THE BOHEMIAN CLUB.

41

CHAPTER IV.
1888-1889.
~"

~ISCORD reigns at the annual election in

April, 1888; we find the Club rent into
two contending factions. A Regular
Ticket and an Opposition appear in the
field. But the distressing spectacle of
internecine strife is softened by the
fact that, like the Siamese twins in an altercation,
a common interest united the two tickets in a really
fraternal bond. Mr. George T. Bromley was at the
head of both of them. While Mr. Bromley thus held the
singular position of being violently opposed to himself he
was ignominiously defeated on the Regular Ticket but
triumphantly elected by an overwhelming majority on
the Opposition Ticket. Peter Robertson was elected
Vice- President ; John W. Pew, Secretary; and Colonel
Frank W. Sumner, Treasurer. The Directors were Dr.
H. J. Stewart, George D. Newhall (who afterwards
resigned and was succeeded by Major George
H. Wheaton), James A. Robinson, Dr. George
Chismore and General John Hewston, Jr., the
latter being for many years captain of the mid-
summer camp.

General HC7f.lston
HIGH ]Jl\KS CARTOON: "C01\I~IEl\CE\IEl\T EXERCISES"
BY

FREDERIC}; L\TES.
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 45

I888
tude, those pure and noble sentiments, that general sub--
limity of character which graduates invariably inculcate
upon their parents and guardians with so much dignity,
on such occasions.
"The Salutatory will be called at 9 P. M. sharp. The
Valedictory will be fired in time for a little bit of supper.
The Bohemian University exercises will be taken first,
and the Kindergarten later. The University Graduates'
Color will be Shrimp Pink. The Kindergarten Color will
be Boiled Lobster. There will be music to deaden the
exhilarating effect. The scene will be painted by Our
Special Artist, Fred Yates. No flowers."
The program consisted of an "Invitation in Music,"
an address by the Chancellor, George \V. Nagle, LL. D.;
"How to Account for the Music in Wine," an address
by James D. Phelan, Vineta, "The Construction of the
Greek Particle," a paper by Crittenden Thornton,
Eureka; "The Origin, Development and Decay of the
Vital Principle," a paper by E. B. Pomroy, Tomales;
"The Reason for Believing Ham to have been Black,"
with the Valedictory, by George T. Bromley, Blackville,
and finally the confer,ring of degrees by the Chancellor.
Dr. H. J. Stewart had charge of the music.
On the heels of this event came the Midsummer
Jinks of which Mr. James D. Phelan was the Sire.
His announcement is all that is left to us of this sylvan
 THE ANNALS OF

1888
festival. Mr. Phelan begins his invitation by a quo-
idsH Inrner
]1'[ tation from Emerson and then goes on to say for
Jinks: "The
Convention." himself :

"Brother Bohemians:

"Verily large cities are the prison-houses of the

world; each man has his dungeon; each man has his
task. Trade is the treadmill he must travel; "politics
and personalities" the bread and water diet for his
thirsting soul!
"Rarely is a glimpse of free Nature, his earliest
friend, vouchsafed him. His very necessity drives her
forth and mars her charm. The forest he reduces to board
and lodging; the stream he imprisons in pipes, the atmo-
sphere he defiles with the smoke of 'our manufactures.'
He looks for the azure of the firmament and sees only
an obscuration of gloom. He walks the hard streets,
whose hard-visaged houses look down on him with a
hundred eyes; he moves from curb to curb, and that is
his span of life!
"What is the cause of it? There is a social con-
spiracy. Good, easy man is the victim. Lest, like Bon-
nivard, he learns to love his chains, let us liberate him.
"Once there met a self-constituted Assembly. It
resolved how men should live and love, act and talk,
dress and walk. Fashion it proclaimed King.
AUST1N CREEK.

From a photograph.
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 49

"This was I888

THE CONVENTION .

against whose work-the conventionalities-faithful

Nature protested in vain. But the season has now come
for you to declare for Nature or against her. There is
no compromise. It is for you to answer. Will you bolt
the convention, hie to the forest and take the stump?
With outstretched hands she welcomes you. Her camp
is on the shores of Austin. The Redwoods are her sen-
tinels. The grove her hospitable home. The feeble gripe
of artifice will yield in that mighty presence; the greed
of avarice will be shamed by her prodigality, and the
cant of the convention will be silenced forever.
"I cannot but remind you that 'He who knows the
most; he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the
ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens, and how
to come at these enchantments,-is the rich and royal
man.'
"Let us therefore, in full accord, on Saturday, the
eighteenth, return to our old allegiance. There shall
be bonfires and processions, and ceremonies, and oratory
and music and more! Stewart shall lead the Glee Club,
and Revelry shall rule. Remember that 'There is great
joy in Bohemia over one repentant sinner,' and there
shall be the greatest and wildest joy over the return of
many."
 5° THE ANNALS OF

1888
In the latter part of 1887 an entry in the minutes
of the Board reveals the fact that it was the intention of
the Club to set aside periodically a certain sum of money
for the purchase of a picture in Europe so that the Club
might, in the course of time, acquire a valuable collection
of paintings by well known foreign as well as home
artists. This idea originated with Colonel Hawes, that
veteran of the Club who was ever studying its interests.
The Salon As a consequence of this decision, Mr. F. N. R. Martinez,
Picture.
who visited Europe in 1888, assisted by Mr. Horace P.
Fletcher, purchased at the Paris salon "The Return of
the Flock" by Charles Sprague Pearce. The arrival of
this picture was made the occasion of a reception day
for ladies and a special entertainment in the evening to
which each member was bidden to bring his wife, if he
had one, or his sweetheart, if he had only one, the invita-
tions being limited. The picture was universally
admired and became familiarly known as the Salon
Picture, but it has remained the sole one of the pro-
jected foreign collection, succeeding boards having
failed to make the necessary appropriation to carry out
the original conception.
M. Coquelin In December of this year the famous French actor
visits the
Club. M. Coquelin visited San Francisco and was entertained
by the Club. On December 29th President Bromley
held the Christmas Jinks to which he gave the title
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB.

