davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

Everything that bears an official name on
the official map of thoroughfares in the
Surveyors office is a street.
This particular street, as shown on the
map in the Surveyors Office, has length
OF "a feet inches and width of feet
inches. And. of course, the map in the
Surveyors office is correct. Nevertheless,
1t might be argued by one disposed to be
captious that Reed place has a greater
depth than this, for when you have
reached the official end of the street you
come to flight of wooden steps. Mount
ing these, you find yourself on what may
be called the second story of Reed street
Traversing this second story a few PAGES
you reach another flight of stairs, and
these lead to still the third story of Reed
place. at the end of which is bit of green
tree hanging over the fence from neigh
boris yard-the only green thing to be
seen on all Reed street.
Reed place is in block 6S of the City and
County of San Francisco, which means
Ito those who know that it runs south
from the north side OF Green street, be-
tween Montgomery and Kearny, but it
doesn't run very far. and for that re ason
it is the very smallest street in all this
great big City.
There are couple OF sixty-foot streets
running north from Post street, above
Taylor-Ophir and Agate alleys-but they
are long compared with Reed place.
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22
The City's Smallest Store.

The very smallest store in San rancisco?
Doubtless you have passed it many times
but have never noticed it, which would
not be at all strange, because it is SO very,
very small.
It's Interior area measures just five feet
two inches in width. by twenty-one feet
in depth, and yet it is located on one of
the busiest blocks on Market street. It is
that tiny blue front locksmith's shop on
the south side of Market street.
The lot itself is rot much larger than the
store, and the store was once an alleyway.
But front feet on Market street are far to
valuable to waste in alleyways. so the
thrifty owner of this property put a dry
floor on the alley, then few boards up
for the roof cut the tive-foot alley-gate in
half and made tiny show window out of
the eastern hall, painted the whole thing
beautiful. radiant. glowing, army blue,
and then hung out sign, "Store to Let"
The sign didn't hang there long. A
patent medicine doctor was the first ten
ant. He sold an invigorator and a reju-
venator that were guaranteed to make old
men young and weak men strong. "It
benefits in day and is pleasant to take, Il
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

tend the grand celebration who were free
from civil or personal taint.
This proclamation was followed by sac
rifice and prayer; the priests, surrounded
by the peculiar members of the myster-
les, in solid phalanx, and followed by a
great procession, proceeded TO the sea-
coast, where they were all solemnly puri-
fed; expiatory services were preceded
by one day s fast. The most touching of
these heather expatory rites was the
selection of beautiful young child, either
girl or boy, of pure Athenian race. called
the ..'child of the hearth" because placed
near the sacri6cial hearth, and it offered
the prayer for those seeking initiation
into the solemn mysteries. 1t seemed the
supplication coming from innocent lips
would on that account be more acceptable
to the gods. They believed it to be the
redemption of all granted to child.
Then followed the grand dramatic rep
resentaiion of the Joy of Demeter upon
the ecoVery OF Persephone. The parched
and wlthered earth had mourned with
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

| the first off1cial celebration of Thanksgiv-
ing day in California was observed in Sac
ramento, and it was a most elaborate af-
fair. Governor Burnett had issued his
procl amation few days previously, and
all the New England men in the place at
once got together and formed plans for
celebrating. They called their organiza-
ton the Sons of New England, and held q
banquet in the dining-room of the Colum-
bia Hotel. The decorations of the hall on
this occasion were by far the most eiab-
crate that had ever been attempted In
the State. The walls were hung with
bunting. and flags and shields containing
the names OF the States were placed in the
form of a frieze.
Every body was invited to be present at
this feast, whether they came from New
England or not. The menu was most
supe b one, and contained forty different
dishes and eight kinds of wine. There
was everything that could be obtained in
| the best restaurants in any part of the
world. and nobody who participated had
need to long for turkey or pumpkin
pie, or anything else for that matter.
AS it happened, Hardin Biglow died
| few days previous to Thanksgiving day,
and Governor Burnett came up from Mon
terey to attend the funeral. This brought
| him to Sacramento just in time to be
present at the celebration. He was given
the place of honor at the table, and ex-
pressed his delight at the fact that he was
able to attend the first Thanksgiving cele-
bration which had ever been proclaimed
by Governor of California.
On this occasion +. NJ. Berry acted as
president of the evening. Rev. Mr.. Ben
ton asked blessing and the banquet pro-
ceeded. J. w. Cartwright acted as toast
master. The festivities were kept up until
midnight, when, the next day being Sun
day. the first official Thanksgiving cele-
bration in the history of the State was
brought to close.
1t is not known that anybody who at
tended that celebration is alive to-day.
There may be, but as the list of guests Is
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22
UAL THANK OFFERINGS AMONG THE ANCIENT GREEKS

