Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 669 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— uw 2 It was the afternoon of a pleasant day, and to the two gamins it seemed that there was some- thing of a holiday air about the city, as though it were taking an afternoon outing. They bad paused at the ‘* Lotta Fountain,” one of the focal points of the town, and wero looking around, enjoying the pleasing panorama that passed before their eyes. From this point branch five important’streets, and the throng of vehicles coming along them seemed never-end- ing, while’ pedestrians innumerable filed irregu- larly by in endJess procession. In one direction Market street leads away to the Oakland Ferry, and in the other toward the distant Mission Hills, On one hand Geary street stretches away toward Lone Mountain and its neighboring cemeteries, reaching out on the other hand in the direction of Golden Gate Park. Third street extends to the water front at a dif- ferent angle from Market. Kearney street is another of the five mentioned, and Montgomery, the last, comes out only a few steps away. It was at this point, as stated, that the two lads had stopped to look about them, and it was while standing there that Broadway Billy gave voice to the exclamation with which our story opens. “What's th’ matter?” Skinny immediately ueried. ‘‘ What's th’ matter!” repeated Billy; “‘ that’s og what /’d like ter know, my gay an’ festive at partner. Kin it be possible that we, Wil- liam o’ Broadway an’ his ‘Skinny’ pard, are actoolly here in San Francisco?” “T reckon it is, Billy,” Skinny averred ; ‘‘ seams ter me that I have a sort o’ dim recol- lection o' comin’ here.” At this Billy laughed. But, an explanation is in order. Broadway Billy’s nineteenth birthday had found him a stout, broad-shouldered youth with a physique equal to that of the best ot young men at twenty-one; but his face was still the face of a boy of merry fifteen, and as be was not it was still easy for him to “play off” for much younger than he really was, as occasion required, In experience he was old, being wise beyond his years, but nothing needs be said of that. He was, to all intents and purposes, too, a trained athlete, In short, he was just such a youth as he had made him- self by a boyhood free from vice, and free from tobacco and strong drink; instead of which he had taken plenty of wholesome food, exe ; and sleep. This nineteenth birthday, too, found him with two thousand five hundred dollars in bank. Ho began to realize that he was no longer a boy, but that he was about to step over into man- hood’s estate. It was a serious period, and he was giving it a good deal of serious tig be He and Skinny were stil in business, but Billy saw that the time was at band when that busi- ness must be’enlarged. He had no idea or inten- tion of being a “‘curbstone” merchant all his days. Skinny, too, had saved quite a sum, and at last it was decided that they should go into partnership anew in a business on a larger scale, and enter upon their real mercantile careers. Before this resolve was carried into effect, however, something occurred to lead the boys to put it off for a time, One day there came to the corner stand a man whom Billy thought he recognized, but whose name he could not recall. The man knew Billy at sight, though; and greated him heartily. He proved to be the sail- or who had on one occasion saved Billy’s life. He was now captain of a vessel, a big three- master, and was about to sail around “The Horn” for San Francisco, He wanted Billy and Skinny to go with him, and really insisted that they should go, A consultation was held with the boys’ mothers, which resulted in the decision that the boys should make the he bon The two women were to take gheree of the business until their return. Someof Billy’s friends h of it,and they gave the boys a “ royal send-off,” supplying them with a big purse of money so that their trip might not cost them a cent. They sailed, their voyage was without serious accident, and arrived safely at their destination. And so we find them in San Francisco, about an hour after they had taken leave of their good friend and come ashore. They registered at a down street hotel, had seen gage safely into their room, and so were free go 4 eir intention tospend some time in where mig would. It