The San Francisco call., 1896-03-15

stood beside her. .'She'n tell your past
and read the future for you for two bits
The big gypsy ewes were full of persuasion,
but knew enough of the past to realize
that its burden is heavy, and l courted the
future no faster than time would reveal it,
so steeling my heart l passed on. As
did so the seeress fired parting shot:
keep your money, lady," she called, II
dare say you need It," an evidence of pre-
science on her part that might have
prompted me further to test her powers
had not time pressed.
The canine population of the upper end
of Kearny street is as interesting, as full
of picturesque suggestion as are its human
deniZens. Assembled in solemn caucus in
the center of the road in one block 1
counted French poodle, an Irish setter, a
dachshund, spitz, fox terrier and bull
dog. besides any number that were lust
dogs. The sight brought to mind Josh
Billings dictum: "There IL 500 dawgs in
this here town, and $50 of EN- cud dew all
the biZnesS."
They were interesting, however, as an
indication OF the various nationalities that
people this part of our City. for beyond a
peradventure nearly every doglet of them
represented an owner to whom he stood as
a reminder of other days in sunny France,
in the Vaterland, in "the ould counthry,"
or ''at 'ome," wherever may have been the
place left to try fortune in this strange City
by the Golden Gate.
Little Italy, little Mexico, lesser Spain,
minor France lie hereabouts, and the
quaint region shows the influence of all in
its picturesque surroundings.
A little lower down and the street skirts
the Chinese quarter. Warned by queer,
high-keyed yell of the approach of danger,
turned aside in the descent, just in time
to avoid collision with a ''three-abreast"
team of gayly attired Mongolian urchins
dashing along at a pace that showed them
TO be thoroughly imbued with the Ameri-
can spirit of getting there. They were
driven, their long queues serving as capi-
tai reins, by a fourth lad OF tn cir race, and
their queer little coats tapped wildly back
in the breeze as their ridiculous little silk
clad legs worked like small pistons to the
accompanying clatter of their absurd
shoes.
1t looked like an illustration from the
Arabian Nights tales, and the impression
was still with me as | watched a crop
headed red -fezed, candy-peddling Syrian
dodge the rushing quartet as they whirled
in their wild career over the back trail.
Portsmouth square and the cheap clothing
quarter are reached together. The spirit
of old California when 1t comes to the
City always seeks out Portsmouth square
Tired, bewildered, almost lost in the con-
stantly making changes, 1t comes TO rest
on the plaza benches to muse upon the
mutableness of all things Californian and
talk to any one who will listen OF those
wonderful days "when the water came up
to Montgomery street" Among the pic
turesque loungers always to be found in
the plaza you may surely reckon upon
finding one old-timer come up to see the
sights, and so surely as you linger near the
bench whereon he sits you will catch tie
oft-repeated phrase, "Why, remember"
prefacing some new "reminiscences of the
old days. We should note him when we
see him with his broad -brimmed hat,
his impossible coat and his high
heeled boots, for he is passing
from our midst more rapidly than we
realize. Turk and Christian, Greek and
Jew, barbarian. Scythian and the hordes
of modern Europe are pouring in upon us,
bringing problems and influences by the
score but the argonauts are growing few in
number and their memories dim.
Passing Sacramento street the character
of the thoroughfare undergoes another
change. One meets fewer men with ear
rings; fewer plexioned women in
kerchiefs. The screams of parrots assail
the ears and the windows of the shops are
filed with queer animals and birds, or