The San Francisco call., 1898-05-22

X was cOld, StOIIliy Ll6Ht. we Seal
 close by a blazing fire trying to drive away the homesick feeling
 which would creep into our hearts. A My maiden grandaunt Sister Kate and myself were on short visit to my uncle and his wife in San Francisco, but they were necessarily called away for the evening, so we were left to the tender merc1es or our own thoughts and society.
 We were aroused by the ringing of the bell and I reluctantly left my com fortable seat to answer 1t. Aunt Ho- nora and Kate stood a little way back in the hallway in view Of the door, to come to my rescue in case some des- perate character should make his en- trance knowing the absence of the male element of the household. All things were possible in a large city, and. besides, we had heard that large numbers of tramps visited San Fran cisco during the winter months.
 Please, Miss" said very humble voice, which brought Uriah Heep to my mind, "kin yer do a httle sonethln for poor man?"
 Here my aunt and sister appeared. He told us he was subject to rheuma- tism. and showed us his fingers, which looked remarkably stiff. One of his lower limbs was affected in like man. her, which made him use it with pe- .culiar swing. Poor fellow
 He was very anxious to do little work so as to help some in the support of his wife and numerous children lie had lost his situation through illness.
 Kate asked if he wouldn't like to go into the country. She knew further needed some one to do the little odds about the farm. But the man thought the climate wouldn't agree with him, and then he couldn't bring himself to I,i fo only thing left him in the world. We all sympa- thized with him, and Kate felt asham- ed for having asked him such thlns.
 Aunt Honora invited MT. Poor Man in She left us to entertain him While she went to the kitchen to prepare something hot. Dear, sweet Aunt Ho- nora. Always ready with sympathy and a helping hand.
 Kate and | took our visitor upstairs to try on a pair of uncle's shoes, his own were so worn out. He admired various costly articles which were scattered about the room. Nothing seemed to escape him. Kate and l felt ciative in his nature which made him feel the value of what he saw. l thought I heard him say "Oh, Solomon, that's a corkeri" to a handsome pen knife that lay on the table, but Kate did not hear any such comment, and she thought, when we talked IL over afterward, that I must have been mis- taken, because he seemed such a gen. tlemanly fellow, and such an expres- sion was beneath him.
 Having found a pair of shoes which fitted him, we went downstairs to the dining-room, where my aunt had a nice warm supper spread.
 He just ate and ate and ate, and how he did enjoy everything He was very confidential and told us all his trou- bles-and how many he did have!
 Aunt Honora gave him some money. He was very, very thankful, and in his humble way said, as he took his de- parture:
 May God keep yer well an happy, ladies. and bless yer with good hus- bands"
 We were all very much affected, but Aunt Honora was particularly touched, and told him to call again whenever he was in trouble, and gave him an extra dollar.
 Everything was quiet and peaceful, apparently, and after a time We slept soundly as healthy people are wont to do. Suddenly it seemed as if a great earthquake shook the house. The shrill screams of my Aunt Susan which were very shrill indeed-mingled with the loud, deep voices of men awoke us from our slumbers. Kate