The sun., 1902-09-07
DO.r'Y GO BROkE ~ FRISCO.
Advice of n Nan Who, Nevertheless. Had a
Great stroke OF Lack There.


"One Of these rainy evenings, pretty
near dne row. I'm going To sit down and
write the fr.t few chapters Of that book
I've had in mind for a long time past
Towns I've Eeen Broke In remarked
Il New Yorker who is now n sedatc and
settled citizen. The Information that
Iv> picked up al first hand on this topic
ought TO make readable and Instructive
stuff for young fellows possessed Of tho
restless spirit.
There are o lot Of mean towns in the
United States for n man to so broke in;
bat for real craggiless and hopelessness
and norway out-r just try going broke
in San Francisco ard sec irow near you'll
gel TO taking the hop or the pier.
The reason is that It's 70 hard to break
away from the place. You sec, that bunch
Of mountains between San Francisco and
the Mississippi River is there to stay
"lou cant walk over EN-. either. It's
a case of ride when you want to leave San
Francisco and i's a case, likewise of pay
ing for your ride If YOU don't happen
to have the little pastoboard when the CON
ductor comes around and looks You in
the eve, OF YOU %, and you're pretty liable
to get ditcbcd in patch Of cacti or sec
tion of sagehrlsh or a bit of desert just
about 272 miles from nowhere at all
The conductor doesn't care for your
sensibilities at all Conductors who
run over-he-mountans deserts trains
from San Francisco are real cruel, heart
less persons, so they are, They don't
mind il in the least if they have TO pass
by your bleaching bones. where they've
dumped you, 385 days in tho year They're
calloused to all that.
You can generally stow away on one
OF the Panama boats, hut then it's a case
Of coal .heaving when the purser nails you.
and then you're dumped when you get
down to the Isthmus. It's pretty hard
to stow away on one Of the up-boats on
the other side of the Isthmus l ought TO
know, but that's part Of another nara
tive.
The last time I found myself broke In
san Francisco was about twelve years
ago. don't believe was ever worse broke
in my life. There came an evening when
walked along kearney street with about
the most stupendous desire to eat that I'd
taurants certainly did look warm and
bright and glowing TO me that evening
But didn't have a red, and they weren't
| for me.
Il walked around aimlessly until passed
| the Palace Hotel / looked into the brilliant
| cafe of that hostelry and saw chaps lolng
| back in their places, the glow Of the can
dies on their faces, and the petals Of the
roses falling gently to the tableclOths,
II think, said to myself, that shall
| take dinner this evening inside here. The
Palace is good enough for me
so / walked into the cafe of the Palace.
objected to several places the head
waiter picked out for me, thereby showing
that naughty individual that | knew what
was what and gaining his respect from
the jump. told him that | wanted the
right kind Of a waiter. and he picked out
the best man on his staff and sent him to
me.
Il went through that Palace cafe menu
from soup 70 nuts, and there weren't any
IL, | minated 10 the headwaiter, after
sampling nearly all Of the wines, that the
Palace seemed to be pretty shy on good
vintages
"Iil be within the shelter Of the Five
Courts In something under half an hour,
reflected with great complaisance when
had ordered the waiter to bring me three
a dollar, and had Just finished the last pint
of champagne, and stood ready for the
coffee and cognac But / was liable
to've turned up there sooner or later, any
how, and the Five Courts Ia pretty good
old sort Of Jail TO strike with replete
stomach,
The waiter brought me my cognac
and coffee and cigars. and liz one OF the
renas and started in to smoke peacefully.
~ spose itll get into the papers. |
mused, about the chap with the iron nerve
who walked into the Palace cafes and con-
sumed about s23 worth Of solids and liquids
and then cheerfully admitted his inability
70 liQuidate for the same, and, on the
whole, such was the pleasant influence
Of that swell feed, the contemplation seemed
to me 10 be rather diverting.
Il was pursuing this thought with all
Of the ease in life. my waiter meanwhile
standing at n respectful dist lance, waiting
for me 10 ask for my check and toss him
couple-dollar bill as tip, when noticed
a fellow with Vandyke beard seated at
table about thirty feet TO my right, gazing
pretty hard AT me. He looked and looked
and looked n. me.
THAT fellows probably the house de-
tectiye,' | thought, and he has tumbled
to the fact that I am about to swing the
house for some s23 worth OF viands and
drinkables.. However. let him detect 1t
I'm yanked TO the Five Courts by hotel
detective or by IL
Just as got This far the man got up from
his table and walked over 20 mine. His
face gradually lighted up as he drew closer
to me. and il was one broad grin when he
held out his hand and called me cordially
by my front name
II knew him then right away. He was
a chan I'd known in New York a number
Of years before. The last Id ever seen
Of him was when I'd gone on his note for
500 AZ a time when he got mixed up in
tangle with his firm on account Of gam
bling,
He'd jumped without ever making the
note good. ~ that when II came due I'd
had to pay il myself. I'd always felt
pretty sore. on him for that Job, and I'd
had il in mind for a number of years 70 do
several and divers Things TO him II ever met
up with him again.
Under the circumstances, however, ]
received him with calm cordiality, and he
imm. diatoly began 10 explain To me about
that note for s2tO while he looked sheepish
Said that only a year before he'd mailed
a check for 500 20 me-, and that it had come
back TO him. as hadn't been in New York
to receive II.
-He was having all kinds Of prosperity
on the slope, he sad, and asked how they
were coming for me. Never better, told
him, and then he reached into his breast
pocket, pulled out his wallet, and handed
mo two nice. clean siO0 notes, fresh and
crisp from the Sub-Treasury.
"That, however. was bull-luck. for OF
all tough propositions in the way of town
to go broke in, San Francisco il in class
by tself