Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/284



is a  scene  of  embracing,  kissing,  laugliing,  and  crying, impossible to  describe.

The passengers  land  and  make  their  way  to  the  ho- tels, when they  luxuriate  in  a  comfortable  room,  bath, and a  table  from  which  food  once  more  seems  palata- ble ; clothes  are  taken  from  the  trunk  and  put  on,  the creases in  which  mark  the  wearer  as  a  new  comer. Meanwhile lines  begin  to  form  at  the  post-office  win- dows, although it  may  be  twelve  or  twenty  hours  be- fore the mails  are  ready  for  delivery. Thither con- gregate the anxiously  expectant,  the  husband  and father hungry  for  news  from  home,  the  lover  with soft eyes  and  flushed  cheek  and  tingling  nerves,  and in whose  breast  angels  and  imps  alternately  beat  their tatoo as  he  waits  to  learn  his  fate ;  the  rough  miner, the merchant's  clerk,  the  mechanic. Ah ! never were letters so  longed  for  or  so  prized. Alone in  that  mot- ley crowd, for  months  without  one  word  from  home, the heart  steeled  to  the  world  around  them,  deadened in that  social  Sahara,  here  was  the  only  solace  for heart-sickness, the  only  sustenance  the  soul  would have perhaps  for  months  to  come.

Rapidly the  lines  lengthen,  until  perhaps  five  hun- dred persons are  gathered  there,  having  the  appearance at ^ii  distance  of  a  mob,  but  with  the  utmost  order  and regularity, each  new-comer  taking  his  place  behind the last  before  him. There is  no  respect  of  persons, no crowding  or  jostling  ;  any  attempt  at  unfairness  is speedily  put  down  by  the  omnipotent  majority. The ragamuffin, who  everyone  knew  never  wrote  or  re- ceived a letter  in  his  life,  might  take  his  stand  beside the millionaire,  and  sell  his  place  as  opportunity  ofTered, when near  the  window,  to  some  one  whose  time  was more valuable  than  money,  which  he  frequently  did for five,  or  ten,  or  twenty  dollars. Some bring  their stools and  while  away  the  time  reading,  smoking,  and chewing. Eastern papers  are  sold  by  the  newsboys, peripatetic cafes  and  liquor  saloons  walk  about  on French  le^rs,  and  hand-cart  hotels  are  rolled  along  the