The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-20
CONCERNING BOHEMIANS,
By w. c. MORROW.

What is pleased to term itself the .true
Bohemian element of San Francisco,
with capital B, has been for year past,
according to published accounts, express
ing discomfort with existing methods of
Bohemian organization, and striving,
apparently with a diverting relish of pub
lie notice. to establish an ideal confrater-
nity. Through all this travail there is
borne the merry idea that these estima5le
persons have been possibly led into their
course by misconception of themselves
and other things. Perhaps it is l who
misconceive their conceptionand that they
are right and am wrong; but when read
of persons calling themselves '.Bohe-
mians," artists and other equally weird
names feel convinced that if I am wrong
my error is explainable on the ground of
insanity, not lack OF education.
In the sense in which the word 'bohe-
milan" is used hereabout it offends to see it
printed with capital b, for it is COM
mon noun-by far too common. We all
know that apart from its geographical sig
nIticance it was meant TO apply to gypsies
primarily and to persons resembling gyp-
sizes secondarlly Hence its fundamental
meaning is person without fixed habi-
tation, lazy, improyident, uncouth and
dirty; self-constituted outcasts and vaga-
bonds, given to lying, swindling and theft.
If in its translation TO higher civilization
its meaning has become enlarged we may
assume that, in addition to these defini-
tons, we may include cognate ideas, as
drunkenness, a scorn for conventions and
that particular form of theft which the op-
portunitv of mourning debts and willing
ness to evade payment creates. If am
correctly informed the word has been
adopted by persons OF "artlstlc" tastes or
pursuits to describ themselves.
The gypsy. for all his shortcomings, is a
picturesque creature and has certain an.
chronological interest. He has some
charms and graces which shine through
his rascalities and CRIME. He is not con-
celted nor obtrusive nor noisy and in his
theft and lying he displays dexterity
which not one of his civilized prototypes
can hope TO acquire. He knows nothing
of his civilized congeners and would likely
scorn to re cognize them in public. Now
| if the civilized bohemianS are what the
term really plies, they have no place in
| social club with respectable men and
would probably not find such club con.
genial. l am reasonably positive that
those who are in evidence are not what
| they call themselves, but really lovable
and sunny characters, not so really i'll bred
as 10 be markedly unconventional, not SO
| dishonest as to incur debts which they de
not intend to pay, not SO lacking in self
respect as to fail in being respectable, not
| offensive by reason Of being affectedly
dirty and i'll dressed, and not objects OF
suspi cion and espionage on the part of the
| police. l am confident that if they get
drunk at all it is not on cheap liquor or in
low doggeries and disreputable resorts and
that while drunk they act as kings, lord:
and other gentlemen should while in thai
condition.
| Perhaps the unfortunate name of very
prosperous and agreeable club in town has
had much to do with this misconception
OF the meaning of bohemian" l have
visited this club on two occasions that