The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-06-17

imagined that he heard Others whispering
and tip-toeing in the passage outside his
booth. He poured out some absinthe,
watching his strange, companion all the
while, and drank alone and unnoticed.
He took a heavy drink, and it had pecu-
liar effect upon him-he felt his heart
bounding with alarming force and rapidity,
and breathing was difficult Still his hun
ger remained and that and the absinthe
gave him an idea that the gastric acids
were destroying him by digesting his
stomach He leaned forward and whis-
pered to the stranger, but was given no
attention One of the mans hands lay
upon the table; Carringer placed his upon
it and then drew back in terror-the hand
was as cold as stone.
The money must not lie there exposed
Carringer arranged it into neat parcels,
looking furtively every moment at his i'm
movable companion and in mortal fear that
he would stir Then he sat back and
waited. A deadly fascination impelled him
to move back into his former position, 50 as
to bring his face directly before the gaze of
the stranger. And so the two sat and
stared at each other
Carringer felt his breath coming heavier
and his heart-beats growing weaker, but
these conditions gave him comfort by re-
ducing his anxiety and softening the pangs
of hunger. He was growing more and
more comfortable, and yawned If he had
dared, he might have gone to sleep.
Suddenly fierce light flooded his vision
and sent him with bound to his feet.
Had he been struck upon the head or
stabbed to the heart? No; he was sound
and alive. The pale stranger still sat there
staring at nothing, and immovable; but
Carringer was no longer afraid of him.
On the contrary, an extraordinary buoy
ancy of spirit and elasticity of body made
him feel reckless and daring His former
timidity and scruples vanished, and he felt
equal TO any adventure. Without any
hesitation he gathered up the money and
bestowed it in his several pockets
81 am fool to starve, he said to him
self, with all this money ready to my
; hand
As cautiously as a thief he unlocked the
door, stepped out, rcclosed it, and boldly
and with head erect stalked out upon the
street Much to his astonishment, he
found the city in the hustle of the early
evening, yet the sky was clear. 1t was
evident to him that he had not been in the
saloon as long as he had supposed He
walked along the street with the utmost
unconcern of the dangers that beset him,
and laughed softly but gleefully Would
he not eat now-ah, would he not +? Why.
he could buy Il dozen restaurants Not
only that, but he would hunt the city up
and down for hungry men, and feed them
with the fattest steaks, the juiciest roasts,
and the biggest oysters that the town could
supply. As for himself, he must eat first;
after that he would set up great establish
ment for feeding other hungry mortals
without charge, Yes, he would eat first;
if he pleased, he would eat till he should
burst. In what single place could he find
sufficient to satisfy his hunger? Could he
live long enough to have an OK killed and
roasted whole for his supper? Besides an
OK he would order two dozen broiled
chickens, fifty dozen oysters, dozen crabs,
ten dozen eggs, ten hams, eight young pigs,
twenty wild ducks, fifteen fish of four
different kinds, eight salads, four dozen
bottles each of claret, Burgundy, and
champagne; for pastry, eight plum-pudd-
ings, and for dessert, buhels of nuts, ices,
and confections 1t would require time to
prepare such a meal and if he could only
live until it could be made ready, it would
be infinitely better than TO spoil his APP
petite with dozen or two meals of ordi-
nary size. He thought he could live that
long, for he felt amazingly strong and
bright. Never in his life before had he
walked with so great ease and lghtness;
his feet hardly touched the ground-he
ran and leaped- It did him good to tan
tailze his hunger, ior that would make his
relish OF the least all the keener. on,
but how they would stare when ne wonid
give his order, and now comlcaiiy they
would hang back, and how amazed they
would be when he would throw few
thousand dollars on the counter and tell
them to take their money out OF 1t and
keep the change Really, 1t was worth
while to be so hungry as that for then
eating became such an unspeakable luxury.
And one must not be in too great hurry