The morning call., 1893-02-26
MIDNIGHT MEALS.
A Mixed Assortment of
Boarders.
COFFEE A NICKEL A PINT.
Chinese Sailors, Laborers, "Drunks,"
Dive Girls and Shop Girls All
Have Special Hours.

"Please. sir, give me nickel for my sup
perT said the empty one to the well-flled
and comfortably clad.
Certainly, my man. Have you change
for half 8 dollar? All, forgot; you VIII
want it to tip the waiter"
This occurred in the East, and the thought
arose 10 the mind Of newspaper man not
whether nickel banqueters tip walters, but
whether that class exists here, and II so, IN
what part of the city il is catered for.
We DO not, as in the East, have that
starving class eager for bites but as On
every large and prosperous city, we have
cur very rich, who dress in Purple and 'lne
raIment and fare sumptuOusly every day,
and we also have many citizens who wear
shoddy and overalls and who do not take
many courses at their meals.
The cheapest restaurant for the general
public in San Francisco is on Fourth sireet,
where all dishes, liquid or solid, are
scheduled at 2l5 cents. There is nothing of
interest. however, attached to this place,
but the description of business done in the
eating houses at the other end of the city
might possibly be worthy of pen picture.
II is when the great city should be pract-
cally resting that many OF the cheap res
taurants drive busy trade
10 say the customers are assorted would
not be using correct term. They are
graded and appear with punetuai regularity
during the twenty-fOur hours CT the day.
On KeaTny street. down toward the old
City Hall, there is a place which proudly
prOclaims that Our coffee is par excellence
and that Everything is new" Here the
student, be he artist philosopher or social
economist, will find sufficient models TO en-
ploy his contemplatiye faculties for any
length Of time.
Half-past ) in the evening is one of the
busiest hours in this place. At this time
one class Of the respectable so-called work.
ingman begins to drop in. He is q regular
customer and frequently carries his tools
with him. Sometimes he is youth full; at
others ancient. In fact he is Of all ages
and most natiOnalitles, respectable, toll
begrimed and earew0rn in proportion 10
The number of his years. BE usually comes
in by himself, though sometimes III couples,
which are as a rule Of the more youthful
age.
The bill of fare is not extensive. 1t is
coffee or milk. with either bread and butter.
pie or cakes. The coffee is really very
palatable and the butter tastes well. The
charge Is 10 cents.
The cups are a wonder Of solidity. They
are so substantial, in fact, that one might
almost conceive them capable Of being used
as miniature military mortars to IRE of
bOmbshels.
till about o'clock, at which hour there is
change of shift among the walters and
change also may be noticed In the patrons.
The majority of the latter are transients,
not in their w0rking-clothes. but cleaned
up and frequently accompanied by their
best girls. Best girls who have no chap
erons also come in pairs and triplets; these
are mostly factory and shop girls. Some
have to return TO work for another few
hours. while others are there TO take their
supper previous TO long tramp TO their
TOOms
This lasts until about 10 o'clock, during
which tine few sailors have begun TO ap-
pear. Some are tired from having tramped
the streets during the day and call IN for
hot cup on their way back TO their ships,
while others have just come uptown with
heroic resolves to steer clear of the saloons
and dives. They will, after their refresh
ment. feel good and passing along toward
Pacific street they will be caught by the
music ascending the basement steps. They
will descend a few feet just 10 peep in, but
they do not get away quite so easily as they
expected, and IN few hours II VIII probably
be ali up with them.
A considerable sprinkling of military
looking uniforms now becomes prominent,
the wearers, however. not Ike "the seven
ages" hero yOiclng strange Oaths, but be-
fore and after taking their meals, with
closed eyes and folded hands, silently offer
ing up thanks for the present meal OF which
they are sure and petitions for guaranty
for future supplies.
The trade has been brisk all this time;
the walters are perspirng, altho ugh il is a
cold night; the speed with which they
move is like perpetual heats without tie re-
euperating rubbing down.
At IL 80 there is an entire new caste Of
dramatis persona. A Chinaman enters
with tin pail; he gets it filled with coffee
and together with two scent lOaves passes
through the door, while two others of his
breed enter One takes articles similar to
the first and the other takes rolls.
Cinnamon now come in as the links of an
endless chain. One pushes the right-hand
half of the door open. which, before 1t en-
tirelv rebounds, is caught by the hand of
the next one; in fact, for three-quarteTs OF
an hour it is kept on the swing by the en-
teTing chain, which passes out through the
other half Of the opening. They variOusly
take bread, doughnuts or buns, and each
one carries can, jug or pitcher of every
possible pattern.
Some of them are old, tottering and hid
eOusly ugly. while others are young, active
and nearly as ugly.
None IF them take a meal in the shop.
They file in noiselessly. hold out the can
suggestively in one hand and point with the
other to tie pile OF goods they require,
usually having the exact change. Then
they silently shuttle out.
This lasts from II 80 till /. In the mean
time the class at tile table has changed and
many people besides Chinese have come in
Tor tins of coffee, bread or cakes. Two
British new chums," probably roomiBg
near by and living as economically as they
know how, take out paper bag OF dough-
nuts and some rolls, and then a poor old
widow with what seemed like her little
granddaughter entered. The child wstfully
gazes with her bright round eyes at the
shiny sweet cakes, while the old woman's
pitcher is being filed with coffee, and the
loaf is being placed in the paper bag.
Through the kindness Of visitor the pair
left the shop with a jelly cake and eustard
rolls.
1t Is now time for the ''drnnks" to arrive
They are merry 'dTunks" at first-young
fellows who have taken few glasses while
playing billiards, or have spent a few hours
spOaHing in the dives. Then the 'drunks"
grow older. few of them are sailors. now
and again young woman Is with the
drunk, they behave we'll enough. But to-
ward A. NJ. be will be in a more quarrel
some mood. He occasionally lays his head
On the table aud requires the persuasive ef-
forts of the walters TO induce him to eat his
order" and frequently finishes up with
spilliDg bis coffee over his knees He laughs
immoderateiy at this and explains that it
is all right. He is intensely sociable and is
finally assisted courteOusly, but firmly, to
the door.
At the dive girls come-pOor girls.
From 10 scarcely any trade is done ex-
ceDt on Montgomery street, near Clay.
where one shop is entirely dependent dur
ing those hours on the trade of the CON-
p0sitors from an adjacent printing Office.
At this place the newspaper distributors be-
gin TO flock in. from TO 4, and at 5 the
II in non TYoof al nm md