The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

tentative way in which he approaches the
new conditions into which he has been
brought by the railroad system of the
country. Particularly is he remarkable in
his attitude toward everything that savers
of salt water. He has been born and bred on
the broad and breezy prairie, accented by
an occasional blizzard. reared Cd bacon side,
hominy and corn pOne, with an occasional
festive chick, and his knowledge OF fish
diet is bounded by the fresh-water pick
erel, the bulhead and the horned pout.
He knows nothing of the succulent white
striped bass that is now multiplying in
our waters, the rich-meated salmon, of the
delicious she'll oyster or OF the humble
shrimp. the sweetest alth Ough the small
est member OF the crustacean family. He
knows them nos, nor, on account of his
early training, would he know them.
One Of these prGiTie-dwellers. wander
ing at large and induced by a spirit of
curiosity, stopped at famous old oyster
stand in Washington Market the other
day and looked about him at the piles Of
Shoalwater Bays, the Eastern tranSplants
and the vast platters of shrimps that were
IN view.
"Gosh.' he exclaimed in an undertone.
II wonder what all this stuff is fur" lie
was well-dTessed. hearty-lOoklng sort OF
fellow, too.
Olu CNdTleN MOTIFS. the RuaTulaO OIL Tue
stand" was hard at work uncasing the
luscious bivalves al his little block. and his
knife was flying with rapidity that
would suggest he was opening oysters on
a bet against time.
He paid no attention to the stranger.
TO him, however, the prairie-dweller:
"Say, mister, what kind of place DO
yon keep here?'
Then old Charley Strengthened himself
and looked at his questiOner with a mild
air OF establishment
"This, SIR" said the old man at length,
sis an oyster stand. Can / serve you vi h
dozen in any shape, you know, in any
shape?"
IAN lister stand, eh?" returned the
prairie-dweler. wall, l never see listers
afore in all my life 'cept some slippery
things III tin cans that went by that name
up our way. ] didn't like 'em. Do you
mean TO say that listers are bid away in
those shells you are pryin' ODen?"
Old Charley Dropped both his hands On
his block and simply stared, bereft OF
breath. When he recovered himself he
asked
Where in the name of were you
born? Where did you come from? You
certainly are not Californian"
"Caliiorny? Oh, no; | came from the
old West, out In the prairie country. about
1000 miles from here"
''Ah. well, that accounts for it," rejOined
cd Charley, recovering his composure.
See this is the way the oyster comes
from his bed, where it grows and fattens,
and it has To be taken out of its shell, Just
as | am dong, and put into air-tight cans
before it reaches you out on the prairie
Now. try a few of mine, and YOU will find
how much better they are in the shell than
in the tin"
mo thankee; none for me. It's all very
well for you fell WIS living here by the sea-
shore, but if | want an oyster ! get noun
tain one"
"Whal?"
"A mountain oyster"
Never heard of 1t BEFORE" said old
Charley. looking aghast.
Aha there's where I've got YOU, old
man. | think we're even"
Perhaps so, perhaps so, muttered old
Charley. somewhat disgruntled that the
prairie weller, whom be reckoned on as a
green hand, should know any fact in the
oyster trade that he did not know himself.
And he took up his oyster-knife and
turned away.
Suddenly the prairie-dweller, whose at
tention was fixed upon another obiect-a
heaped platter of shrimps-called out:
Hi, old man, what dye call those
whitey-brown things on t at long dish?"
'Shrimps." replied Charley, sullenly.
Never heard of such things before
What do you do with emp
Eat EN-" said the old man, going on
with his work.
Eat 'eml" exclaimed the prairie weller
IN astonlshment. why, they look like
hoppers, the grasshopDers of the plains!'
Perhaps they do,and perhaps they don't
Nibble one OF 'em, and tell me how You
like the flavor"
The prairie-dweller took I'D a plump
looking shrimp gngerly, and after making
wry mouth, and before manipulating II,