An American Hobo in Europe

stands containing fruit that made our teeth water; oyster-houses, lodging-houses-in fact there was everything there to make a fellow feel right at home. 'Frisco is all right and every

st anything, hardly; any and every kind of fish is there; meats are wonderful to behold, and not dear; and say, it's an all-around paradise, sure enough. Every kind of people ca

Californian than a dime to an Easterner. He will let it go quicker and think less of it. If he goes into a restaurant or saloon and buys a drink or meal which does not suit him, he pays the price and makes no kick, but don't go there again. He don't believe in kicking. He was not brought up that way. He will lose his money at the races and try his luck again. "Better luck next time," says he, and his friends to him. He will take his girl out and blow in his money for her on the very best of everything. The best theater, the best wine supper are none too good for his girl. What if he does go broke, there's plenty more money to be had. Money is no object to a 'Friscoite. Billy and I weren't in 'Frisco long before we got onto these things. Californians are sociable and will talk to anyone. Billy concluded to live and die there, the place suited him so well. Work was plentiful, wages were high, and the working hours few. Billy said it beat the old country all hollow. Ha'-pennies o

tton chops; Billy wanted tea and I wanted coffee. Each of us had a bowl of mush first, then potatoes, bread and butter, hot cakes, tea or coffee, and meat. More than we could eat was put before us and I had a horse-like appetite. Billy was a little off his feed. The meal was as good as it was

front to see what we could see. While strolling along the street facing the wharves, we were passing a clothing store when a Hebrew gentl

ghty fine clothes inside an

today," said I, as

ebrew gentleman; "come in and take

said, "What's the harm? Let's

sly, but we knew the old Jew c

you wear?" ask

"I didn't come in to

te, "I got some clothes here that will

g-piles, calling out to Jakie in a back room to come forth and assist. Jakie appeared, and seemed a husky chap

I've got a fine suit here. Dey'll make you look

Billy could examine them, but aft

claimed the old gent; "w

y that kind of cl

ike gray bl

e?" asked the Hebrew,

t know," an

ut he brought forth anothe

e; you kin wear 'em fo

the clothes, bu

ou'll see they'll fid you

id Billy, quietly; "I don't like '

hink you want to buy no clothes at all; you couldn't get a finer suit of clothes i

ut I don't like the cut of

t like de

his noddle that Billy wasn't going to bu

you dirty tramp. Get out o

better of it than to tackle us. The young feller hadn't said a word, but the old man was mad clear through. If he had been younger I would have swiped him one just for luck. We got out of the

idn't he, whether I wante

iven him a kick in the rump and skipp

a row. We might have got in

the second story is an extensive horticultural exhibit, where are displayed the products of California; there are the offices of various railroad and other officials, there, too. To take a train on any railroad one must cross the bay on a ferry-boat. Each railroad line has its own line of ferry-boats and slips. One li

nce between Stockton and 'Frisco by water is about one hundred miles, yet the fare is only fifty cents. There are sleeping berths aboard, if one cares to use them, at fifty cents each, and meals may be had for twenty-

ssels dock, and 'Frisco today is the greatest whaling port in America, we were told. There was one whaling vessel there at the time, but she didn't look good to us. She was short, squat, black and grimy, and smelled loudly of oil. Billy and I concluded we wouldn't care to sail in such a ship for a hundred dollars per month. Near by was a long uncovered wharf which extended quite a way out into the water. At either side of it were moored big deep-sea going vessels. One was

we moved on and went into some of the side streets. They were full of saloons, some of which were fitted up very handsomely with plate-glass, fine woodwork, marble floors and elaborate bars with free lunch counter. Other saloons were mere groggeries in which we could see and hear sailor

ed on either side by wholesale and retail commercial establishments, high-toned saloons and restaurants.