The Greeks, during their autumnal
celebration of the Eleusinian mysteries,
approached nearer a national thanks
giving than in any other OF their numer-
Gus religious festivals. The seventh day
was set apart for the great offering to
Demeter of fruits and grains, and this was
held in the outermost court in order that
no unhallowed footprint might profane
the temple proper. All the great festivals
were under state direction, and, as the
national life was based on state religion,
impiety was crime, amenabie to law; yet
their religion had a warmth and Joyous
ness and social life we moderns know
nothing OF. Indeed, the happy apanoon
of a Greek festival would be a revelation
to modern.
The beginning of their thank offering OF
fruit and grain was solemnly announced
by diSdemed hierophant standing amid
a crowd of robed priests on the magnif-
cent Stoa Poikle Cor variegated colonnade
at the temple entrance), and there pro-
claiming all Greeks were welcome to al
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

before the sacred doors, while the herald
cried in imperious tones, Let the profane,
the impious, those dealing in magic arts,
those who have shed human blood and
all barbarians depart hence!" II any OF
these classes were found in the throng
they could be put to death on the spot and
flung out of the inclosure. The profane
were not permitted to even e the temple,
but the initiates approached as soon as
the mystics ran through the inclosure
carrying torches, shaking them so that
showers of purging sparks were flung off,
then passing them from hand to hand in
token of the divine transmission of holy
light and knowledge.
One after another the torches we're ex-
tinguished and from the darkness came
divine voices and appalling images, ac-
companied by flashes of lightning, groans
issuing from the earth (apparently),
chains clanked and terror fell upon all
hearts. This was the most trying part OF
the ceremonies and tested the courage and
faith of the initiates. Thenceforward
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

Demeter in her grief for the abduction of
her child, and now at the command of the
goddess was covered with bloom and
laden with fruits upon her recovery. The
grateful Greeks assem- bled from all direc-
tions to share her Joy and render thanks
giving within the sacred inclosure at the
call OF the mysterious hierophant.
The distance between Athens and Eleu-
SIS was seventeen miles, and from early
morn the whole way was covered with a
joyous throng. led by white-robed priests,
wreathed oxen, goats and other sacred
animals led by youths adorned in festal
attire. The young men of Athens wore
short, pleated kitons, with the graceful
himation thrown over their shoulder,
their heads garlanded and feet sandaled.
The young girls bore flowers, fruits and
some kind of a sacred box. They were
dressed in white, with GOLDEN broidered
peplum. The matrons bore their offer
ings of wheat-sheaves, dressed in white
kiton and dark blue peplum, in honor OF
Demeter, whose dress when on Mount
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

the crop itself that is referred to. but it's
location is most unusual, for it is on the
roof of the Toulouse. This Toulouse is
exactly IN the center of the square, and
the crop OF bright colored pie material
looms up from all directions. But it
doesn't look at all inviting, although a
number of people in the neigh hborhood
have signitied their intention of having
one of the pumpkins for Thanksgiving
that is, provided, of course, they are not
seized by some one else in the meantime
There is quite a story in the way these
pumpkins came to grow on the roof. 1t
was a very simple matter for them to do
SO when one considers the cause. The
same cause has also given the old gardener
quite an opinion of his own powers of in
vention.
1t seems that the pumpkins grew as a
volunteer crop, due to the fact that some
of the ground around the Toulouse was
brought there from a vacant lot near by.
The gardener cared for the vine tenderly,
but soon found it an elep ant OF his
hands. 1t spread all over the fower-bed,
and soon had that part OF the square to
itself, because nothing else could live In
the neienborhood. Then 1t com menced
to spread over the walks, and also TO show
signs of bearing. This was hard time
for the gardener. He thought of the fine
pies the pumpkins would make, and he
also thou ht that IL would be necessary
for people to walk through the park. He
lost sleep at night. and still theEin grew.
Little pumpkins formed, and he began to
lose flesh. The vine spread more and
more and the small green globules looked
more tempting every day.
When almost on the verge of despair the
gardener got an idea. He soon had the
crop OF young pumpkins safe on the roof,
where they could grow as much as they
liked, while the roots remained in the soil
below.
And they have taken advantage of the
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22
The Smallest
Voter in the Citu