was t San Francisco, and then to start East by rail, stopping at various places. nel Sl NP; nny had been sea-sick during three : weeks of their voyage, and it was to referred when he said he bad a dim recollection of coming. . | ter : | a t he Broadway Billy Abroad. “Yes, I should think you would have some recollection of it, Skinny, and that’s a fack,” Billy remarked. ‘* You orter remember that voyage to your dyin’ day, unless you beaved up your memory along with everything else in pay- in’ your respects to old Neptune, Sweet per- taters! but you did jest almost turn yourself inside-out, and no mistake. You are thinner than ever. lf it wasn’t fer yer clothes you wouldn’t make a healthy shadder on th’ ground. I must take ye inter th’ first drug store we find an’ have ve weighed.” “Take me inter a drug store ter have me weighed!” Skinny exclaimed in surprise; “* what would ye take me inter a drug store ter weigh me fer?” ** Cause you’ve got tip th’ beam at more pound apy more.” ‘*Oh! you git out!” so awful thin that ye won’t than twelve ounces to th’ Skinny was, indeed, thinner than ever, if 01 sible, e was now about the leanest well boy ever seen. Billy, though, had added to his store of solid flesh and muscle, and was tanned as brownasaberry. Both lads were neatly dressed, wearing caps and blue pea-jackets, and looked like youthful sailors—Billy especially. ‘‘ Yes, I guess we must be here sure enough,” Billy decided, after a laugh at hisown joke; “‘all th’ evidence seems ter p’int that way, anyhow.” ‘‘Tt looks like it,” Skinny agreed, adding: ‘Well, what d’ye think of th’ place, Billy?” “There! now you strike me bard,” Billy eried. “What do I think o’ th’ City of S—=# Francisco, eh? Well, at first blush, as th’ shy maiden said when she got her first kiss, I ruther like it. How does it hit you?” ‘« A bout th’ same, I guess.” “‘ Well, which way shall we go?” o oye we may as well foller th’ crowd.” “ All right, then; fall in; forward, march!” Kearney street seemed to be the favorite pro- menade, and it was into that thoroughfare that the two lads turned. ‘‘This street ain’t a heap different from our Bowery,” Skinny decided as they walked along. “Right you are,” Billy asserted; ‘ there seems ter be plenty of jewelersand pawnbrokers. Th’ Bowery can’t show any ©’ these Japanese and Chinese shops, though, Skinny.” “‘ That’s so, an’ th’ Chinese of Mott street ain’t jest like these we see here, either. See how they carry things!” | “ Look as though they’d jest stepped off o’ tea- chests,” Billy commented. Kearney street can boast of a goodly number of such shops, although that is not their regular uarter of the town; and as the ubiquitous “ John” isin San Francisco in force, the almond- ores Celestials are to be seen everywhere, many of them carrying burdens in a pair of wicker baskets, one at each end of a bamboo-rod hung across the shoulders. - “Tt is plain ter be seen why tbis street is th’ most crowded,” Skinny further observed, ‘‘*Cause folks is too ter climb hills, eh?” Billy guessed ‘6 an’ I don’t blame “Yes,” Skinny admitted ; be a back-breaker ’em much, either, It must ter git up some o’ th’ hills.” } allow you're right, partner.” Thus they went on, “taking in” everything that was to beseen, and commenting upon every- thing they saw. They wandered about from street to street un- til they grew tired of that, and then they started out of the city to take a view of the surrounding country. — : , In tite course of their long stroll they came upon the Chinese cemetery, away out among the and melancholy sand-dunes by the ocean. This cemetery adjoins that of the city’s paupers, and it i marked off by by white fences into separate plots, or tongs. 