The San Francisco call., 1898-01-16
A DAY ON THE WATER FRONT.

can't be called hunters-to haggle over the fish and the birds
 But to the naked eye the Alameda is not yet visible.
 Carts upon carts block the way. These are unloading coal from the Vancouver and the Yosemite. The Gipsy has brought down potatoes. On the Mauna Ala the pumps are at work, three men on each side, their muscular, active figures bending now this way. now that. while the water pours out from the ships side.
 Here's the s. N. Castle. her decks redo lent with tobacco she is taking down to the Sandwich Islands. There are bales of hay, too, and dssected carriages Down in her hold the grain bags go spin ming. They are marked "Hana" And at sight of that word the whole busy water front vanishes and the eye of ones mind sees that beautiful bay. the high noun tain of the dead Hawaiian kings, the great cane plantation. and the tall Dane the manager, whose hospitality was truly Hawaiian.
 The Alameda sailed in serene and splendid. Her entrance was like a stage entrance that has been fttingly led up to. For just an hour in the history of San Francisco's shipping she was to be lead- ing lady. On she came stars and stripes and pennant flying, gray-bearded cap tain and pilot aloft, passengers on deck and an interested crowd on shore.
 And just at the critical moment stupid, jealous, fat-bottomed scow swung her broad nose against the ocean steam CTS side, and the glory of that striking entrance was forever marred The Ala meda had to stop and wait while the fussy little tug. the Governor Markham blushing cardinal red with vexation, and stage fright threw a rope to the scow and tugged and pulled and lowed her out of the way. Then the Alameda really docked.
 The saloon passengers are as uninterest- nig as saloon passengers usually are. But over on the steerage side were five men bound for-Klondike, of course. Come clear from Australia and New Zea- land to go to the new gold mines. One of them. a Cornishman, with a short, black-gray beard, a stout, sturdy fellow, whose brown coat was too short in the sleeves. Another, a Cockney, blonde, facetous, with pipe between his teeth and a laughing word on his lips.
 What the deuce do they want? Do you l1now?" drawled one.
 ''T' gow through VT leggage. don't you know" replied his companion.
 But Uncle Sam only wanted to assure himself that none of these foreigners was 
 $50. When the commissioner called out, American citizens firstT' Jock turned laughingly to his companion, and said
 ''Try it, me boy; keep your tongue closed. They'll think you a Yankee?"
 But the steerage waited patiently, sub hitting, as is the wont of steerage, to rules and regulations the saloon escapes.
 Soon the Alameda Is deserted. A news paper correspondent who has been half way around the world and back again. a Honolulu merchant and an adven- turous doctor of medicine, tall lanky, spectacled. wearing golf stockings and ab- surd low shoes, knee trousers and canvas coat. This man sought the Adamless Eden and, like other enthusiasts. learned to be content with little-the profit on a rife and a small copra plantation in Fiji.
 They all leave. and ne Alameda be- comes one of many-a has-been and to-be of ships, like all the other waiting vessels. Before her passengers are re- leased from the customs officers, the bales
 of wool are being wheeled out from her hold. The English sovereigns are on their way up to the mint where they will be- come more than three-quarters of mill lion of American dollars. The skins and
 hides from Australia, the tin, the New | Zealand flax, and the cOpra from Apia, | are all being hauled out from their hid | ing place, and piled on the dock. And soon the show Is over. The ship | Hes quietly bobbing at the dock, as she
 will lie ruminating and resting for the | short interval that elapses between runs. One comes blinking back into the world | as though he had been away from San | Francisco the actual time 1t would take | to go about and see all these foreign | people and things; to have been in China with Lee Toy Wan; in Glasgow with the l Kilmory's mate; in Hawaii with the | cooks boy on the s. \. Castle; to have | been where those great shining Jumps of i clean coal and shale come from; to go
 with this immense quantity of canned | goods and condensed milk and bread | stuffs to the Orient. where they are pre- | pairing for war-in short to have been
 everywhere and to have tasted life in all ! Its varied aspects.
 The town looks commonplace. The peo- i pie who sit opposite you in the street | cars are ordinary, insignificant. Down | along the waters edge another day of
 romance is preparing. Here in the town. | the monotonous. old round Is to be gone | over again. Down there men have char l acter and Individuality. Here they are | patterned all on one model. On the | waters edge there Is color and there are | picturesque differences. In town. mans | highest ambition, sartorially. at least, is | to look as much like his neighbor as his personal peculiarities and his tailor will l permit. MIRIAM MICHELSON. | -