The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-01

skies there would be one remaining, but II
she takes them out by sevens there would
be none left, how many eggs would there
be in the basket?" The discussion ofone OF
these subjects is about as valuable as that
of another. 1t is worth noting, however,
that the questions of New York, Chicago
and Philadelphia are still live issues, while
that of Boston has been answered in Bos-
ton itself, Yankee fashion, by asking an
other: "Is the bicycle face any worse than
the baby carriage face of the man who has
to push one while his wife directs the
way?"
People who are easily wearied with the
flow of adiectiyes so common in the de-
scriptions of social functions must have
been greatly pleased by the fact that the
recent Vanderbilt ball in Newport beg
CARED description. All that could be said
of it was that 81, 0O0, 900, 900 worth OF society
was received at 100000 palace and
that the ball was opened by $21O, 100000 in
eotillon. What more could any one ask?
In cases of that kind the speech OF figures
is great deal more effective than figures
of speech.
Those who look forward to the coming
winter with expectations of bliss and IN
dulge their pleasing fancy that the revival
of trade and activity will bring nothing
bat good, and that we shall have season
of business and gayety yielding profit and
pleasure unalloyed, should medicine their
too exuberant hopes betimes with the re-
membrance that imam never is but always
to be blessed" Already there appear
upon the eastern horizon portents OF ap-
preaching trouble. 1t is announced that a
new novel by Mrs. Humphry Ward be-
gins its serial appearance in November,
and it is further announced that New
York church has invented new form of
church enterprise known as the "extortion
social" These things starting IN the East
will, of course, come westward with the
star of empire and the railway trains, and
our only consolation in facing them is to
he found in the well-assured belief that
neither the new novel nor the new social
will be materially different from those
with which we have become familiar dur
ing the years of depression.
1t is difficult for the average citizen to
understand why the committee charged
with the duty of selecting site for the
Affiliated Colleges should hem, haw, hest
tate and halt in making a choice between
the five and half acres offered in the
Potrero and the thirteen acres offered by
Mayor Sutro near the park. The park site
is not only much the larger in area, which
in itself is an important consideration to
colleges that look forward to future growth,
but it is better location, can be more
cheaply prepared for building will have
the advantage of proximity to the great
Sutro Library and is on the line along
which the City is advancing. The Potrero
site has no attractions at all equal to the
other, unless the fact that it is somewhat
nearer to the Southern Pacific Railroad
may be considered an attraction, though
why it should be so considered by any one
who does not desire to make touch on
the road is one of those perplexing prob
lens of life which Herbert Spencer should
have included in his dogma of the unknow-
able.
In the window of a drugstore on the
north side of town number of sharp,
heavy. dangerous looking tacks are ex-
posed with placard stating that they were
picked up on the San Mateo road where
they were found scattered along the high
way. This form of malicious mischief is
so mean and can yield so little in the way
of fun even for the mischief-maker, that it
would seem to be the freak of some idiot
without mate in the world. And yet it
is not so. From every part of the Union
come reports of similar offenses. In some
parts of Connecticut it is said that tack
sprinkling on the highways has become so
common that bicycle riding is almost i'm
possible. The evil has in fact become SO
widespread there is growing demand for
an adequate punishment of it, and the
bicycle men would have the full sympathy
OF the public if they should devise some
way of making the tack-scatterers sit down
on their little game and sit down hard.
The casual observer who does not know
everything and has no particular desire to
do so can hardly walk through the Me-
chanics' Fair without wondering why we
are making so much fuss about the lack of
California manufactures. There seems to
be in the Pavilion enough California
machinery to make a State and enough
products to stock it with. 1t is no doubt
good thing to demand more, but we should
not overlook the fact that we have done
good deal and have right to be proud of
ourselves. IL is doubtful if any commu-
nifty of population not exceeding ours can
make so excellent showing. 1t is certain
we manufacture everything from boomers
to men-of-war. These things may not rep
resent the extreme poles of human indus
try, but as they provide for home comforts
and National defense, we ought to be fairly
well satisfied, for what more does any lover
or patriot want than to please the ladies
and save the Nation?
The allusion to boomers was not made
as a matter of fippaney nor as dressy
contrast to warships. There is boomer
suit at the fair, to see which is alone worth
the price of admission. Tested by the i'm
mediate contact and contrast with all the
frocks and gowns that the multitude of
well-dressed women were trailing along the
aisles, the bloomer showed itself fully their
equal for grace and elegance, as well as
superior to them for the comfort OF the
wearer and the convenience of the crowd.
When boomers so graceful and dainty as
this come to the front, rational dress will
not have to wait for the slow process of