48 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



gether wrong. But if "Hell," with which the same person com- 

 pares it, has no worse features, nor greater horrors, the poor 

 souls of the damned will have a comparatively good time. Dante, 

 the immortal Italian poet, describes that part of the Hereafter 

 with quite different colorings, and, as he is said to have been 

 there, in a trance, I suppose he is an authority in that particular, 

 as I claim my own right to describe San Francisco as I find it. 



The timid author of the letters afore mentioned should also 

 have considered the fact that it takes fully two months before 

 the public over there sees or hears of it and that such a space of 

 time alone is sufficient to bring about the most wonderful effects 

 and changes, in a country like this. We have strong breezes in 

 summer-time, yes, and occasional sand-storms but, that people 

 are actually in danger of being enveloped by sand beyond recog- 

 nition, is a myth. Since last October, the streets have been 

 planked and this has therefore put almost an end to local sand- 

 storms. The climate itself is healthy and strengthening and only 

 he who ignores the most ordinary precautions, which every cli- 

 mate requires, particularly of a stranger, will suffer sickness, and 

 very -often blame the country or the people in the long run, rather 

 than his own carelessness. As to crimes, robberies, murders, we 

 find them the world over, even where the best organized police 

 forces try to prevent them, why then should not a new country 

 like this have them, where there is so much of the tough element 

 and no pasport-revision or other means of banishment ? Gambling 

 houses are running, it is true but, is it not likewise true that they 

 are carrying on their nefarious work in the best regulated cities 

 abroad? Is it only very recently that the Paris authorities re- 

 vised the ordinances against gambling and are not our German 

 Watering resorts afflicted with evils of a very similar nature? 

 Or does the fact that the latter cases provide an annual income 

 for certain princes change the criminal aspect? Well, in this 

 country the people are the sovereign power and the profit derived 

 from such establishments fills the pockets of the citizens who have 

 just as much right to it as the "Princes *by the Grace of God." 



"Progressive education," continues the San Francisco cor- 

 respondent, "helps to wipe out this evil and as public opinion 

 is decidedly against it, the time is close at hand when the people 

 will bring about a welcome change. In fact, I just read in to- 



*The translator wishes to remind the reader that this letter had 

 been written in San Francisco, even before Mr. Lecouvreur's de- 

 parture from home, and merely had been enclosed in his May 

 letter to the latter's parents, as it contained a refutation of former 

 publications in provincial organs, which had prejudiced the fam- 

 ily very much against young Frank's desire to choose San Fran- 

 cisco for his future home. 