r888
"Castles in the Clouds," prefacing his invitation with
this dainty conceit from Thompson's "Castle of Indol-
ence:"
"A pleasing land of drowsy head it was, Christmas
Jinks:
Of dreams that wave before the half shut eye "Castles
And of gay castles in the clouds that pass in the
Clouds."
Forever flushing round a summer sky."

Skipper Bromley then seizes the speaking trumpet and

hails the Club as follows:

"Bohemians Ahoy!
"All hands on deck! Another beacon on the shores of
time heaves in sight, and the 'Merry Christmas' head-
land stands out in bold relief on the far away horizon.
OUf gallant ship 'Bohemia,' her streamers playing with
the sky, her every sail drawing beautifully, her harness
cask, scuttlebutt and bread barge full to overflowing,
with as jolly a crew as ever trod ship's decks, will pass
that headland on Saturday night, and the toast shall be
'Sweethearts and Wives.'
"The wise ones will tell us of

CASTLES IN THE CLOUDS

and the wiser ones wiII 'splice the main brace.'

"Costly presents from the Christmas tree will be dis-
tributed to the deserving by the original Santa Claus.
 THE ANNALS OF

]888
"The Bohemian Owls will toot the Christmas Carols
and Bohemian Rosewald will boss the harmonies and
sweet cadences. Joy will rule the hours and all our
hearts be glad.
"The Low Jinks will be run in the interests of charity
and a baseball club, by Al Gerberding and George Nagle,
who will make it mighty lively for any who get in the
way of the ball.
"So come early and get a good seat.
"GEORGET. BROMLEY,Sire."
That this occasion was fraught with delight was evident
on the face of it, and if the reader desires an intermission
in which to allow his imagination time to feast upon it,
he is at perfect liberty to take it, this being all that the
Historiographer can contribute.
And now we approach a most stupendous event in
this most eventful history. During the last decade the
The Club
movfS to Club had increased considerably in membership, had
Post Street.
grown prosperous financially and while to many of the
members its residence over the market with the crowing
of cocks in the small hours and the odor of cheese and
Finnan haddies at all times, was not objectionable, there
was a general feeling that the Club had outgrown its
domicile and that once more the time had come to move.
Inspired by this spirit of unrest, various projects for
purchasing expensive corner lots and building a superb
f

THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 53

mansion of its own had arisen and been discussed from I889

time to time by the Club, but as has been previously in-

timated, none of these plans had taken tangible form.
Finally, in the beginning of 1889, the Pacific Club
having made arrangements to amalgamate with the
Union Club, offered to transfer the lease of its rooms on
the corner of Post Street and Grant Avenue, to the
Bohemian Club. This proposition was considered by the
Bohemians at a general meeting February 15th and was
accepted. The transfer included the purchase of the
carpets and much of the furniture belonging to the Pacific
Club, all of which was of a handsome and dignified
character. The new Club house was a four story build-
ing most pleasantly situated on a sunny corner in the
retail shopping district, with an animated view from its
windows. The Club occupied the three upper floors, the
first containing the dining room, sitting room (vari-
ously called "social room" and "cafe"), billiard room,
wine room and office, while on the next floor was a beau-
tifullibrary room extending the entire distance from the
front to the rear of the house, while card and chess
rooms, music room and breakfast room completed the
equipment. The upper floor consisted of bed chambers,
with the kitchen department in the rear.
It was this palatial abode which now awaited the
eager Bohemians and of which they were invited to take
 54 THE ANNALS OF

possession on February 23d, according to the following

circular:

The "Fellow Bohemian:

Summons.

"There is a law in Nature that heat expands. The

Bohemian is nothing if not natural; and the warmth of
that spirit of Goodfellowship, which is our pride and
boast, has expanded our Bohemia until these still sacred
walls can no longer hold it.
"And so we move our shrine and altar to a more
spacious Temple, and leaving our blessing on these halls
where we have been so happy, let us drop a tear over the
fate that dedicates them to a meaner service. Bohemians
still, through all the prosperity which has been vouch-
safed to us, we are not less devoted to our religion, than
when we gathered in the old, old rooms. From those we
leave, we wish to bear away the atmosphere of art, the
geniality and loving-kindness of Bohemia. The furni-
ture and the pictures we can carry away in vans, but
those impalpable elements you must bear away for and
with us.
"So come to the old haunt, on Saturday night next,
February 23, 1889, at 9 o'clock, and let us say a kind
farewell. Thereafter, we will adjourn to the new
Bohemia, 130 Post street, and with simple ceremonies,
the High Priest will dedicate the House to Art, Litera-
THE POST STREET CLUB HOUSE.
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 57

tUfe, and Music, to the Owl, and to our own Bohemian 1889

Love and Friendship.

GEO. T. BROMLEY,
President.

