96 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



California, appearances must be paid for ; as, there- 

 fore, my purse was not overstocked, I prudently sought 

 a more modest establishment. 



" I passed another hotel, similar to this one, but not 

 quite so large, and came presently to a low wooden 

 house, of most unattractive and unprepossessing ex- 

 terior, which was dignified by the name of the ' Cafe 

 Frangais.' As this seemed likely to suit my present 

 convenience, and to promise a scale of prices on a par 

 with its external appearance, I entered boldly, and 

 seated myself at the dining-table. I noticed, as I went 

 in, that, notwithstanding the poverty without, there 

 was abundance within; the counter being literally 

 overcharged with French pastry, a variety of ingenious 

 culinary preparations, and some foreign liquors. 



" After I had finished my repast, consisting of a 

 beef-steak, two eggs, and a couple of cups of coffee, I 

 prepared to depart. I specify the items of which my 

 repast was made up, because of the price I paid for 

 them — namely, two dollars and a half. I was informed, 

 on hazarding an observation respecting the amount, 

 that the charges were excessively moderate, anything 

 in the shape of a dinner being usually charged one 

 dollar and fifty cents ; half a dollar each for the eggs, 

 which were extras, was only a reasonable price for 

 such luxuries, as they frequently sold for double. I 

 considered the information thus obtained to be cheap, 

 of its kind, and went away with a mental reservation 

 not to eat any more eggs in California, unless they 

 were of another description than the golden ones. 



" As I repassed the * Parker House,' the hotel, par 

 excellence, of San Francisco, I went in, knowing that, 

 like all similar establishments, there were the usual 

 amusements going on within. 



