The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-05
THE PALEDICE THROWER

" c. MorroIc in the San Francisco ArCondut
Hunger is most poignant when it has
forced physical suffering to the highest
point without impairment Of the mental
functions. Thus hungry happened to be
Joseph Carringer, young man of uncom-
monty high spirit, who found himself a
total stranger in San Francisco upon a
rainy evening in November. There re-
manned in his possession not a thing that he
might have pawned for a morsel to eat; and
even as it was he had stripped his body OF
all articles Of clothing except those which a
remaining sense OF deconcy compelled
him to retain. Hence il was that cold
asSailei him and oouspired with hunger to
complete his misery. Having been brought
into the worlG aud reared a gentleman, he
lacked the courage TO beg and the knowl-
edge to steal. This means to say that he
had finely constituted organization, SOL 81
tive and proud to the last d. gree, aud ao-
cogdingly altogether out of place in the
world. Had not an extraordinary thing
occurred to him, he either would have
drowned himself in the bay within twenty
four hours or died Of pneumonia in three
| days. For he had been seventy hours with
out food, and his mental desperation had
driven him far in its race with his physical
needs to consume the strength within him
50 that now, pale, weak, and totteriug, he
took what comfort he could find in the
savory odors which came steamiug up from
the basement kitchen of the restaurant in
Market street, caring more TO gain them
than to avoid the rain. His teeth Chartered :
his eyes had dark circles under them; he
shambled, stopped, and gasped. he was
| too desperate to curse his fata-he could
only long for food. He could not reason ;
he could not reflect; he could not under
stand that 10000 hands might gladly have
fed him; he could think only OF the hunger
which consumed hiIn, and Of food that
could give him warmth and happiness.
When he had arrived at Mason street he
saw a restaurant a little way up that
thoroughfare, aud for that he headed, Cross
ing the street diagonally. He stopped be-
fore the window and ogled the steaks, thick
aud lined with fat; big oysters lying on the
ice; slices of ham as large as a hat; whole
roasted chickens, brown and juicy, and
many other things, He ground his teeth,
grUaned. and staggered on.
A few steps beyond was a drinking sa-
| loon. which had a private door at one side,
with the words Family Entrance painted
thereon. In the recess of the door (which
was closed stood a man. In spite of his
agony. Carringer saw something in the
mans face that appalled, and fascinated
him. Night was on, and the light in the
vicinity was dim; but it was clear that the
stranger had an appearance of whose
character he himself must have been
| ignorant. Perhaps it was the unspeakable
anguish Of 1t that struck through Caring.
er's sympathies. The young man came to
an uncertain halt aud stared at the stranger
| At first he was unseen, for the stranger
| looked straight out into the street with
singular tlxity, and the death like pallor OF
his face added a welrdness to the immobi-
| ity Of his gaze. Then he took notice of the
| young man.
"Ah, he said slowly and with peculiar
distinctness, "the rain has caught you. too,
without oVercoat or umbrella. Stand in
this doorway-there is room for two"
The voice was not unkiud, though it had
| an alarming hardness. 1t was the first word
that bad been addressed to the sufferer since
hunger had made him victim, and to be
spoken to at all, and have his comfort con-
sldered in the slightest way, gave him
cheer. He entered the embrasure and stood
beside the stranger, who at once relapsed
into his fixed gaze at nothing across the
street. But presently the stranger stirred
himself again.
at may rain long time" said he; II am
cold, and observe that you trembIe. Let
US step inside and get drink"
| He opened the door and Carrfnger fol-
lowed, hope beginning to get warm hand
| upon his heart The pale stranger led the
way into one of the little private booths
| with which the place was provided Before
sitting down, he put his hand into his
! pocket and drew forth roll of bank bills.
you are younger than l." he said :
won't you go to the bar and buy bottle
of absinthe and bring pitcher of water
and some glasses9 | don't like for the
walters to come around. Here is a $40
| bill"
Carringer took the bill and started down
through the corridor toward the bar. He
! clutched the money tightly in his palm: it
| felt warm and comfortable, and sent de
licious tingling through his arm. How many
| glorious not meals did that bill represent
| He clutched it tighter and hesitated. He
| thought he smelled a broiled steak, With fat
| little mushrooms and melted butter, in the
steaming dish. He stopped and looked
back toward the door Of the booth. He saw
that the stranger had closed it. He could
pass it, slip out the door, aud buy something
to eat. He turned and started, but the cow
ard in him there are other names for this
tripped his resolution; so he went straight
to the bar and made the desired purchase
This was so unusual that the man who
| served him looked sharply at him.
"Ain't goin' to drink all o. that, are
youa" he asked.
~ have friends in the box" replied Car
ringer, land we want to drink quietly and
AJuOuO w . arc III NO. e..
20! beg pardon. That's all right" said
the man.
Carringers step was very much stronger
ard steadier as he returned with the LIQUOR
He opened the doors of the booth. The
| stranger sat on the side Of the little table,
| staring at the opposite wall just as be had
stared across the street. He wore a wide
brimmed, sloucb hat, drawn we'll down. IL
was only after Carringer had set the bot
tie, pitcher and glasses on the table, & ID
| seated himself opposite the stranger and
within his range OF vision, that the pale
man noticed him.
"Ol you have brought iti How kind of
| you'll Now please lock the door,
Carringer had slipped the change into his
pocket, aud was in the act Of bringing 1t
out, when the stranger said:
keep the change. You will need it, for
| am going to get it back i'll a way that may
interest YOU. Let US drink, and then will
explain"
The pale man mixed two drinks of alb
siuthe and water and the two drank. Car
ringer, unsophisticated, had never tasted
the liquor before, and be found it hard and
offensive; but 10 sooner had it reached his
stomach than it hegan TO warm him and
send the most delicious thrill through his
frame He had heard of the absinthe drink
ers of Paris, and he wondered no longer al
he deadly fascination which the liquor
throws out It's victim-not realizing that
his extreme weakness and the emptiness of
his stomach made him peculiarly suscepti-