In response to this summons and promptly at the

hour appointed, the members of the Club congregated
for the last time in the Pine street rooms. President
Bromley, who combined in his person also the office of
High Priest, improved the solemn occasion in his cus-
tomary wise, witty and benign manner, and after he had
concluded his exhortation, he called upon the Vice- Presi-
dent, Peter Robertson, to express his ideas on the sub-
ject, which Mr. Robertson proceeded to do to the entire
satisfaction of all who heard him. Then there was a Reminiscences.

universal demand for General Barnes, whereupon the

General ascended the platform and spoke feelingly of the
early days of the Club and of the men who had made it
what it was. Memory took him back to that ancient time
when the Club had rented its first and only room on Sac-
ramento Street, and he told of how on the last day of the
month, such was the chronic state of their poverty,
the stoutest hearted of the directors quailed and turned
pale before the dreadful gaze of their landlady, the
redoubtable "Mrs. MacStinger." It was looked upon
as little less than madness when an adjoining bedroom
which had been lent to the Club on Jinks night, by its
 THE ANNALS OF

[889 amiable occupant, was finally added to the Club's domain.

From thence to the spacious suite on Pine Street, which
they were now leaving for still finer surroundings, the
General, in his inimitable way led his hearers, marshal-
ing a host of pleasant fancies for their escort. Then Mr.
Daniel O'Connell read the following verses written for
the occasion as he had written the verses for the last
flitting twelve years before:

"The Passing {(THE PASSING OF THE OWL"

of the Owl."

Oh for a quill, a sturdy quill from our loved Monarch's wing,

That I in burning verse of truth his great career might sing;
That I might tell how long ago, naught but a puny bird,
His weak "too, hoo," when darkness fell, was scarcely to be
heard;
When, like the Christians in those days when grim Domitian
reigned,
His worshipers found every rite by bigotry restrained,
When wives forbade their husbands to bow before his shrine
And sweethearts to their lovers defamed his great design,
And said his kingdom's pillars were riot, smoke and wine.
He grew, he thrived, he flourished, he swelled from day to day,
And Philistines who came to scoff remained with joy to pray,
And ladies fair discovered that ever far above
The jest, the song, the wine-cup, the great owl's creed was love,
And, though his beak and claws were sharp, his heart was as the
dove.
Like shrines by visions sanctified these walls now cold and bare,
For years to come will reverence claim, for once the owl was
there,
And once they were a fortress stout, impervious to care.
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 59

And echoes of old laughter, and echoes of old songs, I889

And ritual impressive which to the owl belongs,
Will lend their consecration to all who follow here,
But, oh, how stronger, friends, to us who hold Bohemia dear!
For we this fancy cherished that when the wine was bright,
And when our full hearts thrilled with all the glory of the night,
The shades of those who in their time with us did drink and jest,
When we cast the world from us, and each was at his best,
Clustered about the friends they loved, and voiceless, uncon-
fessed,
They filled with tender memories the living brother's breast.
Farewell the old, all hail the new, a grander loftier shrine,
Oh, proud Bird of Bohemia, shall henceforth now be thine,
And full of peace and pleasantry forever be its aisles,
And those who frown outside be won within to happy smiles,
And true and earnest be thy sons, those nearest to the throne,
Till Philistia shall perish, and Bohemia reign alone.

The High Priest President then gave the order for the The Hegira.

assembled Bohemians to fall into line, two by two, and

heading the procession himself, he led the way down
the stairs and out into the night, and thus was the pil-
grimage begun. Solemnly Kearny street was traversed
while the sordid keepers of the shops which in those days
lined the way, were awed into silence and forbore to
solicit trade in coats and hats and gents' neckwear; the
suspender and collar button man stared in wonder ang
even the small boy made his irreverent comments on the
attire and personal appearance of the members, from
a respectful distance. Up Post street the venerable
leader conducted his flock and at last entered the portals
 60 THE ANNALS OF

1889 of the new abode. Ascending the unaccustomed marble

steps, they emerged from the darkness into the light.
Here they were greeted with a burst of music and
revelry. The great, white plaster image of the Owl was
reverently borne to its shrine at the head of the staircase,
and in a few words the President dedicated the new horne
to Art, Music, Literature and the Drama, and above and
beyond all to the renewal of that friendship and good
fellowship which was the divine spirit that had saved the
Club from the scriptural fate of ordinary mankind that
springeth up as grass in the morning, but withereth
away and is cut down and made into the ordinary hay
of commerce before night. After which everyone took
a drink to the health of the Owl, then to each other and
then to whatever occurred to them as being a sufficient
reason therefor, and reasons there were in plenty.
During the year thus happily and prosperously
brought to a close, ex-President Swan, in accordance
with the usual custom, presented his portrait, painted by
Mr. Frederick Yates, to the Club. Mrs. Boalt presented
to the Club a portrait of Judge Boalt, by Mr. Yates, in
place of the one already owned. Mr. Evan J. Coleman
gave the Club a collection of books. Sir Arthur Sulli-
van, the celebrated musical composer, and F. Bret
Harte, the California author, were made honorary mem-
bers of the Club, and likewise that eminent actor, Law-
 GEORGE T. BROMLEY.

From tlze Painting in the Club by Benoni Irwin.

