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Show 88 PERSONAL ADVENTURES Directly opposite Abrigo's billiard-rooms, I observed a coffee-bouse that had been opened since my last visit to the town ; and, attracted by its appearance, I entererl, tq obtain some supper. Fearing the effects of cold from the wetting I bad just received, I asked for a glass of brandy. The waiter in· formed me that there was none in the town. "Let tne have a beef-steak and some coffee, then," said I, passing on into a stnall room, which was so crowded that I could hardly find a place. " Where is the milk?" I inquired, when my cup had been filled. " The cow was killed yesterday, sir, and tl.1ere's not a drop to be had in the town." "The devil there's not! What have you got here ? nothing but biscuit? Can't you get tne some fresh bread ?" " I'm sorry to say I can't, sir. has'nt returned from the mines.'' "H ave you no butter?- these cuits require son1ethino· to make b down." (I was getting dainty !) The baker hard his· them go IN CALIFORNIA. 89 "They don't bring us any more butter from the country, sir. The last we had was used up a couple of weeks ago, and we can't get a further supply for love or money." "What, in the name of wonder, have you, then? You don't expect me to eat the table, I suppose?" " Oh, dear no ! Here's the beef-steak, sir;" and, going to the door, he relieved a grinning nigger of the smoking dish, and slapped it down on the table with emphasis, in order to convince tne that the house could still sustain its credit. " You seem to be on the verge of starvation here, my friend," observed I. " We have the best supply of any house in the town, sir ; but the population has been reduced to great distress, and has sometimes to go whole weeks without beef. The ran· clteros won't drive in the cattle, and there is no regular butcher in the place; so that, if we didn't kill for ourselves, I don't know what we should do. But we'll have some beans to-tnorro,v, and perhaps a few potatoes |