The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-06
A. deen-sea SANTA CLAUS

Asdeep-sea Santa ClausI
Eight bells" are struck, and it is mid
day on the water front. Men of heavy
J.. build wearing long white aprons are stand
ing in doorways or behind bars ready to
serve steam beer and free lunch for a
nickel. LandIubbers from the ferries are
entering cable and electric cars through
their "booby matches" and scooting away
with the aid of steam and electricity, lay
5ng their courses in various directions.
Eight bells" play tune good for hun
CRY men 10 hear, for it is time to eat.
There are certain small wooden structures
on the water front, having "ist" to port
or starboard, standing, like jovial tars, a
little unsteadily, braced as If not quite
sure of their sea legs. On the weather
side of these several sons of Italy owning
bootblack-stands use shoebrushes ostensi-
q bly,. but their real mission is to holy-stone
off the corns of their patrons, which they
do with every indication of keen delight
Just after "ejght BELLS comes the soci-
able time of the day on the front. True it
is that eating seems to be something to be
6 done like slowing cargo-that is, it must
be done with some speed-but when the
midday cargo of lunch is in there Is slack
time when everything is discussed, from
the Sharkey-Fitzslmmons fight upward
and downward. Neptune's sons, nephews
and longshoremen distant relatives =
take in the sunshine, sniff the familiar
odors of salt water and tar commingled,
and are unconscious of the vague suspicion
of countrymen that they are so "salt" that
.barnacles are growing on them.
mi = 4boE a., l..
nifty, for a depth of block or two and
good part of degree of latitude, is dis
tinctly aquatic, sun-browned, muscular,
speaking all the 'lingoes'' of the civilized
globe, and of much area that is less civil
lied. with an inherent love of fun and in
herited tendencies for walking with hands
e in pockets and with coat collars invar-
ably turned up in the back of the neck.
An easier-tem pered and kindller-hearted
set of men never formulated thoughts,
which, like sesgulls, are upon the water
most of the time.
Odd characters came in on ships, odd
tvpes of Jack, the man behind the gun,"
types of men from every island or main
land where stormy breezes blow or pillows
break along the shore. They are. one
and all-the odd people, that IS TO say
semi humorously inclined. Some are
hairy and some hairless; some with a
stock OF sea yarns reminiscent of Sinbad;
some with a capacity for drinking that
would make them prime favorites with
both Bacchus and Gam brinus-prlme min
listers in their bibulous courts, keepers-in-
chief of the keys of the royal wine cellars
and breweries-men able to wrestle with
king John Barleycorn long and faithfully.
LatterlY there has appeared at the noon
hour at one of the sailor clearinghouse
the oldest of all odd characters, his real
name unknown, but iocularly called by
chance acquaintances Captain Jack
Whiskers," also called by others 1.-THE Sea
Santa Claus" This last title iniicates,
not only his general appearance, but also
suggests new line of thinking.
Suppose that some day, when the fog
trumpets and fog sirens about the bay
seemed to be calling for more fog. stout
rather ander-slzed man in pea jacket,
the collar being turned up in the back as
a matter of course, should dispense such
an aroma of Medford rum at boat land
ing as he came ashore as to make 1t seem
safe to bet that he could be shifted out by
ms fragrant wake at distance of block.
Suppose that from his bushy whiskers
ne should shake off drops of fog, like snow
Makes just like a real Santa Claus-as real
as any Then, drawing from the depths
VI n'S pocket a short, black pipe and a