The San Francisco call., 1899-11-19

CVHB light Of the ro!ice station suIksa
within its red and white Elob~A
Around Il hung the big dark Ths
dark was that % November rain
i Weather doesn't matter" said the
provost guards
They state; forth from the station.
twelve ir =-i' iber. and separated IN
squads OF !--- men: sergeant. corporal
sod two privates IN ca ch. They stamped
through muddy streets and said that
weather didn't matter so long as they
were out TO round up the lost ones OF the
Forty sixth. Meanwhile the stray lambs
made merry IN the haunts aloTg North
Beach. dance halls 8 downtown ara
Chinatown's devioU- alleys
There were only a few Of them, but
they were the stray ones. and the ninety
and nine who lay peaccahly in camp or
Etro,led San Francisco. nass In pocket
did not matter According TO the officers
OF the Forty-siXth. the soldiers were torn
from the apron strings OF their Boston
mammas in order % enlist. and when
they took the train for San Francisco
they knew little more Of the great world
than can be seen over the brirn OF . silver
and monogrammed mug. That wGA the
FIRST week Of September.
Not until they reached San Francisco
aid their big-eyed innocence change San
Francisco was too much for Them" says
They were too much for u.s." says saa
Francisco.
You have been such good boyz that
you may have more privileges than is
usual" their colonel told them ss the
porter lifted them. up-a-dsisy from the
great big high step OF tho train.
Then he turned them loose upon rs You
know the rest.
Whether they have learned or taurht
will never be settled At any rate, they
have made merry go fercely within our
gates that a provost guard has been need
ed 10 patrol our most festive streets both
night and DAY. rounding up any members
OF the regiment whenever and wheroysr
found without a pass. Private houses
alone are not for the guard to search.
Captain Lukens and Lieutenant Ro<s
remained In the office OF the California
street police station. It is headquarter,
for the provosts.
Come. Ross: We had better TO ana
patrol. There are only twelve men out
tonight, you know" The captain spoke
''I want my dinner. I've been patrollinr
without a meal since breakfast. and IT..
now. Idon't want TO 60" answered the
Lieutenant
He was very young and very hun3ry.
The captain had eaten. but II would h.vs
been tho same II he had not. He was
plainly the kind OF young man whoss
obituary cannot eXaggerate.
1T is better for us to keep toreth~.-
said Captain Lukens.
lust ss you say" said IAeutsnsn
Ross.
30 we started
mo gunB?"
Guns no more A burglar might an wen
wear a headlight. We tried guns AT nr,,
bat We missed more OF the Fortv-s,,+S
escapes that way than we can catch y.
fore our transport sails on Monday Th.x
could tell us a block away and hjda q.
easy as rolling off a log"
But what are you going to do IN ca.
some OF them are not polite about hs,n-
caught" Our party had come for ths
purpose OF seeing a merry war ana
preferred that the war should NOT n. -,
on one side.
Captain Lu1ens looked secur. "s..
here" he said. stopping under a Kearr,
street lamp. this doesn't show, but ~.
ready for emergencies.'
II was bayonet borrowed for the occ.
sion. Out of sight in the scabbard f. Law
Gittering and crafty. I'VE can use n -.
4 knife II necessary" he said "or tha ~
or end makes a good club"
He slipped it back. drew his poncbo IN
against the drizzling rain, and strobe on
TITS pretty tame on kearny street -
apologized the lieutenant. wait untu
We get into Chinatown"
Shops and restaurants diminished alonx
the street and the underground allure
ments looked dreary and dingy enough
10 be harmless Drunken soldiers nov
and then broke the stolid monotony. bu,
never one Of the jolly Forty-sixth. Hence
II was not for our patrol to look for
them.
You Just wait" repeated the lieuten-
ant. hopefully.
Then we turned a sharp corner at
Broadway. twirled at random-drawn
angles. and found ourselves at the upper
end OF Dupont street.
A clatter OF wooden voices, a nshy whin
and a glimmer OF swaying red lanterns
bespoke Chinatown. An instant before
there had been Latin faces. Latin sounds.
The change was as sharp as the slam of
n door.