The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-21

Usher, and also an intimate friend OF Tn
author. Now, Mr.. Baxter was not pleaseui
with San Francisco He could see pun
little good in the institutions OF the fa9in \.
Slope, and was especially disgruntieo al
the spring exhibition of the Art Assocla .
ton. He spent an unhappy hour IN ina
building. Mr.. John Stanton was tne
cicerone, and led him from room to room
in vain endeavor to impress HIM VIII tle
artistic cult of the slope. ia mr.
'sYou hev clayverness, allow, salo MI Lt. :
Baxter, who speaks with broad scotch
accent, "but you lack gaynlus. les, 80 81
gavnius YOU lack" In the architecture OF
the city Mr.. Baxter found much TO ma
fault with. The buildings lacked grace,
there was an absence of symmetry, t9ey
were incongruous and not at all IN keeping
with the boasted progress of the west, b y
Mr.. Baxter was delighted with Wills
Polk, although he considered many things
about that talented young man ani;n not IL
keeping with the dignity of his calling;
ale has foine capacity" said Mr.. Bax-
ter. "He is young, but there IS a great
deal in him." And then he added sotue-
thing about one being not quite as ne LOOKS
which might or might not be construct
into compliment on Mr.. Folks appear
ance.
The absence of 'ansom cabs in this town
was a source of regret and inconvenience
to Mr. Baxter. When he left the Art Asso-
citation he threw up the dexter finger OF MS
right hand and shouted, "Cab, O1 sol,
there. cabl" for several consecutive min
utes. Then Mr.. Baxter sat down on the
steps of the Stanford residence and waited
patiently for full quarter OF an hour Tor
cab. He was compelled reluctantly to take
the s'tram'' and growled bitterly at the
gripman on his way down the hill.
The markets, long the boast OF San Fran
cisco were not viewed bv Mr. Baxter with
admiration. "You hev no vegetable mar
rows said this stern critic, land l don't
parceive any sea kali" His attention was
called to the fine asparagus and the rich
strawberries, to the oranges, apples, tropi-
cal fruit and all the wealth of the stalls,
but the Scotchman failed to enthuSe.
''In Edinbro," he said, "our markets are
much foiner There is q crudity about your
markets here, an absence of that mellow
character find at home. The strawberries
are watery and the apples are not good.
Now, the unfailing bulwark of the San
Franciscan, when all else fails to impress
the stranger at the gates is the restaurants.
With a perseverance worthy of better
cause the friends of Stevenson steered his
publisher and executor to the most cele-
brated rotisserie of the town. The host
handed the distinguished visitor a menu
and paused for the usual exclamation of
surprise and qualification.
81 don't-I really DON'T" observed Mr..
Baxter, adjusting his glasses, "see haggis
among the entrays."
The waiter was summoned and haggiS
demanded, With the bland readiness of
his nation, the Gaul replied "Oui, Mon
sieur," and retired to consult the combined
wisdom of the house. The patron APP
peared with troubled expression on his
usually frank and open face, and humbly
apologiZed for the ignorance of the chef,
who had never heard of haggis before,
and who demanded few hours to look on
the inspired pages of Brillat Sayarin in the
hope OF discovering among the writings of
that great man some hints about the COM
position of this famous Caledonian dish.
The repaSt was not appreciated by Mr..
Baxter. The most delicious plats won no
praise from him. The claret, the choicest
the cellar afforded, was not in his estimation
comparable with the wine served at the
cafes in Edinbro. Unfortunately they had
no Stilton cheese, and dinner without
Stilton was not reGshed by the Scotch
gourmand. There was too much chicory
in the coffee, and in fine the guest was not
entranced by the banquet. They did
things much better at home, and he had
no hesitation in expressing his opinion.
And so Mr.. Baxter, with the will and
the property of the lamented Stevenson,
left California, never, perhaps, to return.
away with him full sense of the kind
felt that, although the town was backward
in art and markets and cabs, it was
not the fault of the inhabitants, but of the
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