elf went out to California, childless
and almost penniless, to begin life anew.

"We began in a very humble way indeed. As he was familiar with
hotel business he got a place as bar-tender in a San Francisco
hotel; and soon afterward I got a place in the same house, to
look after and keep in repair the bed and table linen. And we
lodged in the hotel, in a small attic chamber, and took our meals
in the pantry.

"But we were both utterly broken down in mind and body, as well
as in estate.

"He soon sank into a consumption and had to give up his place. I
hired a room in a small house and took him to it. I still
retained my place at the hotel, because my salary there was the
only support we had. But I lived there no longer. I used to go in
the morning, make the daily inspection of the linen, and bring
home what needed mending; and working all the afternoon and half
the night at my husband's bedside.

"But rent and food and fuel, physic and physicians' fees were
very costly in San Francisco. And with all my work I fell deeper
and deeper into debt.

"At length my poor husband died. And it took the proceeds of the
sale of all our little personal effects to pay for the humblest
sort of funeral.

"And I was left entirely destitute. Then my courage gave way. I
wept myself so blind that I could no longer mend the linen at
the hotel, or even see whether it wanted mending. Then I fell
sick with sorrow and had to be taken to the hospital.

"At the end of three months I was dismissed. But where could I
go? What could I do, broken in health and nearly blind as I was?

"I must have perished then and there but for the timely
assistance of a young gold-digger who happened to hear about me
when he came up to the city from his distant mining-camp.

"He was a very queer young man, whom his few friends called crazy
on account of his lonely and ascetic manner of life, and his
lavish liberality.

"He sought me out to relieve my wants. And upon my telling him
that all I wanted was to go home to die, he bought me a whole
state-room to myself in the first cabin of the 'Golden City,'
bound from San Francisco to New York. And then he bought me an
outfit in clothing, good enough for a duke's widow. And he gave
me a sum of money besides, and started me fairly and comfortably
on my voyage.

"I reached New York thr