bis
hand and heavy gold chain that
hung from his vest Yet he said
he had been two days without I 'od
while his face nigh have indicated
a fast OF three. 1 walked along
slowly, D pndering on the MATTE,
when 5 ,me young men walking
quite rapi lily overlook me.
"Wouder VIVA tle old fellow
wanted or Ms. Aiusworth?' said
one.
"Ha better be hunting a SOU re
meal said all ther rs ey passed
on. SO it seemed that he - still
impoI tuning people or inf"rma-
ton reg ,rdius MIS-. Ainsw rth.
But it Was useless To speculate on
the mystery so / di uisseI tire
subject from my min1 IL together
and gave myself no further concern
of it.
On the succeeding Christmas /
was in Virginia City. 1t was neat
ly miiniguu ant on = street near
the corner of Union | noticed the
figure of Il man crouche'. against
the wall. with Ills hack To the q ~
ing gusts. 1t was one of those
wild Nevada nights With the wind
sweeping down The rocky slope OF
Mt. Davl lsnn, delivering upoL the
city swal-s of Sleet aDi snow. The |
poor fellow stood where tie temp-
est sc smeI fiercest, All bent IN i
der the wei .ht OF the storm. AS |
/ nea ed him he stepped out wdh |
"Do you kaoW achere Mrs Ains /.
north HUes?" 1 started back at |
the words for it WAS the same re-