The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-06
n TYPE OF MANY.

Some of the Vices and TnIgarisnas of the
Palace Tdifeties.
vile den Of deprayity is the Palace Va
rieties.
1t Is on the corner of Grant avenue and
Post street and has seating capacity of
about 300.
For years and years it has been running
there every day in the week, Sundays not
excepted.
When THE CALLS representatives paid
their visit it was late al night, and the place
was crowded.
Dive. goers Of all species lounged about on
the seats, ogled the girls aud drank the
amber beer.
81 KANT keep my hoofs kivered." bawled
the minstrel man from the little stage.
That made everybody laugh. They laugh
very easily, do these dive-goers. Being as
rule Of a low order Of Intelligence, :hey
could find 10 amusement whatever 10 a re-
fined comedy. Still there was spiinking
of bright youth among them-such young
men as one sees In tue dives - fiashiY
dressed young men, who smoke cigarettes
by the dozen boxes day.
And the women of The place!
There were about a score Of them, and
they represented all ages from IS to 40
They walked up and down the aisles, their
ehatelaine purses hanging at their sides,
picking up the dearly earned dime as they
went along. For there was beer, beer, beer
to be sold, glass alter glass and tray after
tray, and beer 10 be drunk. until the face
| famed, the eyelids dropped and the head
| almost split with aching.
| A dive girl with face like Creek statue
| Is not rarity in San francisco. The pro-
| prietors of the dens are always on the
alert Tor pretty girls, and they spin their
webs for them daily.
| Such girl, dressed In light pink, with a
| fluffy something criss-crossed over her
breast, stood at the end of the room in the
| Palace dive, below the opening OF one OF The
| many boxes that ran in long tier around
| two sides OF the place.
True. the eyebrows were heavily penciled
| and the cheeks bore bloom that was not
that OF health. Sull. the face was full, the
| eyes big and the features perfect.
Leaning over the box rail above her was
| girl In boys clothes. with boys soft hat on
her head and boys red necktie at her
| throat The two were talking, and had IL
been anywhere else In the world they would
have made pretty picture, posed as they
| WERE
These two girls belong to the place They
work the boxes" as the selling of drinks
| to men in those parts of the house is called
When not doing this they sit about IN the
| main hall or take their parts in the wretched
| piece on the stage. Perhaps thew sing and
dance. But whatever they do il is for the
most part for the ed ication of brutal men,
who keep up running comment on their
| performances in language fit only for dives
The glasses clink, the buzz of coarse con-
| Versaton. the sounds of maudlin Jest and
easy-coming, meaningless laughter and Of
the cheap orchestra fill the smoke laden air.
and stencil arises from the place like unto
the stencil OF bTimstone-heated Gomorrab
The proprietor. big, burly, puff-faced
man, with fierce mustache, stalked about
with highly important air, occasionally
shouting 10 newcomers who stood In the
doorway and blocked the entrance: ''Take
seats, gentlemen, take seats" which meant
go TO the tables, you fools, and buy beer. Z"
ana they sat down, the girls focking about
them, eager to sell the drinks and make
| their commissions.
On the Geary-street side of the place vas
long bar, behind which were lewd pic
lures. Ii was there that the girls went for
the drinks. returning with glasses that gen.
orally foamed at the top.
buy drink for me. Treat me. Wont
You let me drink with your"
Those were the constant requests of the
lady walters" as they leaned over their
customers and cajoled them, smiled on them
tcn-cent smile and went away to ill the
orders and get their commissions
Ilese were some of tie human pictures :
a blooming young blonde, with eyes like
HeDe, neat figure. q refined face, and a
light sfep-Just starting out in the business.
girl who said she was from Santa Rosa,