---------
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB.

rence Barrett. Nat C. Goodwin, the comedian, also a 1889

member of the Club, tells an amusing story in connec-

Mr. Goodwin
tion with the latter. Mr. Goodwin, as a young man, and
Mr. Banett.
knew the refined and stately Mr. Barrett, of course, and
in his youthful enthusiasm was proud of the great actor's
acquaintance. Seeing him in company with Mr. Booth
on the street one day in San Francisco he went up t·)
him and, holding out his hand, with effusion exclaimed,
"How do you do, Mr. Barrett? I am Mr. Goodwin, N at
Goodwin." "Ah, yes," said Mr. Barrett, cordially shak-
ing hands, "Glad to see you Mr. Goodwin. Have you
met Mr. Booth? Edwin, this is Mr. Goodwin." Mr.
Goodwin was charmed to meet Mr. Booth. "Are you
here professionally, Mr. Goodwin?" continued Mr. Bar-
rett. "Yes, sir," replied Goodwin, "I am playing an
engagement here." "Ah, indeed," responded Mr. Bar-
rett pleasantly, "So are we." And then inquiringly,
"You are with the --," "With the 'Brass Monkey,' "
replied Goodwin, cheerfully. "With the-
er-1 beg your pardon?" said Mr. Barrett.
" 'The Brass Monkey,' " repeated Goodwin,
looking at Mr. Barrett with that happy
ingenuousness which is one of his charms.
"The Brawss--," and again Mr. Barrett
hesitated inquiringly, "Monkey," added

TIle HeE"ira
-From a Newspaper Cut
 THE ANNALS OF

Goodwin. "Oh, ah, yes. Good day, Mr. Goodwin.

Come, Edwin."
This is not all of the tale of the "Brass Monkey," the
sequel being as follows: At the time of the first perform-
ance of that scholarly drama in San Francisco Mr. Peter
Ml', Robertson
and the Robertson, dramatic critic of the "Chronicle," expressed
"Brass
Monhey,"
his professional opinion of it in a column of bourgeois.
The plot of the play, as the reader may know, is based
upon the theft of an idol, in the shape of a brass monkey,
from a temple in India. It is a characteristic of this bale-
ful, metal Simian that it brings ill luck upon its possessor,
and as a consequence everyone in time tries to be rid of
it. Mr. Robertson viewed the play from all the points
of the compass; he dissected the motive, scoffed at the
superstition, deprecated the heathenism, analyzed the
plot, descanted upon the dramatic construction, con-
sidered the actors, and dealing with the whole subject
from an ethical, spiritual and material stand, saturated
it with a criticism composed of nine parts of kerosene
and one of sulphuric acid, set fire to it and as it blazed he
rested from his labors. The manager of the play was so
well pleased with the manner in which Mr. Robertson
had burnt the play up (which he declared had increased
the door receipts fifty per cent) that he had an exquisite
little "brass monkey" made of gold and presented it to
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB.

the critic for a watch charm. vVithin two weeks after 1889

this ornament was added to his person Mr. Robertson

was stopped on a dark night in a lonely place by two
footpads. Valiantly resisting their demands to hand
over his watch and purse, one robber grabbed his arms
while the other felled him with a cruel blow. They then
proceeded to beat and kick their victim into submission,
rifled his pockets and disappeared. When Mr. Robert-
son emerged from the hospital a week later he candidly
confessed to a change of belief in regard to the "Brass
Monkey," declaring that the only consolation he had was
the thought that those robbers had carried off his
hoodoo and would surely come to grief in course of timt".
As a matter of fact, one of them was apprehended and
sent to the penitentiary and for the unities of the story
we will presume that it was the one who had come into
possession of the "Brass Monkey."
 66
THE ANNALS OF

CHAPTER V.
1889-1890.

8!fifil HE election of officers on April 8, 1889,

'l'\ ~
".;J~'"
--{I·r:~ ~{j, ~;'~
~ ~ resulted
President; in George
Peter Robertson becoming
H. Wheaton, Vice-
t~r ~'iii!i#7 President; F. N. R. Martinez, Secretary;

~. ~h I~,-"'"
~
and James D. Phelan, Treasurer. The
Directors were L. L. Baker, A. G. Hawes,
~ Raphael Weill, John A. Stanton and H. J.
Stewart. During the year Mr. Martinez,
Colonel Hawes, Mr. Stanton and Mr. Weill re-
The Annual
Election. signed and were succeeded by Mr. Albert Gerberding
as Secretary, and Captain James M. McDonald and
George 'iV. Beaver as Directors.
General 'iV. H. L. Barnes was the Sire of the first
Jinks that was held in the new Club house, on May 18th.
General Barnes' contributions to the entertainment of
The first
Jinks in the Club were of such an eloquent character that even the
the new
Club House. Historiographer was inspired to make many efforts to
obtain them in permanent form. But it was the Gen-
eral's custom to speak without notes and while good
naturedly agreeing in response to the urgent appeals of
his fellow members to write out his remarks, the day of
 THE BOHENIIAN CLUB.

fulfillment was postponed indefinitely, until, alas! the day r889

came when fulfillment became forever impossible.
"Bohemian" (says the General in his invitation),
"you are hereby bidden to the christening of the first-
born Jinks of the New Bohemian Palace. May fine
feathers make fine birds!
"I t is suggested chiefly to consider on the occasion,
whether literature flourishes or languishes in these days
of marvelous material advancement; whether poetry lags
behind the scientific facts of the hour; whether the in-
ventions of literature and the ancient cunningness of the
imagination have become unfruitful beside those of stearn
and electricity, of telephone and phonograph. Do you
think the gigantic march of our half century has infused
new life into the Cadmian gift, or has taken the measure
of its grave?
"To these questions there will be various replies. Each
will be unanswerable, until the next is given. The sub-
ject will be gravely or lightly treated, with wisdom or
with wit, and upon the stem of thought your orators will
graft flowers of every hue.
"Other 'dreadful notes of preparation' now being
pealed by the Committee of Arrangements, whose
servant I am, promise you rare enjoyment. Merrier
men, 'within the limits of becoming mirth,' will not soon
be seen in Bohemia. We shall have old fires from ancient
 68
THE ANNALS OF

I889 altars, old songs from ancient books, old wine from
ancient casks; and at the end, we shall 'sit down to that
reasonable nourishment which is called Supper.'
"There will be Music under the direction of Bohem-
ian Stewart, and Bohemian Rosewald will illustrate the
effect of Science on Grand Opera.
"Come, then, happy Bohemian, to your grateful Sire.
"W. H. L. BARNES.))

