The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-11-26

The splenddr Of Early California
Days.

It the California Exchange, corner OF
kearrey and Clay-streets, were
splendid affairs. In the upper part Of
the building all the courts were held,
with the Sheriti's office, County
Clerks, etc. The first floor was at
large hall. used rs = ballroom and
gambling honse gaming was licensed
by the State). 1t was dedicated to the
service Of Terpsichore. though it must
ne confessed that Bacchus came in for
ms share of the devotions. i have since
been an attendant at the Leiderkranz
and other masked as>emblages in the
city Of New York. but | never wit
messed more magnificent display
(Of course on q smaller scale) than
these masked balls ut California Ex-
change-beau,iiul woman, brilliant
fancy and grot.sque dresses
and artistic dancing. The ailurement
of the cyprian contested the scepter
with the faro bank, the roulette and
other games. The Puritan became
gamester; the young man taught to
consider dancing sin, soon found his
way tn the masked balls. Monte,
the national game Of the Mexican,
became a. familiar rs our own national
game OF faro. Here the ring Of silver.
the clanking Of gold, the shutting of
the card. the calling of the dealer at
rouge It no;r table-"Make your bets.
gentlemen. The game is made-all
dOwn-nO more-fve, eleven, seven
teen, twenty-iour, twenty nine, thirty
one-red wins" One dark ana rainy
night The late Chiet Justice Murray
and myself. after dining together, at
tended one Of these fancy balls; and
after depositing our firearms and over
coats with an officer in attendance TO
receive them, We entered the hall. In
a few moments We were joined by a
large, well formed, handsome woman,
named Rose Sheppard, gotten NJ in
superb style, dressed, as the women
saw. Ito meet the Queens taste She
had made a bet with one Of her female
companions Of bottle Of vine that
she would make the 1.-TWO judges"
promenade with her around the ball
room. She addressed us, saying:
Judges, l want you to be my escort
in promenade around the room."
She had been drinking. We halted
for moment, and she added: IF
you do not | will sli; both Of your
coats up the backs" We gave in,
thinking it the easiest way to stop a
scene. She then placed herself be-
tween us. taking an arm Of EACH; and
after parading with her around the
room, she escorted US into private
wine room, where cne Of her COM
panions stood ready to pay the bet she
had lost. The Judge and myself
enjoyed the joke which was perpetra-
ted at our expense. We. however.
compromised with our fair friends BY
calling in several Bottles Of cham
payne at SO bottle-the price for
wine in the flush times of San Fran
cisco. Who Of the old times does not
carry his memory back with pleasure
to those bright and halcyon days and
to the happy times and stirring scenes
enjoyed among the warm-hearted and
brave Franciscans? "A change has
come over the spirit Of our dreams"
and these times are sadly out Of joint.
By q private entrance came the
maskers, male and female. The
Spanish bandit. with his high. taper
ing hat, ornamented with ribbons !;
the Gypsy, with her basket and cards;
the bloOmer, bOuntiful in short shirts
and satin covered extremiiies; and
ardent and aspiring soLiiers. with a
borrowed uniform the Swiss ballad
singer. with the hurdygurdy and the
tamborine the unveiled cyprian, and
the cautious and respectable lady,
hidden by cloaks and false visage.
There 4 French artist in grOtesque
dress; q German count initiates the
Yankee. and the Yankee striving to
out-imitate all other nations. Now
the band commences the bow is
drawn, and the domino and mask are
whisked about in the midst Of the dir
~ maze-eway they whirl through
the waltz, or dash along in the
mazourka. or crash away promiscuous-
" in the gallopade. The music draws
TO q close, and ends with a grand
flourish. OF to the bar and coffee
stand 20 the maskers-the men to
treat, and others to be treated. So
few hours are whirled away. Gradual
" the room is thinned. and when day
light came it found the usual charac-
teristics of such banquet hall deser-
ted" Such is a slight description Of
the California Exchange in the height
of its ball day alories where in one
night thousands Of dollars we're taken
for tickets, and thousands at the bar
for drinks. In all the fast sges, this
was the fast age, and a little later
have We not also recorded the best
time on record by a cream colored
horse"