The morning call., 1893-05-21
Motley Crowds That Wait
for Cousins"
ARRIVING BY THE OVERLAND.
Queer Scenes at Night Down at the
Waterfront Depot When the
Eastern Train Comes in.

which bring WeStOound relau0ns ana
friends OF San Franciscans on the Pacific
Coast.
These cousins are o small bother to the
ferry police officers. for they persistently
block UP the waiting-room. and long be-
fore the hour for the boat with the over
land passengers to arrive. they line up on
each side of the wharf exit. chattering in
every known language under the sun. get
ting in everybody's way. and constituting
special source of amusement and chaf for
the runners and haekmen.
They are a queer. cosmopolitan crowd
these cousins-Itaians who come down
with their families, Germans VINO
are very exclusive and do not talk much.
Chinese who are waiting to guide pig
tailed arrival to the dens OF Chinatown,
and men and women of other nations
ranged side by side or in jabbering groups
talking, surging. whlsting and exaspera-
ting the police officer who vainly endeay-
ors to keep order and quiet.
"Why do you suppose SO many OF one
family come DOWN." was asked of hack
man.
"They don't want to give us chance at
their friends" replied he of the b0isterOus
voice. Just as soon as they spy new
conner working his way off the ferry. if he
a ring about him and there is not runner
on the wharf that can get him away from
them.
"The Italians take better care of their
cousins than any other nationality. Not
less than dozen of them will come down
to meet one man or woman. They bring
their children and babies along, too. Why,
you would take this place for a nursery
some nights.
"When the cousin arrives then the fun
commences. They fall upon his neck,
weep. kiss, all talking at the same time,
and making more noise than Sunday
picnic.
cousins. too, and make nearly as much fuss
about it as the Italians. Germans grab
their man and run off with him before you
can get chance to have good look at
him; and the Swedes aud Norwegians
meet their relatives like rrize- ghters, who
rush to shake hands at the call of time"
"How about the Yankees"
'1he Yankeesi the Americans L sup
pose you mean. Well. an American
cousin is generally greeted by a bevy of
pretty girls-then look out for a breeZ-. 1t
is, How-do-you-do? Hello, Charliep
'Oh, You dear boy-ain't you glad to get
back" Yes; everybody al the house is
WELL How did you enjoy your trn% Was
it cold In Chicago? Amt you disguised
with Frisco after seeing New York? oh,
we've been having grand times since you
have been away, and we-are-jus t-to0-
dellghted-for ANYTHING to see yon back
among lis agaiur Then they disappear
into cable-car.
THE Yankee is the funniest cousin
greeter of the whole outfit.
"YOu can tell farmer who is down to
meet a cousin the minute you clap your
eyes on him.
"He stands at the exit with nervous
WIG nf ha hndx md actt MI -
the eve.
"His hands go in and out of his packets.
and he shuf1les his feet awkwardly about.
pretty soon he gets tired and wants 10
asks questions. He knews just as well as
you do what time the train gets in, for he
has questioned the clerk in the ticket office
till that individual has been ON the point
of crawling out through his window and
engaging the interrogation in battle. He
spies policeman-a police officer is egiti-
mate prey for the Yankee farmer. Then
you will hear conversation something
like this:
"'Late to-nightP
whats late@
"'Train'
"'What tramp
1.-THE overland. I've got friend CON-
ing from Candelara who isn'C very WILL
acquainted in the city, so | thought I'd
come down and meet him. He's small
the end Of his nose-can YOU tell me
wha' time the trains exrected?'
Perhaps the policeman will answer
and perhaps he won't Usually he says
something like this: 'Ha' past or qua
to 9; move along now, move along; don't
be after blocking the way: don't you see
there are people trying to catch the bDat?'
The reporter took walk down the line
of waiting peorle to try, ii possible, 10
substantiate the hackman's story.
The electric light suffered uncertainty
in its broken globe. casting pallid glim-
mer of sheen over the strange faces
gathered under its un steady radiance.
Anxious eyes were kept concentrated on
the big gates, fer from behind these por-
tails came the clang of the steamboats,
gong, as with ere king, crushing sound
the vessel moved into the ferry slip.
Some in their anxiety to catch glimpse
Of their coming friends pushed beyond the
imaginary line esta blished by the ferry
police IN keen The crowd from crushing in
on the outpouring passengers.
In An instant the blue-coated guardian
would hor on TO them like a June bug on
a huckleberry and order them to stand
back.
Keep hack therei What are You trying
to do. break your neck looking at that
gate? CAFES won't he open for i've
nlinuIes yet. Hey there! Keep those kids
in the line, or I'll charge you with disturb
ing the peace of the Southern Pacific. Yes
madam. fhs overland passenger lands here.
Keep back / tell you Keen back!
There were some queer characters there
for student of human nature TO aralyZe
and. of course, the ever present crank is
represented every evening when the over
land is due.
For six months a woman of about IS
years Of age has been coming down to meet
her husband. She is mildly insane, this
poor creature. with Struggling gray hairs
pulled down in mass of confusion over
piercing but always tear-bedmmed eyes.
She knows he is coming, for he promised
her he would. He has been away ''ol,, so
long" she cannot reHamher. hut he will
return; in fact he is due this very night.
But The crowd rushes pastlike the break
ing forth of a large pent-up stream into
the reservoir of the great city. Every face
has been scanned, everv EXPRESSION has
been noted for look of possible recogni-
ZION. The crowd has passed; the noisy
thrOng of runners, hack-drivers md the
waiting multitndes has dispersed. The
electric light Kisses spitefullv and in all its
broad expanse Of tranquil effulgence there
is no shadow of her coming guest.
Lower down the line is a happy family
of Italians waiting for their returning
father. They cannot resist the tempta-
tion Of stealing forward to peek through
the chinks in the big gate. and again the
policeman Is on the warpath.
Get away from that gate! suppnse
the Southern Pacific Company viii have
to-irave those pfanks calked If you renple
will parsist in, stip pkipp your pOees hafpaa,,