The gentlemen who expounded their views on "The

Effect of Science upon Literature" were, in addition to
the Sire, General Lucius H. Foote, Dr. George Chismore,
Mr. William Center, Mr. Edward H. Hamilton and Cap-
tain Robert H. Fletcher. Mr. George T. Bromley was
the impresario for the Low Jinks, in regard to which he
issued the following decree:
"Privileged Mortal:
"The Influence
Low Jinks: "The Sire of Low Jinks sendeth greeting and here
the
of Fun on followeth his paternal message.
Family."
Human "The 'Influence of Modern Science on Literature'
will be worked for all it is worth by the great lights of
Bohemia during the early evening of May 18th.

THE INFLUENCE OF FUN ON THE HUMAN FAMILY

will be wrestled with later on by lights of less candle

power, but a more cheerful blaze.
 PETER ROBERTSON.

Frol/l tlte PaiJitin/[ in tlte Club by F'-edend, Yates.

 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 7I

"The great question of the Poet Lariat championship

will be finally settled by a jury sworn to do justice to the
contestants or perish in the attempt.
"The high order of talent chosen for the intellectual
repast is a guaranty that it will be fully up to the stand-
ard of the new rooms with the exception of the Library.
"The sweetest of singers will sing, the most charm-
ing of players will play, moved by the inspiring baton of
our beloved Bohemian H. J. Stewart.
"The highest style of artistic art will be brought to
bear on the Cartoon, by our esteemed Bohemian Thomas
Nast.
"Caterer Nicholls assures us that the nourishment for
the body shall equal the food for the mind.
"Hear ye, and fail not to be with us.
"GEO. T. BROMLEY)
"Low Jinks Sire."

Among the notable productions of this famous Jinks "Cured

Camille,"
was a "Grand Opera in Twenty Minutes," entitled a r;rand opera
in twenty
"Cured Camille," the music being composed by J. H. minutes.

Rosewald, who directed the orchestra at its production,

and the libretto by Peter Robertson. As no description
could adequately describe this great work it is allowed
to speak for itself:
 72 THE ANNALS OF

CAST OF CHARACTERS.

Camille Charlesina Leonard

Armand Alfred Wilkie
Doctor Barbour Lathrop
Comments, suggestions, and sympathetic interpolations by a
selected chorus.
(There is no argument to this opera.)
[CAMILLE is stretched on a couch, surrounded by
sympathetic Chorus.]

CHORUS.

Hush! hush! see she sleeps!

Oh, do not, I pray you,
Wake her from her restful dreaming.

How are you feeling to-day, Camille?

Your cough seems passing away, Camille.
It's not quite so bad as it was on Monday;
It's very much worse than it was on Sunday;
But still you seem better to-day, Camille.

CAMILLE.
RECIT.
Ach Gott!
So young to die!
So young and so divinely fair!
Alas! It must be so!
Upon me falls the cold, cold hand of death,
And strikes me down in all the flower of youth.

James A. Thompson
-From a Pictureat
the Midsummer Jinks
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 73

SOLO.

After the years of sorrow ere I knew

This love without aHoy;
When all the earth had grown so fair, so new,
And love made life a joy!
I know that heaven is full of bliss untold;
There are no tears, no sighs;
And angels sing sweet songs to harps of gold
In golden summer skies.
Peace, rest and sweet content are there, I know,
All worldly bliss above.
But my fond heart would linger here below-
Live on this earth and Jove!
Crowned am I now, my lover's heart my throne.
Heaven hath no dearer charms,
No more enchanting rest than I have known,
Clasped in my lover's arms.
And must I really die? Of what?
I do not know.
Death is at best a sorry thought-
'Tis sad to go.
But thus to fall into the dull, cold earth,
And not to know
What Greek or Latin weapon Fate put forth,
'Tis sadder so!
Yes! 'Tis much sadder so!

CHORUS.

Here's a painful situation.

And a field for speculation,
Life is ebbing fast away,
Some disease is gnawing at her
Vitals; but what is the matter,
 74 THE ANNALS OF

The poor victim cannot say.

It is very sad, this worrying!
Is the poor thing simply hurrying
Exactly where we cannot tell?
If she knew what was the matter,
What it was, was gnawing at her
Vitals, she might yet get well.
She faints! Ah me!
Here's Armand.
Armand! She has just fainted.
She falls on the sofa in a faint. Enter ARMAND. He stands
beside her.

ARMAND.
RECIT.

How fair the picture!

Ah! But woe is me !
The wan face bears the ensign of despair:
Angel she always was,
Will always be,
On earth, in heaven, an angel bright and fair.
And must I see thee pass away from me,
So beauteous and so rare?
Oh, witness my despair,
Ye elements of air!
What course is left me to pursue?
To have thee still what can I do?
N ought, save to die with thee.

SOLO.

Gladly, my own soul's idol, would I lay

My lifeless head on thy cold heart of death!
Gladly by poison or some other way,

Mr. Charles L. Leonard

 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 75

1889
Would I cut off my unavailing breath!
Gladly, my own soul's idol, in the grave
I'd bury all this wild heart-rending sorrow!
Think not, my darling, falsely I behave,
But I have some engagements for to-morrow.
Oh, sweet pale face! Thou art not quite so fair
As thou wert when the red blood tinged thy cheek.
Oh, beauteous form! Thy beauty's not so rare
As when its moving lines of grace could speak.
Dearest, I still would have thee live for me,
Since I'm too busy, love, to die for thee.

