The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-05-13
Ny Double,

| am man of good average size. broad
shoulders, big chest, wear seyen-and-a-
half hat, and have ever been noticeable on
account OF the blackness of my eyebrows,
the whiteness Of my teeth, and the promi-
nence of my nose. My friends tell me I
have peculiar face, and that they would
know me among ten thousand-not that |
am altogether lovely, but because,
though not handsome, | am not common
looking.
have never been vain of my looks, but
nevertheless have had some pride in my
individuality - so much, indeed, that [
have kept my eyebrows heavy and smooth,
my teeth white, and nose high and straight.
I have never been foolish enough to at
tempt to add to the size of my head. |
will say just here that people seeing me
; for the first time think me stern and morose,
and yet dogs, children and horses make
friends with me at once; and | have as
many noble, platonic attachments with the
sex of my dear mother as any man living,
who has had no more extended experience.
state this, not to give a catalogue Of
: my personal peculiarities, but that my
readers may the better comprehend an ad-
venture am about to relate.
In '6S found myself at San Diego, one
Of the dupes of the Lower California Emf
grafton Society. Unlike the hundreds
who had risked and lost their all in the
adventure, had money left, and. deciding
to make the best Of my ill-luck, l stopped
over at San Diego, with the view Of ex-
amining the country and looking round for
chances for investment.
San Diego is as near paradise in eli
mate as any place on earth; and where the
seasons are not dry, the country for forty
miles back from the coast is as fertile to
the plow and as beautiful to the eye as one
would wish to see. The city itself is old,
and will continue to look so till new peo-
pie get in to tear down its adobes, and
5 erect houses and marts after nineteenth
century plans, and do business like Ameri-
e cans, instead of copying the followers of
the Cid.
There is one thing about San Diego that
: attracts the stranger, and that is its show
of hospitality-l say show, for it is all on
l the surface, so far as Ethe native Cali
! {, e ho G.
that hospitality takes in this city is the
r fandango, W ere you are invited to pub
lie dance, meet every body on the most IA
miliar terms, without an introduction, and
! contribute to paying for the entertainment
:, before it is over.
!, Students of men and manners 90 often
where their tastes would not lead them.
> am not dancer by birth or by education
: and, like the Chinese prince, would pre-,
fer to pay some one to do it for me, rather
than do it mysclf-that is, if dancing
!, by proxy were a delight, which it is
not.
Ny friend, Captain Hammond, though
: an older man, is dancer, and, so far as ]
am judgeof the art, think he might be
classed as frst-rate one. If he is not
l he has certainly not benefited by his
opportunities, nor failed for want Of prac.
/ tice.
"1'he ball tonight, major, is in honor Of
you and your friends from the peninsula
' 80 of course you will go round,' said the
$ captain, as he,appeared in my room at tn.
hotel in his very best attire.
: i pleaded indisposition, but the captain
t would not hear to it, He told me | was to
sail for San Francisco on the morrow that
the chances wereI would never visit San
: Diego again, and he was anxious, having
! seen the houses in a buggy with him by
day, that should see the occupants of
those houses with hin by night.
As it was reduced to matter Of cour-
tesy, yielded to the captains wishes, and
, making some slight changes in my toilet,
| announced myself as ready. As we were
about to leave the room, the captain. who
had been eyeing me very close, said, in a
) tone ofsurprise;
81 never saw such a resemblance in my
life ~
"What do you mean, Hammond" |
asked, some what nettled; for be it re-
| membered up to this time | felt not a
little vain of my facial peculiarities.
"Why, never saw two men look more
alike in my life,' he replied.
"You mean look like somebody else p
"Most decidedly; with that coat and hat