grain on the piers； when that failed he had found food here and there as
chance threw it in his way。 He had ceased to show his face in daylight；
now； for a reporter knows everybody； rich and poor； high and low； and
cannot well avoid familiar faces in the broad light of day。
This mendicant BlucherI call him that for conveniencewas a splendid
creature。 He was full of hope； pluck and philosophy； he was well read
and a man of cultivated taste； he had a bright wit and was a master of
satire； his kindliness and his generous spirit made him royal in my eyes
and changed his curb…stone seat to a throne and his damaged hat to a
crown。
He had an adventure； once； which sticks fast in my memory as the most
pleasantly grotesque that ever touched my sympathies。 He had been
without a penny for two months。 He had shirked about obscure streets；
among friendly dim lights； till the thing had become second nature to
him。 But at last he was driven abroad in daylight。 The cause was
sufficient； he had not tasted food for forty…eight hours； and he could
not endure the misery of his hunger in idle hiding。 He came along a back
street； glowering at the loaves in bake…shop windows； and feeling that he
could trade his life away for a morsel to eat。 The sight of the bread
doubled his hunger； but it was good to look at it； any how； and imagine
what one might do if one only had it。
Presently； in the middle of the street he saw a shining spotlooked
againdid not； and could not； believe his eyesturned away； to try
them； then looked again。 It was a verityno vain； hunger…inspired
delusionit was a silver dime！
He snatched itgloated over it； doubted itbit itfound it genuine
choked his heart down； and smothered a halleluiah。 Then he looked
aroundsaw that nobody was looking at himthrew the dime down where it
was beforewalked away a few steps； and approached again； pretending he
did not know it was there； so that he could re…enjoy the luxury of
finding it。 He walked around it； viewing it from different points； then
sauntered about with his hands in his pockets； looking up at the signs
and now and then glancing at it and feeling the old thrill again。
Finally he took it up； and went away； fondling it in his pocket。 He
idled through unfrequented streets； stopping in doorways and corners to
take it out and look at it。 By and by he went home to his lodgingsan
empty queens…ware hogshead；and employed himself till night trying to
make up his mind what to buy with it。 But it was hard to do。 To get the
most for it was the idea。 He knew that at the Miner's Restaurant he
could get a plate of beans and a piece of bread for ten cents； or a fish…
ball and some few trifles； but they gave 〃no bread with one fish…ball〃
there。 At French Pete's he could get a veal cutlet； plain； and some
radishes and bread； for ten cents； or a cup of coffeea pint at least
and a slice of bread； but the slice was not thick enough by the eighth of
an inch； and sometimes they were still more criminal than that in the
cutting of it。 At seven o'clock his hunger was wolfish； and still his
mind was not made up。 He turned out and went up Merchant street； still
ciphering； and chewing a bit of stick； as is the way of starving men。
He passed before the lights of Martin's restaurant； the most aristocratic
in the city； and stopped。 It was a place where he had often dined； in
better days； and Martin knew him well。 Standing aside； just out of the
range of the light； he worshiped the quails and steaks in the show
window； and imagined that may be the fairy times were not gone yet and
some prince in disguise would come along presently and tell him to go in
there and take whatever he wanted。 He chewed his stick with a hungry
interest as he warmed to his subject。 Just at this juncture he was
conscious of some one at his side； sure enough； and then a finger touched
his arm。 He looked up； over his shoulder； and saw an apparitiona very
allegory of Hunger！ It was a man six feet high； gaunt； unshaven； hung
with rags； with a haggard face and sunken cheeks； and eyes that pleaded
piteously。 This phantom said：
〃Come with meplease。〃
He locked his arm in Blucher's and walked up the street to where the
passengers were few and the light not strong； and then facing about； put
out his hands in a beseeching way； and said：
〃Friendstrangerlook at me！ Life is easy to youyou go about； placid
and content； as I did once； in my dayyou have been in there； and eaten
your sumptuous supper； and picked your teeth； and hummed your tune； and
thought your pleasant thoughts； and said to yourself it is a good world