The smallest voter in San Francisco is
Samuel Joseph Kingston. He stood on
chair to cast his ballot. and even then
was not as tall as many another voter.
His height is feet inches. He is a
native son of California and. curiously
enough, the son Of well-developed parents
and the brother of several tall men.
In the business section of the City
Samuel Joseph Kingston is we'll known.
He drives a rubber-stamp wagon for a
Sansome-stree firm. He is bright, in
telligent, active and has worked for his
present employer something like ten years
or more.
He is known as Sammy" and is gen.
eral favorite. He is always good humored
and witty, and is considered good busi-
ness man. He cast his vote for William
Jennings Bryan, and it was just as big a
vote as that cast by any other man in the
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

celebrations on Novemb Der 80, 1850. Old
timers remember that the "I ankees IN
all the camps threw down their picks ana
shovels and had as good time as the
circumstances would permit of. The ma
iority OF them didn't have turkey, unless
they happened to live in those sections
where the wild birds could be killed at
that time Most of them would have been
satisfied with little fresh beef. Deer was
a great luxury, and pork or mutton among
the things longed for. In most OF the
camps where THANKSGIVING was celebrated
iackrabbit was considered pretty good. In
those days the boys didn't look down on
the gray jumpers with the contempt that
people now display toward the animal
that is now considered pest.
Thanksgiving day 1850 was cold day
all over the State. 1t was clear ana dry,
but in the mountains little snow had
fallen. This, of course. only made 1t
seem more like nome to the boys from the
East and they were correspondingly de-
lighted. They hauled in plenty of wood
the day before so that they mad nothing
to 10 but celebrate and watch the Jack
ra bbits cook to a turn. The rabbits were
always cooked whole, q certain mem Der
of the party being vested with tie honor
of chef, whose duty it was to see that it
was properly basted and turned occa-
sionaily.
While scenes OF festivity were going on
in many OF the camps all over the State
there were others where the boys did not
know that there was sucn s day as
THANKSGIVING. George K. Fitch was in
the diggings at the time, and declares
that the day passed without his knowl-
edge that it was holiday. The Gov
ernor's proclamation did not reach his
camp and if it had the chances are that
no attention would have been paid to it,
as there we're no New Englanders for sew
eral miles around. When the news came
that some of the boys over the ridge had
| been celebrating considerable surprise
was expressed.
On the evening of November so, 1850,
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

Olympus was always OF that shade. The
chorus-boys and regular musicians were
appareled in holiday attire and filled the
brilliant sunlit air with joyous strains of
antiphonic music. The old men walked
in stately, rhythmic measure in robes of
office levery citizen was a dicast, present
or pros pectivel, and all that festival crowd,
marching in the sweet morning air to the
sacred inclosure, were given up to the
great enjoyment of a national and social
thanksgiving. On the march they filled
the time with music, banter, raillery and
je>ting. The procession reached Eeusis
at night by torchlight and stay OF many
days was made.
The entire celebration of the mysteries
occupied nine days, and the seventh day
was selected as peculiar for the offering of
thanks for the fruits of the earth. The
drama opened with the grief of Demeter
for the loss of Ter child. The initiates
clad in white robes, their hair caught up
with golden grasshoppers and heads
wreathed with myrtle, ranged themselv S
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

