The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-23

whether he would succeed of "hGst" And
when at last he had gnlped down the last
mOuthful he was roughly hustled into the
street by the vigorous proprietor TO the
accompaniment of many profane maledic-
items.
The affair paid me very we'll. | wrote a
funny story about it styled "A GaStronomic
Revenge" which went all over the country
and netted me many times over the price Oh
| the two dinners with the dollar thrown H.
| 1t was then that began to feel that had
sort of proprietary interest IN the FRENCH
man, and fell into the habit OF referring TO
him as my beggar."
/ ran across him several times after that,
and by introducing variations succeeded In
making three more fairly good stories about
| him. But the fact that he had become
| source of revenue TO me did not IN any way
| diminish the feeling Of viTtuOus Indignation
with which / continued to regard him.
! Next 10 doing somebody good turn there
| is nothing so we'll calculated to put one on
good terms with himself as indulgence IN
feeling Of virtuous indignation. never let
slip on opportunity OF letting my beggar
know what [ thought Of him.
On two occasions / came upon him when
be had succeeded in making hits with his
plausible story and was about TO receive
substantial reward. Each time my inter-
ference prevented him from getting Il, and
that afforded NE much satisfaction. IL IS
duty one owes 10 society o expose an I'M
poster. In my moments OF vlTtuous mig
nation nv conscience pricked me bit be-
cause | hadn't had him arrested and put
through the police court mill. l made
amends bv threatening him with suen pro-
ceedings several times.
As tie years went by noticed with much
satisfaction that my beggar. notwithstand-
ing the fact that he was such an accom-
plished artist did not seem TO thrive IN his
profession. Instead Of growing fat he
steadily waxed thinner. His features be-
came pinched and haggaTd looking, his
seanty gray locks became snow white; he
became stooped-shOuldered, and at last
took TO using a stick. But one thing puzzled
me about him. Instead of Sinking off
abashCd and ashamed on the occasions when
[ ran across him and treated him 10 bit of
MY MAD, he actually had the imDertinence
TO resent my remarks In language which,
though | could not understand IL because 1t
was French, | am sure was not polite More
than that. instead of quailing before my in
dgnant glance. he made me feel uncom-
Portable by steadily glazing at me with an
expression of se0rnful contempt. l came 10
the conclusion that his moral perceptions.
II he ever bad any. which ! yentuTed to
doubt, had become thoroughly perverted
through a persistent adherence TO lie OF
impOstuTe
SIX months ago I was sent to Bellevue
Hospital to find out whether a notorious
tough, who without any pT0vocatlon had
picked a quarrel in bsTroom with gentle
man who had Just arrived from Texas, was
likely 10 survive the emptyng OF the con-
tents oil a sIX-shO0ter into him.
Quite pathetic case there" said the
surgeon as We were passing through one OF
the wards after had asceTtained that the
chances were about leo 10 l against the
tough. I'VE get to be pretty callous lot.
we doctors. but that case has made US all
feel that we have still got hearts slowed
away somewhere.
He indicated with a jerk Of his thumb q
room in which was lying an old man.
could tell lie was old, although the face was
turned from ne, because his hair was thin
and white.
He came here three months ago." said
the surgeon; ''he had been knocked over
by runaway team and was badly smashed
up in a number OF places. We saw from
the first that there was no hope Tor him.
ae bad GOT SON netting knocked out or
shape inside which was bound to be the
death Of him. He has astOnlshed us all by
lasting so long, bnt it is only question Of
few DAYS now when he'll be summoned to
90 up aloft. Poor felIOwl 1 hope he will
get good berth. for he deserves it.
He was deirious for several days after
he came here" continued the surgeon, ''and
II il hadn't been for that we shouldn't never
have found out his story. He Kept raving
about son in Paris, and how willingly he
would ole il he could just see him once.
Then he would go of on another tack and
threaten dire vengeance on any one who
told what he had done TO support that son.
II was all in French, but the nurse, VINO
happened to talk French, understood him.
In the pocket Of the coat be had on when
brought In. a wretched, threadbare garment,
was found bundle Of letters from his son.
Their condition showed that he lad read
most Of them over hundreds OF times. AND
very nice, affeetOnate letters they were,
too In nearly every one thanks were re-
turned for Temittances received, and the
writer expressed gTatf,atCn that his
father was getting along so well and was so
happy and cheerful. Something was always
said, too, about hoping to meet soon, but
vet something seemed to be always turning
! m TO prevent that meeting. In the last let
ter, which the poor men had evidently re-
ceiYed only few days before tie accident.
the writer told how lie had graduated from
college with high hon0Ts, and had received
an appointment as tutor, and how he
| hoped soon TO be able 10 90 something 10
show his appreciation Of his fathers kind
ness and thai sort OF thing. Il was letter
that any father might be proud Of, and
must have gladdened the old mans heart
| The letters, and the love Tor bis sen, which
the old man showed in his delirlum was the
one feeling that noSsessed his heart, so
touched the nurse that she wrote letter 10
his son, telling him enough about his
| fathers condition TO let him know that II
! he wished to see him alive lie must lose no
| time in crossing the ocean.
But it was not until the old man had
| recovered from his delirium and heard what
| The nurse had done that we found out what
! an utter sacrifice his life had been for the
| last ten or eleven years. The thought of
| meeting his son seemed 10 fill him with joy
| unspeaka BILE, but there was load on his
| mind still. And at last he cOnfded 70 the
| nurse what 1t was. 10 France he had q
| snug little fortune, but an unfortunate in
| yestment and false friend swept il nearly
| all away. Then his wife died, and there
was left him nothing to live for but son,
who was just years old. That was eleven
! years ago. He came to New ork to begin
| life over again. determined in any event TO
| make money enough to give his boy the ed
| ueation and training OF a gentleman. But.
| without trade or profession he could get
| DO work by which be could make money
enough to support himself and his son In
| Paris. He was discharged from one place
| because his clothing was so shabby. What
| little he bad saved he had sent to Parls and
| couldn't afford 10 buy a new coat Then,
| in sheer desperation. he took TO begging.
BE found that that way he could go shabby
| and live on next TO nothing. and send nearly
all the money that was given to him to
| Paris TO pay for the education and support
| OF his darling boy. When is son grew older
| he made him believe that he had found
! congenial employment and was happy and
| prosperous. And he kept up that fiction
| year after year with heroic fOrtitude. living
| meanwhile heaven only knows how, but
sustained by the knowledge that his boy
knew nothing Of the pangs Of poverty. and
| was getting good education and training
In Paris. But what narred the joy he felt
at the thought of meeting his son was the
| fear that when be came to New York he
would find out that his father had been a
beggar
I'VE assured him bv telling him that
that knowledge should be kept from his son
at all hazards. And when the son turned
| up-a fine, handsome young fellow he Is.
too-we all entered into a conspiracy to
keep him in entire ignorance of what his
father had done 10 New York. We found
a man who in such case was willing to lie
with clear conscience and make the son
believe that he had been employing the
father all these years. He doesn't know
that this is a charity hospital. And no is