similar establishment, kept by Mr. Frank Wheeler, is provided for general subscribers. A large Music Hall has been erected in Bush. street, near the corner of Montgomery, by Mr. Henry Meiggs, and here quiet folk are entertained with concerts, oratorios, lectures, fairs, and the like. The "Mercantile Library Company," "Young Men's Christian Association," and other societies, at various seasons every year, afford the literary public opportunities of listening to scientific, moral and other instructive discourses by eminent speakers.

Thus do the people of San Francisco employ their leisure hours. Possessed of so many opportunities of gaining wealth, they freely use it in the purchase of those enjoyments which relieve their minds and bodies from the harassing toil to which they have been subjected in its acquirement. Thus, notwithstanding the immense wear and tear of such unexampled energy as is here required in any occupation, the unstinted and universal use of reasonable relaxation and pleasure, enables them to retain their vigor, and lead far more agreeable and useful lives than do the miserable hoarders of slowly-gotten gains in other countries.

PERHAPS never before in the world's history has there been exhibited such a variety and mixture of life-scenes within the same extent and among an equal number of people, as in San Francisco for the two or three years succeeding the discovery of gold. Created by a sudden appeal to the covetousness of human nature, and thus having drawn together a promiscuous crowd from nearly all nations, it represented a new school in the wild pinewoods, where all the scholars were strangers to each other, and each was a pupil to all the rest, and none were teachers except by example; or a mixed camp of an army of allies, amid the army-chests of the enemy, friendly relations maintained by an armed neutrality. Jack Tar, after the termination of a long cruise, with his prize-money in hand, never was more determined upon a lark, than was a large portion of the sojourning multitude of the city. Away from law, away from public opinion, away

from the restraints of home, half wild with the possession of sudden and unaccustomed wealth, "On with the dance, let joy be unconfined," seemed the motto best suited to the conduct of a large portion of the people. The puritan became a gambler; the boy taught to consider dancing a sin, soon found his way to masked balls; monte became as familiar as the communion, and the catechism was forgotten, while the champagne popped, sparkled, and excited. At first it was a society composed almost exclusively of males, and as a natural and inevitable consequence, men deteriorated. Excitement was sought in such sources as could be found. The gaming-table, with its cards and dice; the bar, with its brandy-smashes and intoxication,—these occupied the wild and reckless, while those whose ideas of wealth stopped not with the first buckskin bag of dust, sold goods at a hundred times their cost, got grants of land for a song, soon to be worth thousands uncounted, and spread out all their hands to take in all the shore.

But soon woman began to join the anomalous crowd. Then a new phase of society appeared. Then reason tottered, and passion run riot. The allurements of the Cyprian contested the sceptre with the faro bank; champagne at ten dollars a bottle sold as readily in certain localities, as did brandy at fifty cents a glass in the saloon. Men suddenly rich, squandered more in a night than until within a few months they had been able to earn, or to possess, in years. Dust was plentier than pleasure, pleasure more enticing than virtue. Fortune was the horse, youth in the saddle, dissipation the track, and desire the spur. Let none wonder that the time was the best ever made. Naturally enough masked balls soon came in the train of women, wine, and gold. Many of these ball-rooms were soon dedicated to the service of Terpsichore, Cupid and Momus; and it must be confessed, also, that Bacchus shared no trifling portion of their devotions. Imagine a vast hall, nearly one hundred feet square, with a bar of fifty feet in length, built with an eye to tasteful architecture, and with a hand in the pocket, glittering in front with gold-leaf, and in the rear supported by a battalion of cut-glass decanters, colored glass ornamental articles, a golden eagle perched above the stock of liquors and wines-the American cannot

drink a cock-tail comfortably unless the "star-spangled banner" float above, and the national eagle look with at least a glass-eye into his potation ;-in the centre a piece of machinery, exhibiting the sea in motion, tossing a laboring ship upon its bosom; a water-mill in action; a train of cars passing a bridge; and a deerchase, hounds, horsemen, and game, all in pursuit, or flight. Opposite, a full band, crowding every nook of the room with sweet echoes, marches, cotillions, mazourkas, gallopades, waltzes. On the third side, a cake and coffee-stand; and behind it a fair face, limber tongue, busy hands, coining dust from thirst, gallantry, and dissipation.

It is dark, the hour nine; the rain drizzles outside, and the quaker-grey out-doors, wet, chill, mud, gloom of the rainy season, drive the lonesome, the hilarious, and the dissipated to the door where the ticket-taker admits the pleasure-seeker, who has deposited his umbrella in the general depôt for those movable roofs, and been relieved by a policeman of any dangerous weapon-gold and silver excepted-which may accompany his person. By the private entrance come the maskers, male and female. The Spanish bandit, with his high tapering hat, ornamented with ribbons; the gipsy, with her basket and cards ; the Bloomer, bountiful in short skirts and satin-covered extremities; the ardent young militaire, with a borrowed uniform and sparse moustache, which requires, like swarming bees, the assistance of a clattering tin kettle to congregate the scattered portions; the Swiss ballad-singers, with their hurdy-gurdy and tambourine; the flaunting Cyprian, not veiled by domino or mask; and the curious, but respectable lady, hidden by cloak and false visage. There is the Frenchman in a fantastical dress; a Gallic count imitating the Yankee; the Yankee affecting "Aunty Vermont ;" and men already feeling the force of their libations, affecting sobriety.

Now the band commences, the bow is drawn, the breath blown, and domino and mask are whisked about into the midst of the dizzy maze by the Turk who has forgotten his cimeter; the Pole who has nothing of Kosciusco or Poniatowski except the tall cap et cetera; the Vermonter imitating a courtier of Charles II., and a Red Republican affecting Silsbee or Dan

Marble. Away they whirl through the waltz, or dash along the mazourka, or crash away promiscuously in the gallopade. Where there are no masks exercise brings no new rose tint nor crimson to the soft cheek-the rouge or carmine is too thick for that. The music draws to a close and ends with a grand flourish. Off to the bar and coffee stand go the maskers, the gentlemen to treat, the others to be treated. So a few hours wear away. The potations begin to operate, the violent seek rencontres, old scores are to be settled, and new quarrels commenced. Jealousy's eyes take a greener tinge from the bottle imp, and woman, forgetting her last prerogative-gentleness-joins the ring and gives point and effect to feminine oaths by the use of feminine nails. Gradually the room is thinned, the first departing being careful to select the finest umbrellas. And when daylight comes, it finds the usual characteristics of such "banquet hall deserted.” Such is a slight description of the "California Exchange" in the height of its ball-day glories, where in one night thousands of dollars were taken for tickets, and thousands at the bar for drinks.

Another scene. See yonder house. Its curtains are of the purest white lace embroidered, and crimson damask. Go in. All the fixtures are of a keeping, most expensive, most voluptuous, most gorgeous, the favorite ones with the same class of humanity, whose dress and decorations have made so significant ever since the name of their city and trade, " Babylon." It is a soirée night. The "lady" of the establishment has sent most polite invitations, got up on the finest and most beautifully embossed note paper, to all the principal gentlemen of the city, including collector of the port, mayor, aldermen, judges of the county, and members of the legislature. A splendid band of music is in attendance. Away over the Turkey or Brussels carpet whirls the politician with some sparkling beauty, as fair as frail; and the judge joins in and enjoys the dance in company with the beautiful but lost beings whom, to-morrow, he may send to the house of correction. Every thing is conducted with the utmost propriety. Not an unbecoming word is heard, not an objectionable action seen. The girls are on their good behavior, and are proud once more to move and act and appear as ladies. Did you not