Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/348



commerce in  the  young  metropolis  had  become  crazed. A few  actual  transactions  which  I  will  cite  will  illus- trate the diversities  and  vagaries  of  trade  better  than any general  description.

There were  not  lacking:  men,  and  a  largje  class  of them  at  one  time  on  California  and  Pine  streets  in  San Francisco, who  were  free  and  frolicking  enough. Dunng the heig^ht  of  the  mining:  stock  excitement  the  board  of brokers  boiled  like  a  geyser  cauldron. It was  a  queer fraternity this  brotherhood  of  air-beating  knights; surging; and  screeching  in  their  strug^gjles  for  commis- sions, which,  when  obtained,  were  pitched  hither  and thither with  the  reckless  indifference  common  to  all kinds of  gambling. The champagne  seller,  the  cigar seller, the  jeweller,  and  livery-stable  keeper,  all  came in for  their  share. Merrily these  brokers  made  their money, and  merrily  they  spent  it. Most innocent were they  in  their  broad  and  philanthropic  egotism. In their  eyes  the  universe  revolved  round  their  board- room ; and  the  man  who  hammered  the  anvil  and yelled in  well-recognized  tones  of  superior  discordance, was the  Great  and  only  One,  the  First  Cause  and  the Last. Their creed  and  catechism  were  easy  affairs. " I  believe  in  the  only  one  and  respectable  board  of brokers,"  the  former  began,  referring  to  the  "  big board,"  as  disting-uished  from  two  or  three  smaller boards, whose  members  in  the  eyes  of  the  aristocratic band were  vulgar  parvenus,  and  bad  society;  and  to every  such  question  as  "  Who  made  you  ? "  and "What is  the  chief  end  of  man?" the answer  was "A broker,"  "  to  be  a  broker,"  and  the  like. Their gehenna, which  though  large  was  not  a  very  hot  one, because of  their  uniform  kind-heartedness,  was  filled with that  vast  horde  of  unfortunates  whom  fate  had denied the  blessedness  of  being  brokers;  these  and bad members  were  refused  admission  to  the  heavenly hall.

It was  an  exceedingly  nerve-splitting  occupation. The hours  of  business  were  few,  but  the  clatt