The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-11-08
IN THE HANDS OF THE MOB.

IN THE HANDS OF THE MOB.
A San Francisco Scene In "E'ifty."
1fthere be anywhere typical Ameri-
can he will be found on the Western
plains. where men develop into some
thing which certainly has not its like
ness IN the heavens above, the earth be-
Meath, or the waters under the earth.
As "a rough" he is unapproachable.
Nothing in history has ever equalled a
Western desperate.
My father was a sea-captain, who took
his family with him on his long voyages.
The trade with California, it is we'll
known, was golden one.for many years,
and whoever could take share in it
readily braved the months OF sailing and
the dangers of Cape Horn. To those
who hurrying across the continent in a
weeks time. this length Of voyage doubt
less appears::ar endless torture of sus.
pended action. To us.it dropped silent
~ behind US into the beautiful, fathom-
less sea, while we set our faces steadily
forward in happy unconcern and .briglt
anticipation.
] Was but a child. with one constant
companion in my little sister, and an oc-
casional gala day of play with Johnny
Carter, the cabin boy. johnny Carter
belongs to this story.
He was pretty, fair little fellow OF
about twelve years. Just before the
shi . sailed, a very nice docking woman
had come on board and asked to see my
father. She brought with her this boy,
ana she painted him in dark colors. In
short, Johnny was so utterly bad boy,
she begged my father to take him to sea,
in the hope of breaking off his ruinous
associations, and changing The current
ct his farcies from an eager search after
the worst evils of his home city. Ny
father 'hesita'ed, Of course, but the
mother was imnortunate, and the boy
did not look Formidable. In the end he
consented, and Johnny was daily in
stalled as cabin boy and general do notll-
ing.
I do not remember ever seeing
HIM at work. lie proved to be, as
far as We saw, mild, pleasant.
easy going little chap, very unlike his
mothers portrayal. Of him, and was soon
a universal favorite He was so young
and so snall, it seemed folly to expect
anything thoroughly useful of him. He
wandered about the ship. gathering up
whatever knowledge came in his way,
waiting on the officers, helping the cook,
taking care of the goats-a friend had
sent us three IS p!aymates, and with an
eye to milk for my mothers coffee-and
sometimes for whole day playing with
lie at anything we tanci-d. He could
dress doll and set out toy dishes; he
could make tiny kites and frail bows and
arrows; and could arrange scrap-booz
or Get up fishing tackle; and seemed
equally happy and content in cabin or
forecastle. Yet when we reached San
Francisco he almost instantly and mi
raculously disappeared and left no
trace.
My father was much annoyed. The
mothers tears and entreaties, her anx-
iety, her confidence in the good effects
OF the voyage, and her trust in nv faith
er, were constantly present to him.
His best energies were expended in The
search for the lost boy, but in vain.
Had Johnny take 10 Jonah's whale as
a craft he could not have been more
profoundly swallowed up. At last my
father accepted the situation as best be
might, and, after writing home full &C.
counts Of all that had been done, SEEM
ed to dismiss the matter from his mind,
as one in which he had performed his
duty, spite of failure.
San Francisco al that time was city
in the rough. 1t is impossible to con.
vey to any thoroughly Eastern and I'M.
travelled mind any conception of it.
Such curious combinations of shingle
and muslin, paper and Stats! Such a
motley, pi, turesque, frightful, ridiculous
crowd, forever coming and going! Every
nation had its represent IL
,ives. every style Of cos
tune, every possible bearing ana
gesture. Gentlemen of polish and out
casts of society, tho broadcoth o! Paris
and the Indian blanket, the j)vlal Irish
man, pipe in mouth, and stately Span
lard. the indolent South American, the
bewildercd Chinaman, the wide awake
Yankee, continually jostl ed and hustled
each other on the planks Of the quay
skirtlng the lovely bay, and on the l,r-
row stretch of Long Wharf, extending
an a!most Incredible distance into the
waters. My sister and were soon great
pets; and the domestic life of tbs s'.ip,
under my mothers hone-like sway, had
a charm for the homeless young fellows
and lonely married men engaged in the
tremendous struggle for existence or
mighty wealttl-the chances always
meant one or the other.
Occasionally my father took me with
him for morning among his friends,
and very delightful found these visits.
1t WAS after one Of them we found John
ny Carter. We were walking along the
quay to take the boat for our return to
the ship. The quay was lined OH the
landward side with gambIing-dcns-
great bar-rooms entirely open to the
street. At tie far end, rough stage
lifted into prominence sometimes row
OF Ethiopian minsrels, sometimes three
or our painted women singers, some
times see dy pianist and a half-starved
violinist. Between the stage and the
street, row after row of tables we're set
out, crowded with men dressed in red
shirts, broad slouched hats, broad belts,
and perfect armory of weapons. Cries
and blows and struggles were as COM
mon as the twang of the guitar or the
voice Of the singer, and my father al.
ways hurried along, trembling and
was trying to distract my attention from
Tue siSuLS Auu SOUNDS reCaii Win nor"
ror.
On this day of which write, he sud-
denly paused before one Of the dens,
and then deliberately Wake into its
very i:ldst, still holding my hand. At
a table near the centre Of the room, he
laid his hand on the shoulder OF Johnny
Carter, who WAS intent'y watching the
def fingers Of a qHartct of gamblers.
Piles of gold dust, eisht-cornered pieces
and Jumps ofquariz lay heaped upon the
table and vouched for their recent ar
rival from the outskirts eff civilization.
With a Wild cry the little wrech
writhed himself from my fathers grasp
and threw himself into the midst of tie
group, bowling for protection.
In one instant all was confusion. The
men sprang up from their games on all
sides, leaving their gold as readily and
as recklessly as though no more de-
pended on the turn of card than in a
mere game Tor the love of it. They
crowded c ose around us-great, bearded,
swarthy, terrible fellows, who seemed
never to have been born Of woman.
Johnny, pouring out shrill screams very
we'll made up of terror and entreaty,
told pitful tale. He had been beaten,
and kicked, and starved, AMI thrown