178 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



fixtures had wires strung along the shelves so that the bottles 

 would not fall from the shock of earthquakes, which gave the im- 

 pression that they were put there so that they couldn't walk away. 

 The dust on the bottles was so heavy that a sovel would have been 

 in place to remove it, and as Johnson's stomach quailed on looking 

 at them, he one day decided to clean them, which required much 

 water, and four days of hard work "I suppose, Mr. Johnson, you 

 have received full particulars from my son at Oakland, wages will 

 be $40 a month, and I trust that we get along very well." Now 

 let us stroll around to the hotel, so grabbing his grip, he led him to 

 a two-story frame building with the name "Grande" over the door. 

 Every place he stopped at seemed to be the "Grande." 



Leading Johnson to the dining-room he was introduced to 

 "Sarah," the waitress and general maid. Serve Mr. Johnson with 

 supper, Sarah, for he must be hungry. A dozen diners were dis- 

 tributed among twenty tables, showing the prosperous boom of the 

 town agaiii Beefsteak, lamb chops, and beef Spanish, yelled out 

 the maid, sweetly gazing at Mr. Johnson". He heard this song so 

 often after that, it rang as music in his ears. Everything tasted 

 so peculiar, with grease enough to run a candle factory. He asked 

 Sarah if the cook put opium into his cooking, when she replied 

 that he was a first-class Chinese cook You must get used to his 

 cooking, it's the climate, my boy, the climate. 



Next day Dr. Ambrose who handled paints, oils, toys, books, 

 stationery, drugs, and we dare not forget newspapers, showed John- 

 son around the store. Looking at his watch he said, Mr. Johnson, 

 it is now 9:30 A. M., and soon the train will be due with the papers 

 from San Francisco. Charlie over at the hotel will show you how 

 to get them. We have our customers, and the papers must be de- 

 livered mornings and evenings. He did not demur for he had 

 taken the bitter apple, but wished to be back in Jersey, for to 

 change from a pharmacist to newsboy was to him a new deal. 

 Getting the papers which were almost hurled at him, Charlie 

 showed him around the route with the Call, Chronicle, Enquirer 

 and several others. One fellow came up and asks are you the new 

 clerk, and minor insults had to be passed by, and Johnson enjoy 

 the circus. One customer, a little Jew, amused him very much 

 when he would leave his paper. "You shure you hef mine Chroon- 

 ickle? I vant kine odder." It was such a pleasure to deliver papers 

 on Sunday, Johnson, modest and shy, diving in and out the saloon 

 doors as the church goers were going by. Saloons in the West 

 are wide open on Sundays. One fellow shouts, "Hey, there," young 

 fellow, paper please." "Take the one you want, sir," and now the 

 dream of this beautiful town was realized. "Well, did you make 

 out, Mr. Johnson, said the doctor, when he returned," I guess so, he 

 mumbled. In walked a big bluff farmer. "Mr. Johnson, this is 



