who expected to be his wife, and still
had faith in him, was at his side, with her sister, conversing with
him between her sobs, in a low earnest tone. He seemed greatly
agitated. A detective stood a little way off from the trio. The
evidence was strong against the murderer, and an officer said to us
that there was no chance for him to escape from the penalty of the
law. In a cell was a young Chinese woman, just brought in, possibly
for disorderly conduct. She could not have been more than fifteen
or sixteen years old. She was pretty and refined in appearance and
handsomely dressed, and she wept as if her heart would break. Not yet
hardened by sin, and probably imprisoned for the first time, she felt
the shame and degradation of her lot. I could not but feel pity for
her, and expressed sorrow for her, though she may not have understood
my words. At least she could interpret the signs of sympathy in voice
and expression. These are a universal language. Maybe she was more
sinned against than sinning,--and that Divine One Who reads all hearts
and knows the temptations and snares which beset unwary feet, would
say to her--"Go, and sin no more!"

In another cell was an old offender who had a face furrowed with sin.
As we looked at her I could see that she regarded our presence as an
intrusion. I recalled Dr. Watt's lines:

"Sinners who grow old in sin
Are hardened in their crimes."

Yet there is an awakening of the conscience at last, and even a prison
house with its corrections may be a door of escape from that other
prison of the sinful soul from which no one can go forth, be he
culprit or juror, counsellor or judge, until his pardon is pronounced
by Him who can forgive sins.

CHAPTER VI

FROM STREET NOMENCLATURE TO A CANNON

The Streets of the City--Numbers and Names--Example of Athens--Names
of Men--Names of States and Countries--American Spirit--Flowers
and Trees--Market Street--Pleasantries--Mansions of California
Avenue--Grand Reception--Art in California--Cost of Living in
1849--Hotels and Private Houses now--Restaurants--New City
Hall--Monumental Group--Scenes and Representations--History of a
Cannon--Chance Meeting with General Shafter--Mission of the Republic.

The streets of the city! They are an important feature, and the
traveller naturally observes their direction and studies their
character. In the description of New Jerusalem, St. John noted the
fact that its street was "pure gold."