San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-08-03

inclined citizens and strangers in
the town. The scene transacted
here all night long is like boist-
erous feast day would be in
any other city. The open
air chile stands are in
full blast, each saloon has
its little string band, variety shows
and wide open gambling halls are
crowded, and the sharp, clear
sounding door bell of the maison
de joie, here, there and across the
street, rings out loudly every few
minutes. At every corner brilliant
electric lights sparkle, and, with
polished saloon mirrors as reflect
ors, cast a bright light in every di-
rection. One little adobe house dive,
with a degraded spider at the win
dow hailing the passer-by to enter
her halflighted, scantily furnished
web, adjoins the other, in clusters
around some large bon ton resort
of like repute, that stands out
quite prominent with itself, mel
low lights shining through rich
clouded curtains. People are con-
tinually walking the narrow side
walks from show to show, from
house to house and from hall to
hall. Hacks roll all night long
and the police patrol wagon skur-
ries hither and thither over the
narrow streets Of this fast and fur
ious quarter several times before
morning. Mexicans with blankets
thrown about their shivering
backs stand at the corners selling
Mexican eatables, from tamales to
candy; often you are asked to buy
a gold ring or some opals; while at
that fruit stand with the large
Pickering gasoline lamp, you can
purchase peanuts up to or
O'Clock in the morning.
The variety shows, no doubt, are
the queens of the trans.San Pedro
resorts, in the matter of loud gaiety
and excitement; from 9 o'clock
until midnight a performance often
of excellent specialties, but oftener
still of shocking and firing bur-
lesques. By | o'clock in the morn
ing the seats in the auditorium are
the actors mingle with |
the spectators aGd the ball begins
"Get your partners for a quar-
drille," cries the corpulent floor |
"Come up, come gentle
men, two more couples! What are
you girls standing around like that |
for r'
The squares are formed and what |
a motley crowd it is! Soldiers,
toughs, real society gentlemen, and |
black legs mingling with one an
other in the apparent unbri- |
died fun and amusement of |
a romping square dance. Thus |
the noise keeps up. By 4 o'clock |
the crowd on the street has
thinned out considerably. People
are passing not in long strings, but
in groups. Hacks line the
sidewalk, their drivers sitting on
the boxes chatting with one an
other. In the little Mexican
restaurant across the street, the fat
and her dusky chile
Venus sit smoking cigarettes while
for customers to drop in.
Down the street the little adobe
dives are closed, doors and win
dows bolted, and the prominent
house Of i'll fame around which
they cluster, no longer emits a
sheen through the red,
yellow or blue window draperies.
light still burns in the hallway
however, and hacks still drive up
to discharge or take up passengers.
Some of the saloons will
have guests and the little
string band has not yet
ceased playing. The candy men
and tamale vendors have left and
the late fruit stand is putting up
the blinds. The keno, monte and
crap games Of the gambling houses
still keep their crowds spell bound,
while the variety show dance hall
still holds its own.
acct your partners for this square
dance! Come, keep her moving
Square dance ~ cries the floor man.
lger.
"Dance! dance! everybody
iancew shouts the man behind
The bar. "Only once in your life
time, dance! Don't you see the
girls want to dance ? Get a move
IN you, girls, and rustic partners
or this square dance! All right,
strike up the tune" the behind
calls out. Once more
he squares are formed with sullen
hilarious society gentle