Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-11

blue eyes had contracted into suggestive
black points. EFF you'll let me in at that
winder, young feilers." he said with equal
gravity, TN show yer how kin make yer
small enough to go in a box without
crampin'! But 1 only wanted to know
where Jim Foster lived"
At which the first clerk became perfume
tory again, but civil. "a letter left in his
box would get you that information" he
said, "ard here's paper and pencil to write
it now"
Uncle Billy took the paper and began to
write: Just got here Come and see me
at -" He paused. A brilliant idea mad
struck him: he could impress both his old
partner and the upstairs at the window
he would put in the name of the latest
swell hotel of San Francisco-said to be
a fairy dream of opulence. He added THE
Oriental" and without folding the paper
showed it In the window. Don't you want
an envelope?" asked the clerk. Put q
stamp on the corner of it," responded Uncle
Billy. laying down coin. land she'll go
stamp. and Uncle Billy turned away.
But 1t was a short-lived triumph. The
disappointment at finding Uncle Jin's ad-
dress conveyed no idea of his habitat.0n
seemed TO remove him farther away, and
lose his identity in the great city. Be-
sides, he must now make good his own ad-
dress and seek rooms at the Oriental. He
went thither. The furniture and decora-
tions-even in these early days of hotel
CANT and overstrained. and Uncle Billy fell
lost and lonely in his strange surroundings
But he took d handsome suite of rooms
paid for them in advance on the spot. AMI
then, half frightened, walked out of them
to ramble vaguely through the city in the
fever1sh hope of meeting his old partner
At night his inquietude increased; he could
not face the long row of tables in the pil-
Jared dining room, filed with smartly
dressed men and women: he evaded his
bed room. with its brocaded satin chairs
ard its gilt bedstead. and fed to his mod
est lodgings at the Good Cheer House. and
appeased his hunger at It's cheap restau-
rant, in the company of retired miners and
freshly arrived eastern emigrants. Two
or three days passed thus in this quaint
double existence
Three four times q day he would enter
the gorgeous Oriental with affected ease
and carelessness. demand his key from the
hotel clerk, ask for the letter that did not
come. go to his room, gaze vaguely from
the partner he could not find, and then
return to the Good Cheer house for rest
and sustenance- On the fourth day he
received a short note from Uncle Jim: 1t
was couched in his usual sanguine but
brief and business-like style He was very
sorry. but important and profitable business
took him out Of town, but he trusted to re-
turn soon and welcome his old partner.
that Uncle Billy would not "see all the
SIGHTS" before he. Uncle Jim. returned
Disappointing as this procrastination was
to Uncle Billy CLEAN of hope irradiated
it. The letter had bridged over that gulf
which seemed to yawn between them at
the post Office. His old partner had &C.
cepted his visit to San Francisco without
question. and had alluded to a renewal of
their old intimacy. For Uncle Billy, with
all his trustful simplicity, had been tor
tured by two narrowing doubts. one
whether Uncle Jim in his new nedged
smartness as city man--such as he
saw in the streets-would care for his
rough cornpa nionship; the other whether
he. Uncle Billy. ought not to tell him at
once of his changed fortune. But, like all
weak, unreasoning men. he chung desper-
ately to a detail-he could not forego mis-
old idea Of astounding Uncle Jim by giving
! him his share Of the strike as his first
intimation OF 1t, and he doubted, with
more reason perhaps. II Jim would see
him after he had heard Of his good for
tune. For Uncle Billy had still a fright
ened recollection Of Uncle Jim's sudden
stroke for Independence, and that rigid
plnctiliousness which had made him dog
gedly accept the responsibility Of his ex.
travagant stake at euchre.
| With view Of educating himself fol-
Uncle Jim's company. he ''saw the sights''
Of San Francisco-as an oveE1foWn and
somewhat stupid child might have seer
them-with great curiosity. but little con-
tam'nation or corruption. fear he could
| hardly be called pure man, for he some
times rewarded vice rs better people never
rewarded virtue. and there are legendi
| still eYfant IN Qan Era ucSnco ~ haa HnVnpnas