The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-06-17
Select Sturp.
THEPALE DICE-THROWER
W. c. Morrow in San Francisco Arsonaut.

W. G. Morrow in San Francisco ATgonaut.
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, a young man of un-
commonly high spirit, who found himself
a total stranger in San Francisco upon a
rainy evening in November. There re-
mained in his possession not "a thing that
he might have pawned for morsel to
eat; and even as it was, he had stripped
his body of all articles of clothing except
those which remaining sense of decency
compelled him to retain. Hence it was
that cold assailed him and conspired with
hunger to complete his misery. Having
been brought into the world and reared a
gentleman, he lacked the courage to beg
and the knowledge to steal. This means
to say that he had finely constituted or
ganization, sensitive and proud to the last
degree, and accordingly altogether out of
place in the world. Had not an extraor-
dinary thing occurred to him, he either
would have drowned himself in the bay
within "A hours or died of pneumonia
in three days. For he had been seventy
hours without food, and his mental des-
peration had driven him far in its race
with his physical needs to consume the
strength within him so that now, pale,
weak, and tottering, he took what comfort
he could find in the savory odors which
came steaming up from the basement
kitchens of the restaurants 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 fate-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 hun
ger which consumed him, and of food that
could give him warmth and happiness.
When he had arrived at Mason Street,
he saw restaurant little way up that
thoroughfare, and for that he headed,
crossing the street diagonally. He stopped
before the window and ogled the steaks,
thick and lined with fat big oysters ly-
ing on ice; slices of ham as large as his
hat; whole roasted chickens, brown and
juicy; and many other things. He ground
his teeth, groaned and staggered on.
A few steps beyond was drinking
saloon, which had private door at one
side, with the words "Fam;ly Entrance"
painted thereon. In the recess of the
door (which was closed stood a man. In
spite of his agony, Carringer saw some
thing in this 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 Hn-
speakable anguish of it that struck Carrin-
gers sympathies. The young man came
to an uncertain halt and stared at the
stranger. At first he was unseen, for the
stranger looked straight out into the street
with singular fixity, and the death-like
pallor of his face added weirdness to the
immobility 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 nVercnat or umbrella. Stand in
this dporway-there is room for two.
The voice was not unkind, though it
had an alarming hardness. 1t was the
first word that had been addressed to the
sufferer since hunger had made him VIC
tim, and to be spoken to at all, and have
his comfort considered 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 pres
emily the stranger stirred himself again.
at may rain long time, said he; 81
am cold, and 1 observe that you tremble.
Let us step inside and get drink.
He opened the door and Carringer sol-
lowed, hope beginning to get warm hard
upon his heart. The pale stranger led the
way into one of tho little private booths
with which the place was provided. Be-
fore sitting down, he put his hand into his
pocket and drew forth a roll Of bank-bills
'You are younger than |, he said;
''won't you go to the bar and buy bottle
of absinthe and bring pitcher Of water
and some glasses l don't ike for the
walters to come around Here is a TWEEN
ty-dollar bill
Carringer took the bill and started down