CHORUS.

He loves her very dearly,

But he's a busy man;
The man who loves sincerely,
Will do the best he can.
But though he suffer terribly,
And even give way to dizziness,
lIe cannot be expected
To neglect his regular business
No! no! no!
CAMILLE wakes and raises herself from sofa.

DUET.

And must the maiden die? Of what?

We do not know.
Death is at best a sorry thought.
'Tis sad to go!
But thus to fall into the dull, cold earth,
And not to know
What Greek or Latin weapon Fate put forth,
'Tis sadder so !
Enter DOCTOR.
 THE ANNALS OF

CHORUS.

'Tis sadder, -sadder so!

The end is near,
Here comes the doctor!
He'll examine her tongue with a microscope,
And list to her lung with a stethoscope,
And tickle her throat with a laryngoscope.
There isn't much hope,
'Tis the end of her rope,
When the doctor tackles her horoscope.

ARMAND AND CAMILLE.

Sweet healing messenger, I pray you, tell your thought!

Must this maiden die? Tell us, of what?

DOCTOR.

Oh! sad and bitter is the maiden's case.

Her death I fear me most precipitate is.
From the pale signs upon her beauteous face,
I think it is cerebro-digitatis.

BOTH.

Oh! Agony!
Oh, dread and fatal name!
How cruel this our fate is!
Oh, wouldn't it be just the same,
If you would give some other name
Than dread cerebro-digitatis?

But the doctor declines to alter his diagnosis to please

the patient and indulges in a song descriptive of the joys
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 77

of a doctor's life. Camille thoughtfully postpones her 1889

death until the doctor has finished, and then exclaims:

CAMILLE.

Ah, me! This pain!

ARMAND.

Love of my life! Look up!

I pray you, see! She dies!

DOCTOR.

A bitter case, inde<>:d,this maiden here,

And quite pathetic, too, her fate is;
But, pardon me, I cannot interfere
With this cerebro-digitatis.

CAMILLE.

Ah, me! I faint!

Close to your heart, my own!
Clasp me as you have clasped me oft
In days of yore.
One farewell kiss! One fond, one last embrace,
E'er through death's mist I reach the shining shore!

CAMILLE AND ARMAND.

Farewell! Farewell! A last farewell!

True in this last hour,
Here at death's portal,
Swear we our love,
For love is immortal!
Farewell !
 THE ANNALS OF

1889
ARMAND takes her in his arms. He slaps her vigorously on the
back. She is seized with a fit of coughing, and
coughs out a dollar.

DOCTOR.

What's this?
He picks up the money.

CAMILLE.

Dearest! I know no pain!

See! I am well! Death is no longer near.
I feel my life returning! Joy! Again
My pulse is strong, my feeble brain is clear!

ARMAND.

She lives! She lives!

Oh, joy! Oh, rapture!
Heaven is not cruel!
She is mine once more!

DOCTOR.

This unexpected wellness! I'm not sure

My diagnosis too precipitate is.
Still, I am much inclined to think that your
Complaint was true cerebro-digitatis.
DOCTOR rings the money and puts it in his pocket.

FINALE.

CAMILLE.

Oh, happy hour! Restored to life and thee!

 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 79

ARMAND.

Oh, happy hour! Restored to life and me!

DOCTOR.

Unhappy hour! She's got away from me!

CHORUS.

Oh, happy hour! She's got away from he.

FINIS.

The reference made by the Sire of the Low Jinks to

the contest for the "Poet Lariat" championship was
based on a conspiracy against Mr. Charles Elliott, whose
remarkable productions in verse as related in a previous
volume had earned for him the title of "Poet Lariat." The Poet
Lariat
Various other members of the Club put forward alleged Contest.

claims for this title and a jury was appointed to decide

as to whom the wreath of thistles belonged. Each claim-
ant read aloud his verses and while some of the contribu-
tions were very funny, probably the best part of the
"contest" was the cartoon by Thomas Nast. This
famous caricaturist, who had done so much for the
cause of the Union during the Civil War, and who had
afterwards helped to overthrow the rule of Tweed in
New York, was visiting San Francisco at this time and
was made a member of the Club. He entered with the
greatest enjoyment into the spirit of the Jinks, for which
 80 THE ANNALS OF

1889 he made two of his clever and characteristic illustra-

tions.
It has been said elsewhere that from the beginning
the Bohemian Club found some of its most enthusiastic
avy
ANrmyoalffild cers.• and loyal members among the officers of the Army, Navy
and Marine Corps. A special provision in the By-laws
permitted gentlemen of these professions to join the Club
as transient members whenever their duties brought
them to San Francisco. And not infrequently when they
were away serving their country in the remote places of
the earth, some testimonial arrived to prove their alle-
giance to the Owl. In this year came a splendid alba-
tross from the officers of the United States Steamship-
Albatross in the South Pacific and some Indian trap-
pings from an Army officer on the plains. And it was
with equal pleasure that the Owl noted the return of its
military disciples from time to time with increased rank
and girth, slim-waisted, youthful lieutenants and cap-
tains gradually letting out their belts as the years went
by and becoming stout, grey-haired admirals and gen··
erals. And even as the Great Bird applauded the writing
of a successful book, the painting of a great picture or
the production of fine music by its civilian votaries, sO'
did it gladly take every opportunity to recognize and
applaud exceptionally good service or acts of heroism
on the part of its soldier and sailor devotees.
LOW JINKS C.\RTOON: "THE POET LARL\T CONTEST"
BY

THOMAS NAST.
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB.

