Year: 1872

The Root of All Evil.


To the mining settlement of White
Pine, in Nevada, there came lately a
most miserable looking old man, hag-
gard, footsore, and in rags, who, en-
tering restaurant, demanded food
for humanity's sake. Arrived on foot
from distant Eureka, he was too worn
and weak to go onward to Phoebe
f:isting as at first inclined. He had
not one penny to pay for a meal, and
could not ask for it on credit, as he
had no heart to seek money; but if
they chose to give him somewhat to
eat in simple charity, it would save
him from starvation. The kind keeper
OF the restaurant had scarcely respon-
ded iii humane terms to the piteous
appeal, when one of the patrons of
the place stepped forward with the
remark that he recognized an old
friend in the forlorn petitioner, and
would be responsible gladly for all
that he might choose to call for. At
this sudden interpOsition the old man
looked up at the speaker, nodded
grayely and, without word, took his
seat at a table upon which a waiter
had already served some food for him.
As silently he ate, paying no heed to
any one and, at the conclusion of the
repast, left the place and resumed his
weary journey. ''Poor old boy" COM
mented The rtstaifTaRt keeper, draw
ing long breath. g Yes, Il complete
wreck; no heart left for anything"
said the man who paid for the silent
meal. used to know him in Wall
street, New York, years ago." This
very naturally was the beginning of a
sketch of the departed wayflrer's per-
sonal history by his former friend, as
reported to the following effect by the
White Pine Ners


In those years ago the present hag-
gard, silent and penniless tramp
from Eureka was a speculative char
acter i'll Wall street, Il boartler at the
Astor House, and one of those social
puzzles of which exact pecuniary So
lutiOns seem impossible. Whether he
was worth hundreds of thousands or
only cleared his daily livelihood not
even his closest intimates "0n the
street could tell. 1t was known that
he paid rs he went, lived well, and
associated with rich nIen. A bachelor
until middle age, he finally made the
acquaintance I'm society of an English
widow with two daughters, about
whose financial condition there was
little more definitely known than of
his own. At any rate, after a brief
and formal courtship, and Il very quiet
the brides ultimate discovery of the
comparative poverty Of her new lord
had left him prospect of but little
harmony in his matrimonial career.
The truth was, that, while perceiying
the widows mercenary motives from
the first OF their acquaintance, he had
been too much in love himself to dare
revelation of his real circumstances
in life, and had allowed the lady to
marry him under the delusiOn that
she was securing a fortune for herself
and children. When obliged to con-
fess the truth at last, he met the en-
suing storm Of reproach by declaring
that, if forgiven his temporary decep-
tion, he would pledge his honor to
become rich man within so many
years, provided his wife would con-
sent to accompany him to California.
The condition was accepted, and the
family journeyed to San Francisco.
That was in 1862 OF '63, when the ex-
citement over the WashOe mines was
mt its height, and the ex-speeulator
of Wall street was among the first to
invest in the new fields. Taking with
him what money he had been able to
bring from the East, he went to Wa
shoe, and was one of the earliest OPP
orators in the famous Comstock and
other rich ''lodes" Fortune favored
him munifcently: In nine months
time he was the possessor OF $500, 600
In golden cash. With this sum he re-


turned triumphantly to San Francisco
but only to hasten back again for u
further harvest after having placed
three-fourths of the sum uncendition


ally in his wife's hands. Tariying in
Virginia City where he could now
transact his mining business with
more leisure than at first, he was al
ready contemplating permanent res
toration to the woman whom he had
endowed with rich husband at last,
when brief letter from that matron
changed all the eolors of his unhappy
| life. The epistle had been written on