The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-05-11

knife, as weapons Of attack or defence, &c.
cording as the moment or the prospect Of
gain may demand. ia
But now We have not to do with the n'n0'
we are lettering on the plaza OF San iran
cisco, and tho twilight has burst over the
land, almost Gre the sun has dipped into the
sea behind the low coast range. But wha'
an active life has suddenly commenced IN
the immense buildings between Kcafney
street and the Plaza. The folding doors arc
thrown widely open, and q sea OF light 10
which the mob pours in hurried succession'
streams from the countless astral lamps
Right and left arc similar buildings OF BRICK
and with iron balconies and shutters, todely
the next iire which assaults this bloch, as
has been the case thrice already; from oil
q stream Of light pours forth-from oil Is
heard noisy music-into oil, dense mas'esei
human beings arc thronsing; and the DIM
Guilty for the spectator is, which no shall
select for his visit. But the most splendid
and largest is the one over whose entrance
CLEANS in "goldcn letters the name Of" FL
Dorado;" and though still undecided
whether VIC will venture into the lions den,
when once the threshold is crossed, curiosi-
ty impels US, and the next moment carries
the stranger, actually intoxicated BY oil he
sees, to the centre OF the room, er, no Is
conscious Of the fact.
An immense room, whose roof Is support.
ed by two rows Of white polished pillars
stretches out before US. and on sll sides ore
suspended astral lamps, rivallng the vivid
brightness Of day, while the walls are adorn-
ed with la,civious pictures, rude figures,
bathing nymphs, and frantic bacchanals,
adapted to inaams the miad, and calculated
in addition to the music to scduce the pass
ers.by to enter once in, the gold.laden IA.
bles must do their part to keep them. The
mob that crowds in docs not, in fact, at first
notice the tables, which are scattered about
the room, and are always far enough apart
to let quantity sit or stand around them,
and yet afford space for passing there is so
much that is attractive, beside, play, and
tho senses must frst realize and digest that,
before they can devote themselves to the
gambling.
To the right Of the room, behind q long
counter, stands girl, really graceful,
young, pretty, and respectable girl, in
closely.itting silk dress, and her delicate
fingers beladen with rings, who dispcuscs
tea, coffee, and chocolate, while in tho other
corner of the room man is stationed to sell
vino and spirits. Over the tea.coun;,r,
however, lounge four or five TALL clumy
fellows, gazing on the young girl; they sw,l.
low cup after cup Of quarter dollar ten. in
order to have decent cIcnso for remaining
there. and ruin their digestion for the same
reason, with tho sweet cakes and pastry,
I they a!mo,, uncOn,ciouslJ devour. kknot'ol
backwoodsmcn are standing few PAGES far
thcr back, ob,tinta'ely blocking tho road,
and sharing the enjoyment, though ut n
cheaper rate. They aro generally athletic
well-built men, dressed in homcspun, who
here cape in silent astoni,hmcnt a. all the
novelties, for they como direct from the
woods. Brought up in tho far western
States, rumor brought them to California
across the dcsolatc steppe, and Rocky noun.
tains; they reached the mines, and found in
the woods, with the exception of goh,
nousht but what they had known from their
youth up-trees and mountains, valleys and
fountains, q bark roof to sleep under, and
game to shoot; and it was not till they had
earned tribe, or were grown tired of their
laborious life in tho mountains, they cane
down to visit the celebrated capital. We
cannot blame them for being lost in amaze
ment here, for even the European, habitua-
ted to the life Of large cities, and not expect.
ing to find anything out Of the way or ex.
traordinary in this new quarter Of The globe
is still as,ounded at scenes which the widest
fancy would fail to do justice to.
But round this girl the whole Of the visit
ors marched; even il seen once, they all re.
turned again, and few quilted the room with.
ou, leaving at the least, q quartcr-dollar for
something edible or incdiblc, uero i, only to
hear The few words which she must utter in
informing them Of the price Of the bevcrge.
And why was this? The girl was certainly
pretty enough and graceful, but no c,traor-
dinary beauty, and in other towns We could
NEE, with threo or four equally pretty in
every street; but-she was, alter all, a
female, dressed with care and taste, such as
they had seen at homc-but never since
In all San Francisco there were at that time
very few reputable women, and these rarely
appeared in public; vessels brought bu. rery
few, and over the prairies hardly any ven,
tured. II was city Of rough and savage
mcn-mOn, nearly all armed with loaded
weapons in their pockets, or in the belt be.
meath their hunting-shirt, who had knocked
about SO many months in tho woods with
their fcllow.men, and who now, after o long
faiiguing march, and heavy toll in the mines,
or perhaps contest, with tho embittcred M
tives, saw for the firs, time again an agreea-
bic female lace, in ricbly-decoratod, bril-.
liantly lighted house, bending over tho tea,
equipage. Was il surprising, then, IL they
stopped for while to gazc their Gil on her
pleasan. sparkling eyes, aud then porchance
wen. further with sigh3 They sighed no,
for tho sake Of the stranger girl, who stood
so gaily a,tired behind tho counter; but
their own home, and oil they had LEFT there
REQUIRED to their minds, and to get rid OF
tho feeling they turn to the pictures or the
4 -.lr ..bt.. D,,t tho y,;rtnfcs vrnr, the