4 It so happened that the twolads had arrived there at a most opportune time, for this was the day of the annual propitiation for the spirits of the dead, and the Chinese were beginning to as- semble to perform the peculiar ceremo rites incident to that great occasion, One after another common Express wagons and other vehicles arrived, each one bringing a freight of Chinamen and wémen, together with curiously assorted stocks of provisions which were quickly unloadéd and laid upon small wooden altars, of which there was one in front of each tong. Sale se " tin all creation is goin’ on?” Broadway Billy questioned. *‘It looks as if there was goin’ a Chinese ri Fatty.” “T guess that’s th’ racket,” Skinny agreed. a They've got grub enough along ter stock a hotel. “ We'll stop awhile an’ take itin, We're here ter see th’ sights, an’ this promises ter be one of ? “ Right you are.” As fast as the vehicles arrived the Celestials unloaded themselves in all haste and began to prepare for the sad business that bad brought them there, while the drivers of the wagons jooked upon their proceedings with an air of contempt for the whole affair. The provisions consisted of whole roast pigs, decorated with ribbons and colored papers, fowls, salads, sweetmeats, fruits, rice brandy, cigars, etc., and when these had been placed upon the altars, as mentioned, the ceremonial rites commenced immediately by the partici- nts firing revolvers, crackers, etc., and kind- ing fires of packages of colored papers. Pro- found bowing and kneeling over the graves ac- companied everything, and the food and liquors were scattered around liberally. ‘‘ Sweet pertaters!” Broadway ed, as.he and Skinny looked on. “If this don’t jest peel th’ onion, then 'm no jedge. It looks as though they’s tryin’ ter git up a sort ‘o’ local resurrection. ’ One of the Chinamen, one whom seemed to be much better dressed than eny of the others, overheard, and turning to Biily and Skinny with his hands full of fruit, invited them to par~ take of the general feast. As their mouths were already Mirai and not wanting to offend by refusing, the lads did not hesitate to accept the invitation. Billy exclaim- CHAPTER Ii. IN A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE: THE smoke and noise increased every mo- ment. The peculiarly clad Celestials pranced about like so many dancing dervishes, and the food and drink were soon broadcast, except the larger articles, which were reserved to be taken home again. ' ‘Sweet pertaters!” Broadway Billy tried to exclaim, but his mouth was so full that be bad to wait before saying more. As soon as the way was clear, however, be made another effort. “Sweet pertaters! but this is jest th’ greatest jubilee that I ever took a hand in!” he cried. “Skinny, is it possible that we are still in Yankee-land? or bave we been pir thee away inter some furren kentry where they co know no better? Lam ? £00 rs jest th’ same, though, an’ I see that you ain’t fur be- hind me. begin ter believe that we didn’t come all that five thousand eight bundred and ~ odd miles fer nothin’, Whoop ber up, Liza Jae! Git thar, Wun Lung! Go inter it, Sam Yam! Hustle, you merry mourners, bustle!” The excitement was too much for Billy to keep still amidst, and he took off bis hat and waved it wildly while he shouted as quoted. “Youd best look out,” Skinny cautioned, “or they will think you’re makin’ fun at ‘em, an’ they'll chéw us up in no time. 1 think we'd better draw out. “Draw out!” Billy cried; “nary a draw till I do my share at helpin’’em celebrate, This is too good a snap ter let slip idly by. Ob, no, my gay an’ festive fat partner, I'll hang on while th’ goodies last, you bet! Ive struck up ac- quaintance with th’ Lord High Executioner, an’ Dll see to it that you don’t git burt, You needn't fear, though, fer they might shoot at ye fer a week an’ never hit ye, you're so thin, Whoop-hooray! Go inter it, pig-tails! If this is yer national Fourth o’ July at home, you kin count on me every time! Whoop her up!” Some of the heathen looked at iD a we dering way, and the drivers of the vehicles that had brought them there, cr such of them, at least, as heard and saw bim, had to laugh. The well-dressed Chinaman, the one who bad invited the lads to partake of the feast, stepped up to Billy again, this time with a little jug of liquor in hand. “Melican boys vely much good time have,’ t him ip a won- | he said, ina pigeon English that simply set at — defiance our best efforts to quote; alle same maybe takee dlink saki.* Me Sam Foo Chow, alle same lep’snt Gleat Consulate Gen’lal.” This last was said with pangs of pride, and Billy had the good fortune to un erstand it “What!” he cried, “you don’t mean ter say that you represent th’ t Chinese consulate- general! Give me yer hand, Sam, an’ mighty glad ter make yer ’quaintance.” | Billy held out his band in a way that admitted of, 9 earn and the Chinaman shook hands im, é *Rice brandy. - 2 oe he a 3 < Ra. ~ eg * " os . » >