The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1902-12-25
"A "Reminiscences of
Christmas in Frisco


"oh. dear. hope they won't cut
down the holly tree said the little
old woman.
1T would be a shame" / answered
dreamly, gazing at the plat at the
North Beach water front where TO
LET signs had caught my eye. A
broken fence and a tumble-down
wharf, a crop of weeds and three tot
tering walls marked some former
home; an English holly tree. dark.
glistening and prielzly, oyer-shadow-
ed the weeds.
Yes" | repeated with an unac-
countable SILVER ut would be a
shame-the first English holly tree
have seen growing in San Fran
cisco"
SHANE" she cried petulantly. 1T
would be n crime. Why | planted 1t
myself one Christmas long ago"
you did?"
| turned to look at her; an exceed
ingly gray little body; gray as 10
alpaca dress and worn shawl; gray
as to bonnet and hair: gray even to
hAR AhN' AAAeAA 81 ait11 idAR WIN AhAAA
expression as of two souls looking
from troubled eyes.
She nodded her head. Yes. buried
myself beneath it,"
oh | cried cheerfully, ARE you
somebody's ghost?'
And she made answer sharply
How can l be anybody's ghost but
my own?"
Then / spoke softly. Tell me your
story and l will put it in the papers"
She edged away and scanned me
doubtfully. Would that help to save
my holly tree?"
OF course It would the papers
can do anything
She hesitated glanced nervously
around, then with a quaver in her
voice: We'll. it's a bargain, and |
suppose | had better begin at once.
Fifty years ago"
"o-o-o-o-o-o-h. only fifty?"
Fifty years is good age In a
young country" she snapped.
Fifty years ago | gave up a good
home To run after a mans shadow I;
girls were romantic fools in those
days and | wasn't going to turn my
back on the boy who got into trouble
on my account
What had he done?
Forgery. Signed my own fathers
name, which was the awkward part
of 1t. Father would not prosecute for
my sake and that of the family, but
Ned was shipped off to California
with strict orders never to show his
face in Boston again. and | was told
not TO think of him. OF course this
set me thinking of him every day of
life. When he went away he had my
promise and he knew | would keep It.
But Jacob and Rachaels love affair
was nothing to ours; posts from Cali
fornia were few; | was closely watch
ed and l heard never a word Yet
waited and believed. and when my
twenty-nrst birthday came at last
realized the little sum left me by my
mother, ! made my preparations. l
CHANGED a letter. telling what ship
was coming by, quarreed with my
father, though we loved each other
dearly and started off to face hard
ships with Ned. Dear OLD Ned. VINO
had been my slave from the days
when he stole cherries for me and
got whipped for his pains, to those lat
ter days when he stole gold, hoping to
make enough money to win mel Let
ter or no letter. his instinct would
bring him down TO the wharf, license
and ring in his pocket, the very hour
we touched California.
Neds instinct did nothing of the
kind. How my heart beat that morn
Ing when we passed through the Gold.
Ell Gate and | noted the watchers up
by the station OF Telegraph Hill
IEere were many eager to welcome
the Flying Fish, which had made her
record trip of ninety eight days, and
NED was sure to be among them.
But alas! on reaching the wharf
saw no familiar face among the poly
glot crowd. Hours | waited, till
al last, in despair. sailed forth to
seek lodgings. II was a dull day, the
harbor looked muddy, the quays were
slushy, hotels and boarding-houses
seemed alike, uninviting-all romance
mad vanished with Ned's disappear
anee; 1t was a miserable position for
an inexperienced girl. ! was picking
my way down brawling street-Pa-
eihc, think-when a woman in taw-
dry fnery jostled me and laughed
eoarsely. Look alive, Joe," she said,
laying red hand on the greasy coat
OF the man ahead Of her; stir your
stumps and make room for the quail
ity."
| shrank away, while the man turn
ed round stupidity; our eyes met. | re-
coiled with a cry; he stared, while a
gray tint crept over his face. flushed
with drink. Then he caught the wo-
mans arm and disappeared.
None ever knew OF my misery, for
| had inherited my fathers obstinaey.
For week | battled with physical de-
PRESTON, then | reused and faced the
situation. | must earn money, for |
mad spent freely, and there was no
nome with Ned for me now. But
had read heaps of novels in which
sHls made fortunes and | thought
money-gettlng an easy task. soon
discovered my mistake. Goyernesses
were not in request, newspapers pre-