Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/363

 in a  reg-

ular way  five  dollars."  The  crowd  smiled  audibly. "Now,  I  don't  want  as  much  as  that,"  continued Cheap  John.  "  Times  is  too  hard,  and  if  you  won't, have  'em  for  something  you  may  take  'em  for  nothing. I'll put  'em  all  at  four-an'-a-'a'f.  Who'll  give  me  four? Take 'em  along  for  three,  gentlemen,  you  know  times is hard  and  these  goods  must  be  cleaned  out  of  here. There they  are  for  two-an'-a-'a'f.  Who  says  two? Down they  go  at  one,  and  to  show  you  that  times  is hard  and  that  these  goods  must  be  sold,  there  they are for  fifty  cents,  and  I'll  never  ask  a  cent  more  nor take a  cent  less."

" Well,  mister,"  drawled  out  the  sharp-visaged  ob- server, who by  this  time  had  worked  his  way  up  to the  counter,  "times  is  hard,  very  hard  I  may  say,  an' ef  you'll  jest  throw  in  that  'ar  coat  an'  pants,  an'  that 'ar  vest,  an'  fiddle  what's  hangin'  up  thar  agin  the wall,  why  dang  my  buttons  ef  I  don't  paternize  yer fifty  cents  worth."

Sickness was  an  expensive  pasthiie  in  those  days, and to  indulge  in  some  diseases  was  much  more  costly than in  others. The fee-bill  of  the  San  Francisco medical society,  organized  June  22d,  1850,  gives the prices  for  various  visits  and  operations  rang- ing from $16 — one  '  ounce,' — the  lowest,  to  $1,000. A single visit  was  $32  ;  a  visit  in  regular  attendance $32; for  every  hour  detained  $32  additional;  advice $50 to  $100;  night  visits  as  consulting  physicians $100; for  various  specified  operations  from  $500  to $1,000.

Doctors flourished,  and  as  a  class  were  no  more scrupulous than  ministers  or  miners. At Yeates' rancho, in  1849,  a  man  died. He had  two  yoke  of cattle  and  a  large  quantity  of  provisions  in  his  wagon. Dr Sparks  took  care  of  him,  and  when  he  died  claimed the cattle  and  wagon  for  the  doctor's  bill. Dr Sparks was soon  taken  sick  and  Dr  Clinton  took  care  of  him. Sparks died  and  Clinton  took  cattle,  wagon,  pro- visions and all  the  property  Sparks  had,  for  his  bill.