a great deal about the Golden Gate Park, the Cliff House, the Seal Rocks and the Sutro Bat

we wanted to se

apidly and revealed to us a great deal of Golden Gate Park, and further on lofty tree-covered hills, bare sand hills, and a very extensive public building of some sort which was perched on a tree clad hillside, and then it skimmed along parallel with the ocean. We saw no ships on the ocean, but it was a grand sight nevertheless. We rushed by a life-saving station at railroad speed, which we regretted, for we should

and then up a hill leading to the Cliff House. The views along this road were fine. We came to the Cliff House and saw it was noth

n we get in there, W

I. "We'll go in and if they t

; let's try our

invited us to sit down and have something. We were not hungry or thirsty just then, so we kept a-walking, and through an open window facing the s

large as life, sure enough,

said he, with a face full of astonishment. "I

let, a few were bellowing, and the whole place seemed covered with them. A wonderful sight it was

e seen, Billy," said I; "w

tures. A lovely spot indeed, it was. It was built by Mr. Adolph Sutro, a millionaire. It was free to all. We walked in the gardens until we grew tired, and then sat down and contemplated the ocean. Afterward we strolled toward Golden Gate Park and inspected it. It was close by and we found it a very extensive one. It seemed endless, indeed, to us, for long before we reached an entrance where we could take a car, we were dead tired. We too

k of 'Frisco, Win

lly. Believe I'll ca

e I like better. I think a fellow can ge

," said I. "Where'll

bout Chiney town. S

! Let's ta

hing goods stores, butcher shops, cigar manufacturing establishments, restaurants (chop suey), temples, theaters, opium joints in back alleys and basements, street venders who sold fruits, street cobblers, open air fortune tellers, newspapers, bookbinderies, vegetable stores, and not a few high-class curio establishments. Any number of Chinese children were noisily playing in the streets, Chinese women were walking about the streets and all over the quarter was an oriental atmosphere. It made us feel mighty foreign-like. Billy wanted to know whether he was in Asia or America

nterested in it all. It was better than a circus

and kept a-tossing and a-rolling. He kept this up so long that finally I got huffy and asked him what the trouble was. He kept quiet for a wh

and see what's in t

ape to a safe shelter. We both went for them bodily, but they were too swift for us. We did a pile of cussing and swearing just then, but the fleas were probably laughing at us from some safe

d me his bare white skin, which was all ea

g to do about it,

rin and bear it, of course; what else ca

ss and scratch. The 'Frisco fleas sure are lively, and the best way to catch them is to

almy and sunny. We arose, dressed,

ked Billy, after we emerged from a restaurant a

ponded I. "Suppose we

of 'Frisco yet. Suppose we take a stroll up Marke

we leisurely strolled, takin

nearly so wide as Market Street. It wasn't high-toned like Market Street, nor were the buildings on it of a high class, for they were mostly of frame, one and two stories in height. The ground floors of these buildings were used as stores and the upper portions as dwellings. Fruit, fish and vegetable stores abounded, and saloons were more than numerous. The size and varieties of the fruit, fish and vegetables in the stores pleased the eye. Fine crabs and clams were there, but the California oysters seemed small. We stepped into a saloon called "The Whale," where a fine free lunch was set out on a side table. There were huge dishes of cheese on the table, tripe, various kinds of sausage sliced up thin, pickled

ite according to your thirs

e sign, the place did a roaring trade, for the

l of them were broad, but a few were narrow, such as Stevenson, Jessie, Minna, Natoma, Tehama, etc., being hardly more than alleys. This was the poorer resid

e railroad depot the distance is a mile or more. But we were not tired, so on we kept. Fourth Street was about like Third Street, and afforded many interesting sights. Billy and me liked everything we saw. When we finally reached Market Street again we crossed it and took in another quarter of the city. Where we had been was called south of Market; so this must be north of Market. We didn't like it half as well as we did south of Market. Here were pretentious shops and restaurants, and a fine class of dwellings, but even here the buildings were all of wood and hardly two were alike. In this quarter is located what is called "The Tenderloin," which means gambling joints, fast houses and the like. We, being st

t; a ten-cent show or

Chinatown last night, and can do it again

ctures, a vaudeville play, negro act, monologue speaker and an acrobatic act. The performance lasted about two hours. The negro act made Billy laugh until he nearly grew sick, and we both enjoyed ourselves hugely. One singer, an Australian gentleman,

or us to look for work. I struck a job as helper in a foundry the very next day, but Billy was not so fortunate. He did not find a job for several days. Of co