but you've never suffered！ You don't know what trouble isyou don't
know what misery isnor hunger！ Look at me！ Stranger have pity on a
poor friendless； homeless dog！ As God is my judge； I have not tasted
food for eight and forty hours！look in my eyes and see if I lie！ Give
me the least trifle in the world to keep me from starvinganything
twenty…five cents！ Do it； strangerdo it； please。 It will be nothing
to you； but life to me。 Do it； and I will go down on my knees and lick
the dust before you！ I will kiss your footprintsI will worship the
very ground you walk on！ Only twenty…five cents！ I am famishing
perishingstarving by inches！ For God's sake don't desert me！〃
Blucher was bewilderedand touched； toostirred to the depths。 He
reflected。 Thought again。 Then an idea struck him； and he said：
〃Come with me。〃
He took the outcast's arm； walked him down to Martin's restaurant； seated
him at a marble table； placed the bill of fare before him； and said：
〃Order what you want； friend。 Charge it to me； Mr。 Martin。〃
〃All right； Mr。 Blucher；〃 said Martin。
Then Blucher stepped back and leaned against the counter and watched the
man stow away cargo after cargo of buckwheat cakes at seventy…five cents
a plate； cup after cup of coffee； and porter house steaks worth two
dollars apiece； and when six dollars and a half's worth of destruction
had been accomplished； and the stranger's hunger appeased； Blucher went
down to French Pete's； bought a veal cutlet plain； a slice of bread； and
three radishes； with his dime； and set to and feasted like a king！
Take the episode all around； it was as odd as any that can be culled from
the myriad curiosities of Californian life； perhaps。
CHAPTER LX。
By and by； an old friend of mine； a miner； came down from one of the
decayed mining camps of Tuolumne； California； and I went back with him。
We lived in a small cabin on a verdant hillside； and there were not five
other cabins in view over the wide expanse of hill and forest。 Yet a
flourishing city of two or three thousand population had occupied this
grassy dead solitude during the flush times of twelve or fifteen years
before； and where our cabin stood had once been the heart of the teeming
hive； the centre of the city。 When the mines gave out the town fell into
decay； and in a few years wholly disappearedstreets； dwellings； shops；
everythingand left no sign。 The grassy slopes were as green and smooth
and desolate of life as if they had never been disturbed。 The mere
handful of miners still remaining； had seen the town spring up spread；
grow and flourish in its pride； and they had seen it sicken and die； and
pass away like a dream。 With it their hopes had died； and their zest of
life。 They had long ago resigned themselves to their exile； and ceased
to correspond with their distant friends or turn longing eyes toward
their early homes。 They had accepted banishment； forgotten the world and
been forgotten of the world。 They were far from telegraphs and
railroads； and they stood； as it were； in a living grave； dead to the
events that stirred the globe's great populations； dead to the common
interests of men； isolated and outcast from brotherhood with their kind。
It was the most singular； and almost the most touching and melancholy
exile that fancy can imagine。One of my associates in this locality； for
two or three months； was a man who had had a university education； but
now for eighteen years he had decayed there by inches； a bearded； rough…
clad； clay…stained miner； and at times； among his sighings and
soliloquizings； he unconsciously interjected vaguely remembered Latin and
Greek sentencesdead and musty tongues； meet vehicles for the thoughts
of one whose dreams were all of the past； whose life was a failure； a
tired man； burdened with the present； and indifferent to the future； a
man without ties； hopes； interests； waiting for rest and the end。
In that one little corner of California is found a species of mining
which is seldom or never mentioned in print。 It is called 〃pocket
mining〃 and I am not aware that any of it is done outside of that little
corner。 The gold is not evenly distributed through the surface dirt； as
in ordinary placer mines； but is collected in little spots； and they are
very wide apart and exceedingly hard to find； but when you do find one
you reap a rich and sudden harvest。 There are not now more than twenty
pocket miners in that entire little region。 I think I know every one of
them personally。 I have known one of them to hunt patiently about the