The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1902-12-25

never cut out a child's garment. Other
employments offered in abundance,
for a winsome woman who was not
too particular could command any
salary In those wild days. But
vowed | would never bring a slur on
my fathers name; | might starve, but
would not follow Ned downhill.
Yet l climbed down my own fash
ION from the Union hotel to a cheap
and nasty North Beach boarding
house; then one day, passing along,
saw this place with its little cottage
and fancled the attic.
The good German landlady shook
her head and said it would not suit
Ge, but ! declared that | wanted
sketehing opportunities and that the
view of Aloatraz and Marin county
was delightful. So here | settled, and
with what fineries and knicknacks
lad brought from the old home. Not
a stick of furniture did | possess; l
slept on boxes, turned dresses into
draperies, drank toast water out of
Seyres cups, and had one companion
to cheer me, the slip of English holly
| had struck from our old hedge and
which nourished In its pot through
my wanderings. | found occupation,
too; the place was only untidy waste
ground where they hung out washing
and spread fshing-nets. but when
they knew that | loved gardening
fence was run up for me and | sowed
the seeds which were to have glad
dened Ned's eyes. They blossomed as
things do in California, their sweet
faces laughed comfort into mine, and
one day they saved my life.
had sold jewelry, Seyres cups,
pretty dresses; had reduced my food
to minimum and was facing slow
starvation. when | suddenly remem-
bered my greatgreatgra grandmother,
the Italian flowergirl Why not turn
my floral instincts to account as she
did hers? Down | slipped to my lit
tie garden. plucked some dainty
posies and laid them beside the holly;
then shamefacedness overlook me
how could | sell flowers on the
streets? If only | had some disguise.
Suddenly my head was buried In a
trunk and ! dragged out the old wo-
mans costume i'm which | once acted
charades and had brought for Ned to
laugh at. Gray front and velvet
heaaband. gray shawl. blue spec
tacles, poke bonnet and darned gloves
they we're all there Positively it
was a joke. | donned the front,
painted in some crowsfeet, tied the
band so as to produce wrinkles and
BACKED front teeth, with all the glee
OF an amateur actor. When | went
down stairs my landady stopped me
to know what | was doing on her
premises. the best compliment my
disguise could have had. Poor soul.
she laughed and cried. and scolded
me for concealing my straits all in
breath, but she promised to keep my
secret
Well. 1t meant daily bread. for
eked out my own flowers with wild
blossoms. | wandered over the bar
ren-looking country. protected by my
old woman's attire, and the esch-
sCholtzias and other California treas
ures | brought back were a novelty in
those days. so my lunches fetched
good price, for money was freely
spent then. | knew once more the
taste of good food. and though it
sounds prosaic, | can tell you that
wholesome food. honestly earned,
helps to keep a good heart in your
body. l needed the good heart too.
| remember times when | have stood
outside the American Theater, down
on Sansome. holding out my posies to
some pretty girl, daintily dressed,
guarded from a breath Of rough air,
and the tears would gather under my
blue spectaeles; save for Ned !, too,
should still be n loved and cared-for
daughter. But there were other girls
who made my heart ache with pity.
When | glanced at their painted
faces and thought that many one
had taken to the life TO escape starva-
ton, thanked God that my fathers
daughter had been spared that
temptation,
So | made money with my posies
and a balsam ] extracted from my
sodium plants, and saved enough for
q new venture. One NIGHT | was out.
side the Alta CP'l,sr Il office pre-
siding over the - lest ee stall
that ever stot ees corner; my
snow-whte tablecieth was flower
bedecked, my cups were of old willow
pattern, the aroma of my coffee re-
minded me of my fathers table, and
was just thinking of having a good
cry over the old days when my first
customer lounged up.
gasped, choked down the tears
and turned to my coffee-pot with shak-
ing hands, for the customer was my
poor Ned In maudlin mood. Gosh,
he said, haven't seen such a sight
since left The old place; what's the
charger"
Nothing to my first customer" |
replied, trying hard to speak steadily.
you've come to bring me luck
He hesitated and stared at me.
drank his coffee gravely as though
sobered by some old memory, and
took off his shabby hat with the ges-
ture | remembered SO well. Pm not
the sort that brings luck. mother"
he said. gently, but | wish it all the
same, and thank you kindly"
But the fame of my coffee spread