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Show 11 Almo took a quick breath. "Yelling for hacks to haul their bacon and beans and boots and everybody's crazy!" I could see t h a t , a l l r i g h t . And the madness continued a ll summer. From a l l over the country men rushed to San Francisco. They slept on doorsteps and i n l i v e r i e s and washed at fire hydrants. Mrs. Maxwell even found room for two i n my l i t t l e a t t ic room. I t was said, though I did not see i t with my own eyes, that d e n t i s t s l e f t t h e i r patients s i t t i n g in chairs, railroad conduct o r s l e f t t h e i r passengers stranded, preachers l e f t their congregations, and barbers l e f t their shops with customers half-shaven. I saw them a l l at the waterfront, however, milling around in t h e i r new high-top boots and wide-brimmed h a t s , waiting to crowd aboard the next ship headed North. It was madness. I t was called "gold fever." I didn't think of going North myself. I guess I didn't have time to think about i t , Rexy nearly t r o t t e d her legs off for me that summer-up and down those cobblestone h i l l s , racing the noisy cable cars along Powell Street. Rexy and I did not need to go North for gold. We would be rich in no time staying here a t home. Anyone could t e l l Rexy was one smart horse, and every day a stampeder would offer to buy her. "Give you t h i r t y d o l l a r s , " they'd say. "She's not for s a l e , " I said over and over again. |