The exact date of the first THANKSGIVING
celebration in California is not a matter
OF record. Nor do the old-timers remem-
Der In what year it took place. 1t may
nave been as early as 1S4S. 1t is very
likely, however. that it was in the year
1o49 and the place one of the many min
ing camps that had just sprung into ex-
lstence. There were many New Eng
landers here at the time and it is not
probable that the descendants of the Pill
grim Fathers would have allowed their
most important and time-h onored day to
slip by uunoticed.
OF the year 1850 the records stand out
clear and distinct, and that must be con-
e1dered the first celebration. In addition
to this. number of the old-timers have
dim memories of festive doings on the
last day of November in that year. because
Governor Peter II. Burnett issued a proc
lamation declaring it a legal holiday.
Official business was suspended and the
day was observed by all men from New
England and many others who did not
object to a good time. A great many OF
the events of that day have never been
recorded and a great many more have
been forgott but from such accounts as
90 exist 1t appears that IL was surely DAY
of festivity.
To many of the men who came to the
coast on the tidal wave of the gold
fever Thanksgiving day was a new
thing. The majority of these men hailed
from the Southern and Middle States and
from Europe, and did not take kindly to
the Puritanical celebration. Some of them
ridiculed il and few of the writers of the
time objected to it as piece of Hypocrisy.
But the pioneers were tolerant men as a
rule, and when the New Englanders de-
termined to celebrate they met with no
obstacle. 1t is also recorded that when
the others found that Thanksgiving ceIe-
bration meant considerable eating and
drinking they inclined TO the belief that it
was not such bad thing after all, and con-
cluded to take part in it.
There may have been fifty Thanksgiving
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22
Enjoyment in
Churnine Butter

"Churning is one of the hard jobs on
farm and consumes much valuable time.
1t usually makes ones arms ache to work
the dasher up and down from twenty
minutes to two hours according to the con-
dition OF the cream. And when it Is done,
how little there is to show for il. Even if
one uses the new rotary churn, it is not
satisfactory. 1t takes good deal of cream
to work them and the work is almost as
hard as with the old kind. One gets tired
and wishes that butter making was one of
the lost arts"
The preceding paragraph contains
almost the identical words of a farmers
wife. She made the statement after years
of experience and knew what she was
talking about. But she need never talk
that way again.
The man who has done all this good for
the housewives of America is named
William r. Cullson, and his invention is
of the simplest and most inexpensive
kind. 1t is so simple, in fact that it is I'm
possible to get it out of order. That is, it
would be about as hard to get out of order
as a sledgehammer.
Cullson's invention really makes it a
pleasure to churn, and In the future the
boys and girls will look upon the work as
"snap." In TACT, they can do the churn-
ing and at the same time read the latest
news. Fancy this, ye overworked house
wives! You can churn while you are
resting.
All there is to the invention is pair OF
common bellows, few feet of hose and
some leadpipe. The bellows are placed
under braces, that are fixed to rocking
chair, which in turn is fastened to a strong
framework. One bellows is fixed 10 the
back part of the chair and the other bel
lows 10 the front, so the rocking motion of
the chair opens and closes them alter
nately.
The air thus compressed is forced
through the hosepipes and down the lead
pipe into the churn, where ii agitates the
cream until cream butter is produced.
There is no dasher nor mechanism of any
kind. The work is ali done by COM
pressed air. 1t agitates the cream. and
that is all that is necessary. After the air
passes through the cream it passes out
through hole in the cover of the churn.
1t would seem that to aeitate cream in
this way would separate the butter quicker
than the old way.
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

murky darkness" And Sophocles says
ITO these alone are granted life"
Mysteries to the Greek originally spoke
to the eye; they were a religious drama
rather than moral or philosophic teach
ing. But the mind of the Greek could not
rem ain inert in these exciting scenes.
Some observers stopped devoutly with the
legends; others, Jew in mum bers. rose
from the sentiment to the idea-from i'm
agination to reason-and, aided by the
elasticity of the sym bols, gradually intro
duced doctrines that certainly were not
there in the beginning, or were in an
extremely vague condition. Dionysius
and Persephene in the underworld repre-
sented the apparent death of the human
race and their apparent restoration to life.
Olympus typifed renewei life and i'm
mortality. Later still, these ideas became
more definite and there grew up amid the
mysteries purified polytheism, resem-
bling in certain OF its tendencies the spirit
ual character of the Christian religion.
REBEcCA LAWRENCE.
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