1889
Such an opportunity arose on the occasion of the
return to San Francisco from Samoa of Lieutenant
The dinner
James W. Carlin, U. S. Navy, after the disastrous storm to Lieutenant
which wrecked the German and American fleets in the Carlin.

harbor of Apia. It will be remembered that in this his-

torical hurricane the German ship Eber was capsized,
while the Adler and the Olga, together with our own
ship, the NiPsic, were cast up on the beach, with con-
siderable loss of life; the United States ship Vandalia
was carried on to a reef, many of those who tried to
swim ashore being drowned, while many of the others
who clung to the wreck were injured or swept away by
the Trenton, which crashed alongside of her on her own
calamitous way to the shore. The only one of the entire
fleet that escaped was the British ship Calliope, whose
engines were sufficiently powerful to enable her to hold
her own against the tempest. While the American ship
Trenton was tossing helplessly toward the reefs she
drifted close by the British ship in the latter's desperate
struggle to make the entrance of the harbor. The Tren-
ton's crew, forgetful of their own approaching doom.
watched with generous interest the efforts of the British
ship as she was buffeted back and forth, and when
finally she was seen to gain headway and slowly forge
toward the open sea and safety, they gave her cheer after
cheer, while the Trenton's band paraded on the quarter
 THE ANNALS OF

I889 deck, played "God Save the Queen." Then to the music
of the "Star Spangled Banner" the Trenton went to her
own inevitable end.
Lieutenant Carlin was the executive officer of the
Vandalia) which was totally wrecked with a loss of five
officers and thirty-nine of the crew. And it was in this
fearful chaos of wind and water and crashing timbers
that Mr. Carlin, who was a large and powerful man, did
such effective service as to call forth the admiration of
his no less heroic shipmates and of his fellow members of
the Bohemian Club. And thus it was that the latter gave
him a "Wekome Home Dinner" on June 5th, 1889. As
may be imagined, the Club was gorgeously decorated
with national emblems, particularly of a nautical charac-
ter; the Stars and Stripes, blocks and tackles, laurel
wreaths, boat howitzers, stands of arms, anchors, ships'
cutlasses and signal flags made up a glittering scene of
military beauty, while the various stuffed Owls of the
Club gazed peacefully out upon this warlike show from
various points of vantage. Many were the fine speeches
that were made and inspiring were the songs. But
perhaps the most interesting description of the affair, if
not the most accurate, is that given by an outsider,
that outsider being no less a person than the distin-
guished author, Rudyard Kipling. Mr. Kipling had
only a few days before landed from the steamship that
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB.

r889
had brought him from India, and having a letter of in-
troduction to one of the members, Mr. George W. Spen-
Mr. Rudyard
cer, was given a card to the Club and invited to this Kipling attends
the Carlin
dinner. But the effulgent sun of Mr. Kipling's fame dinner.
had not yet risen above the literary horizon to
dazzle the eyes of his associates, and so he sat
throughout the dinner inconspicuous but nevertheless
thoroughly enjoying himself, and from subsequent de-
velopments it appears that he took notes, mental notes,
between the courses, and these are the comments as
afterwards published in "American Notes," New York,
by M. J. Ivers & Co.:
"Do you know the Bohemian Club of San Francisco?
They say its fame extends over the world. It was created
somewhat on the lines of the Savage by men who wrote
or drew things, and has blossomed into most unrepub-
lican luxury. The ruler of the place is an owl-an owl
standing upon a skull and cross-bones, showing forth
grimly the wisdom of the man of letters and the end of
his hopes for immortality. The owl stands on the stair-
case, a statue four feet high; is carved in the wood-work,
flutters on the frescoed ceiling, is stamped on the
notepaper, and hangs on the walls. He is an ancient
and honorable bird. Under his wings 'twas my
privilege to meet with white men whose lives were
not chained down to routine of toil, who wrote

Lieu/.James W. Carlin
 86 THE ANNALS OF

1889 magazine articles instead of reading them hurriedly in

the pauses of office work; who painted pictures instead of
contenting themselves with cheap etchings picked up at
another man's sale of effects. Mine were all the rights of
social intercourse, craft by craft, that India, stony-
hearted stepmother of collectors, has swindled us out of.
Treading soft carpets and breathing the incense of
superior cigars, I wandered from room to room study-
ing the paintings in which the members of the club had
caricatured themselves, their associates and their aims.
There was a slick French audacity about the workman-
ship of these men of toil unbending that went straight
to the heart of the beholder. And yet it was not alto-
gether French. A dry grimness of treatment, almost
Dutch, marked the difference. The men painted as they
spoke-with certainty. The club indulges in revelries
which it calls 'jinks'-high and low-at intervals, and
each of these gatherings is faithfully portrayed in oils
by hands that know their business. In this club were no
amateurs spoiling canvas, because they fancied they
could handle oils without knowledge of shadows or anat-
omy-no gentleman of leisure ruining the temper of pub-
lishers and an already ruined market with attempts to
write 'because everybody writes something these days.'
"My hosts were working or had worked for their
daily bread with pen or paint, and their talk for the most
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 87