e of and clean the glassware and silverware. The job was an easy one, with the pay fairly good. Billy said it was like getting money from home. He worked from seven o'clock in the morning until eight at nig

drink these things. No one molested them so long as they did their work, for the cast-off victuals would have gone into the swill-barrel, anyway. Billy was in clover and ha

chinning, I remarked to Billy: "Say, Billy, you have told me

, Billy," said I. "I've always had a notion that I'd like to see the old c

d Billy, "the old country is di

what

earn as much there in a week as you can here in a day. And the ways of peop

way in the old country,

t place there are no railroad trains running across to Europe,

ss it; can't I rid

cost you lots of money, and w

ing it or getting a job on a

ompanies hire their help on the other

you are giving

ly responded Billy; "i

d just t

my way when I get acro

r thing, there are no brake-beams on the other side, no blind baggage and no bumpers, so where are you going to ride? And another thing, too; the railway cars over there are total

ing to hear yourself talk," sai

hat the ways of the people are di

egin to explain it all to y

er there, don't they?

e is different from yours and so are their ways. Their

re to run for office. They must be a queer lot on th

y are just different, that is all. We will supp

hers, of cours

You are on your own ground and know the country and the ways of the people. You'd have a hard time o

me. Let me tell you something else, Billy, that I haven't told you before. I intend to

nded Billy; "what are you going to

in a book," cal

erstand and cannot, and then when the full force of my revelation struck him he

y?" asked I, grinning, for

book? Say, Windy, I've been traveling with you a long while

u are, Billy," said I in

d Billy, still laughing. "Do you know anyth

omposition when I was at school, but I alway

ow could you write a book if you

y, but I guess the pr

or doing that sort of thi

ded I, angrily; "that's wh

ay, Windy, you're clean off. Be

y retorted I; "am I the firs

st, nor the last damn

lood-and-thunder novels will you, that are turned out every year by the hundred. Not a word in them is true, yet lots of people read them. Why? Because they like them. See what kids read, will you? All about cowboys, Indians, scalping, buffalo hunting, the Wild West, etc. After the kids read such

-," irreverent

ess, Billy;

wered Billy; "well, let's h

the life of the J

r did? Who

he most interesting one I ever read. It was all facts, solid facts,

the Jam

amus; about what I se

out the old country, Windy, and some of these writers were English

Haven't I got as good a right

the book printed who's going to sell

to print what I write, a

e sale of the book?" asked Bill

'll go snucks. He gets half for printi

you'll have a sweet time of it find

k that would be

ances and you're taking none. He puts

e and a

f into a spasm; "well, you've got lots of t

, considerably nettled; "it t

does," said Bi

think I ain

, but you'll ha

discussed this matter long e

rk, Billy and me took a stroll as usual through Chinatown, and every time we went through it we found something new to see. The streets were always thronged with celestials and sightseers, the stores of the Chinese and Japanese were all lit up, the queer goods in the windows still riveted our attention and the ways of the orientals

denly Billy banteringly remarked: "By the way, Windy, when a

Billy; haven'

ith all the money you make

ng to write the book just the s

money. I suppose you'll buy a mansion on Nob Hill, have a coach and four with a coachman in livery on

ing me, Bil

claw hammer coat and a plug hat, put on white kids and take your lady-love to a lit

laughing. "Greater things than that have come

n't got any use for their

ill you put y

et; ain't going to

e girl and get married. When a fell

tty good looker, and will have to have

got some sense. After that old country tri

ut it, Billy

ere

old co

he

y questions. Better go to the

and know what it is. I'll nev

'll be soo

but it don't lo

for trying to make

you'll never make a

lady, my boy, and I'm going to

rious, Windy; I thoug

; I was serious

luck but it don't look to me as if

will

e, for he either couldn't or wouldn't believe I was serious. We had b

me. He didn't care a tinker's damn how soon I went, or what became of me. He hoped I'd get drowned, or, if not that, then pinched as soon as I set foot on British soil. The little fellow was badly wrought up. I informed him it was my intention to beat my way to New York and that when I got that far, I would plan the next move. I told him also that I didn't believe

e back, my bo

go to London they live only a short way from th

d, and write you eve

ke in any bad money while you're gon

ng the true-heartedest little fellow that ever l