



Produced by Elaine Laizure from images generously made
available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.







THE SAN FRANCISCO FAIRY.

A Tale of Early Times.



  Down came the Fish's lower jaw upon her light canoe,
  And he asked her if that ladder would answer for her shoe-;
  Then tripping up it lightly, she spied a splendid seat,
  With wampum it was covered---her lover's it would beat.



SAN FRANCISCO


PUBLISHED BY C. P. KIMBALL, AND FOR SALE BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.


D. E. Appleton & Co., 508 and 510 Montgomery Street,


GENERAL AGENTS.




THE SAN FRANCISCO FAIRY


A Tale of Early Times.




  At such a sight she fainted, yet still she did not fall,
  But straightway told her sorrows, she told him of them all.
  The Fish he wagged his little fin, and shook his pointed nose,
  And said, "My darling Maiden, into my mouth you goes!"



San Francisco:

PUBLISHED BY C. P. KIMBALL, AND FOR SALE BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.


D. E. Appleton & Co., 508 and 510 Montgomery Street,


GENERAL AGENTS.



PREFACE




This little Tale is founded upon the well-known tradition,
prevalent among the old inhabitants, that where the Golden Gate now
is was once dammed up by a rock or rocks, and the whole Valley was
a great inland sea with its entrance to the Ocean down near
Monterey. The writer has seen, on Ohio Street, in this City, (which
in 1850 was quite an elevated spot of ground,) the black
sedimentary earth, at least two feet thick, which abounds in
greater or less degree throughout the Valley, and which readily
accounts for the wonderful fertility of the soil.


San Francisco, December, 1868.



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by Chas. P.
Kimball, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the
Northern District of California.




THE SAN FRANCISCO FAIRY


  LONG years ago, ere Spaniards lived on California soil,
  An Indian of the Digger tribe was resting from his toil;
  He lived beside an inland sea, or lake, so wondrous large
  No one could look from shore to shore--a day's sail for a barge.

  This Indian was a happy dog, of threescore years and eight,
  Of children he had half a score, also an aged mate;
  His youngest was Li-Lamboni, a petit laughing cit--
  Who kept the Wigwam happy by her fund of ready wit.

  A blooming maid of twenty, perhaps of two years more,
  Her lovers might be counted at wholesale by the score;
  But there was one--a comely lad--a Chieftain's only son,
  This one alone of all the crowd her youthful love had won.

  So tall, so straight, so beautiful, an eye like diamonds bright,
  Not one could beat him in the chase, by night or broad daylight;
  And when upon the war-path with the braves he started out,
  The death-song of his enemies would plainly mark his route.

  But, ah, alas! the wampum to make him all her own.
  She did not have the needful, for she had poorly grown;
  And often on the placid Lake, within her log canoe.
  She pondered long and deeply on just what she should do.

  One day, when very sad indeed, a long way out from shore,
  She sighed--she felt just then more sad than e'er she felt before;
  Just then a Fish of monstrous size jumped from the water out.
  And, balanc'd nicely on his tail, asked what she was about.

  At such a sight she fainted, yet still she did not fall,
  But straightway told her sorrows, she told him of them all,
  The Fish he wagged his little fin, and shook his pointed nose,
  And said, "My darling Maiden, into my mouth you goes!"

  Now, who would think a maiden of two and twenty years,
  Would step into a fish's mouth without the slightest fears!
  But so great was her desire her object to attain,
  That she treated anything like fear with feelings of disdain.

  Down came the Fish's lower jaw upon her light canoe,
  He asked her if that ladder would answer for her shoe;
  Then tripping up it lightly, she spied a splendid seat,
  With wampum it was cover'd--her lover's it would beat.

  Back came that self same lower jaw, without the slightest jar,
  No one could treat her better, not e'en her dear Papa;
  The Fish he told her plainly to his Mistress she must go,
  She was a lovely Fairy, and she lived right down below.

  He said