not complete they could not be located.
In the larger cities of California, such as
San Francisco, San Jose and Monterey,
some attempt was made at observing
Thanksgiving by the families. Those
who could afford it had turkey, but that
is about as far as it went. The stores did
not close generally, but business was no
ticeably slack. The few churches held SER
vices out of respect to the gubernatorial
proclamation. but nothing on a large
scale was attempted.
In San Francisco the French restaurants
prepared Thanksgiving dinner and man
aged to get little more custom than
usual. The men here were glad to take
part in anything that showed signs of
producing good time.
II well recollect my first Thanksgiving
day IN San Francisco" said Joseph A.
Coolidge. "There was nothing very re-
markable about it, but of course we had
to celebrate by eating turkey. l bought
one, small one, and paid SIG for it. But
it was young and alive. l bought it sew
eral days before and gave it in charge of
French cook TO fatten. He stuffed 1t alive
until it was as plump as partridge. 1t
made my mouth water to look at it. The
day before Thanksgiving he picked it alive
and allowed it to run around without any
| feathers. But when that turkey was served
tell you it was fit for Lucullus. l don't
| know where it came FROM but / was satis-
| fed with 1t. I think that by the time 1
paid the cook for preparing that turkey
and the extras that were necessary to go
with it, together with few other things
requisite for the dinner, it must have cost
at least $50. But it was worth it, and 1
didn't leave much"
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

the brow of Telegraph Hill, and has re-
NAMED IN It's present unim proved condl-
tion since 1850.
AT that time 1t belonged to James Ross,
who afterward went to Marin County.
acquired an immense amount of valuable
real estate near San Anselmo, got that
very picturesque little spot known as
Ross Valley named after him, and then
passed on to his Scotch forefathers, leav-
ing his heirs the memory of an honest
name, but not very much in addition.
This single-foot strip of real estate fronts
on Montgomery street, between Green and
Vallejo and was purchased from James
Ross early in the fifties by the husband
OF its present owner. Mrs. w. B. Agard.
Mrs. Agard is very amiable and plea SAINT
hammered Scotch widow, who lived on
Telegraph Hill when that was the aristo.
cratic part of San Francisco, and the
house she then occupied, which sets back
considerably from 311 Green street. is
where she still lives. Her home is one of
the very few reminders of the departed
social prestiges of Telegraph Hill.
The one-foot front strip lies between the
properties owned by Onesta Tognotti on
the south and by s. Baclgalupi and p.
D~martini on the north, and though its
title has sometimes been called in question
by strangers. the deed is there in black
and white and it proves the legal purchase
by James Ross, long, long years ago, who
needed the narrow strip for sewerage pur.
poses.
The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22
PuppY-Dog Dinners.

Chow dog, in the way OF chinese diet,
is so great a delicacy that to leave it out
of an official dinner in China would be as
great crime as leaving out whitebait or
asparagus in May on similar occasions in
this country. At Canton rows of dogs.
skinned, dressed and ready for cooking,
are hung up in lines on the stalls in the
market-place. The poor chow, when thus
he contributes to the delicacies of the
heathen Chinee's table, must not have out
grown the tender stage of puppydom.
When he is two months old, and his little
carcass weighs two pounds, he is at his
best, and once he has managed to escape
his doom till he is six months old, he has
a chance of living to patriarchal age. for
after that time his ''havorn is not from
the epicurean point OF view, what it ought
to be.
From the non-Celestial point of view the
chow pup is far too amusing and hand
some little customer to De sacrificed on
the same altar on which are laid shark
fins, duck tongues and swallow nests.
The baby chow in appearances is like a
tiny bear cub. The lower 10000 of China
-or rather the lower 10000, 0Oo-who can
not afford dinner OF chow, ptiosophic-
ally eat rats instead, deeming them very
passable and palatable substitute for the
coveted puppy dog.