part was of the shop-shoppy-that is to say, delightful. 1889

They extended a large hand of welcome and were as
brethren, and I did homage to the owl and listened to
their talk.
"They bore me to a banquet in honor of a brave lieu-
tenant-Carlin, of the 'Vandalia'-who stuck by his ship
in the great cyclone at Apia and comported himself as an
officer should. On that occasion-'twas at the Bohemian
Club-I heard oratory with the roundest of o's, and
devoured dinner the memory of which will descend with
me into the hungry grave.
"There were about forty speeches delivered, and not
one of them was average or ordinary. It was my first
introduction to the American eagle, screaming for all it
was worth. The lieutenant's heroism served as a peg
from which the silver-tongued ones turned themselves
loose and kicked.
"They ransacked the clouds of sunset, the thunder-
bolts of heaven, the deeps of hell, and the splendor of the
resurrection for tropes and metaphors, and hurled the
result at the head of the guest of the evening. Never
since the morning stars sung together for joy, I learned,
had an amazed creation witnessed such superhuman
bravery as that displayed by the American navy in the
Samoa cyclone. Till earth rotted in the phosphorescent
star-and-stripe slime of a decayed universe that God-like
 88 THE ANNALS OF

1889 gallantry would not be forgotten. I grieve that I cannot

give the exact words. My attempt at reproducing their
spirit is pale and inadequate. I sat bewildered on a cor-
uscating Niagara of blatherumskite. It was magnificent
-it was stupendous-and I was conscious of a wicked
desire to hide my face in a napkin and grin. Then, ac-
cording to rule, they produced their dead, and across
the snowy table cloths dragged the corpse of every man
slain in the Civil War, and hurled defiance at "our
natural enemy" (England, so please you), "with her
chain of fortresses across the world." Thereafter they
glorified their nation afresh from the beginning, in case
any detail should have been overlooked, and that made
me uncomfortable for their sakes. How in the world can
a white man, a sahib, of our blood, stand up and plaster
praise on his own country? He can think as highly as
he likes, but this open-mouthed vehemence of adoration
struck me almost as indelicate. My hosts talked for
rather more than three hours, and at the end seemed
ready for three hours more.
"But when the lieutenant-such a big, brave, gentle
giant-rose to his feet he delivered what seemed to me
as the speech of the evening. I remember nearly the
whole of it, and it ran something in this way:
" 'Gentlemen-It's very good of you to give me this
dinner and to tell me all these pretty things, but what I
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB.

want you to understand-the fact is, what we want and 1889

what we ought to get at once, is a navy-more ships-

lots of 'em-'
"Then we howled the top of the roof off, and I for
one fell in love with Carlin on the spot. Wallah! He
was a man.
"The prince among merchants bade me take no heed
to the warlike sentiments of some of the old generals.
'The skyrockets are thrown in for effect,' quoth he,
'and whenever we get on our hind legs we always express
a desire to chew up England. It's a sort of family affair.'
"And, indeed, when you come to think of it, there is
no other country for the American public speaker to
trample upon. France has Germany, we have Russia,
for Italy Austria is provided, and the humble Pathan
possesses an ancestral enemy. Only America stands out
of the racket, and therefore to be in fashion makes a
sand-bag of the mother country and hangs her when
occasion requires. 'The chain of fortresses' man, a fas-
cinating talker, explained to me after the affair that he
was compelled to blow off steam. Everybody expected
it. When we had chanted 'The Star Spangled Banner'
not more than eight times, we adjourned."
Mr. Kipling's impression of the number of orators
speaks well for the Club's hospitality, but as a matter of
fact there were not forty. General Barnes spoke, and
 THE ANNALS OF

1889 Crittenden Thornton, and Colonel Stuart Taylor and

Lieutenant Commander Chenery and the President, and
one or two others, maybe, whose names do not appear.
Indeed, Mr. Kipling privately offered to increase the
number and if the Club had known him then as it has
since, he undoubtedly would have been given ample op-
portunity. Perhaps some of the speeches in the matter
of length may, under the circumstances, have seemed to
Mr. Kipling like five or six; then again, if some of them
were inflammatory, others were charged with patriotic
statistics of a cooling and soporific character calculated
to allay all feverish symptoms. Nor was the Star
Spangled Banner sung more than once. Mr. Kipling's
notes coruscate out of reason in this particular. But all
this is of no importance. The bright and shining truth
is that the Club gave Jim Carlin a dinner that night and
it was a great dinner and the Club is glad that Mr.
Kipling was there.
One of the members of the Club, a young man,
a very young man, was editor of the Sunday Sup-
plement of one of the big daily papers at this time,
and to him came the unlooked-for distinction of re-
fusing a Kipling story. What one it was, whether
"The Incarnation of Krishna Mulvaney," "The Court-
ing of Dinah Shadd," or "The City of Dread-
ful Night," is not known, but having just landed, as
 THE BOHEMIAN CLUB. 91

already stated, a stranger and almost unknown, Kipling r889

sent a story to the editor of this Sunday Supplement who,

glancing at it, replied : "You say this man is just from
India? W ell, send this back and ask him to do us a
snake story." Perhaps after all there was a journalistic
instinct in this Sunday Supplemental youth's fatuity, for
did not Kipling afterwards produce "Kaa's Hunting,"
the greatest snake story ever written? Kipling liked the
Club, as his "Notes" amply testify, and frequented the
big, sunny library a good deal during his stay, and before
he went away he wrote some verses to the Owl. These
lines, according to Mr. Robertson, who received them,
were very fine, and in an unusual spasm of prudence and
caution they were not placed with the other archives of
the Club, wherever that may have been, but locked up in
the office safe. Then came a change of secretaries, 3
general clearing up, and much to everyone's regret the
verses were lost.

~(~ I])
~u~ ~ I@

F,.oln .. The Redwood Ba,.k"

-Dickman