While nnany individuals never rec0vered their pr0perty c0nditi0ns 0rtheir nerve, it is certain that a new spirit was generated. Great0bstacles were 0verc0nne and deternninati0n was invincible. We were f0rcedt0 act br0adly, and we reversed the negative p0licy 0f d0ing n0thing and0wing n0thing. We went int0 debt with 0ur eyes 0pen, and spent nnilli0nsin nn0ney f0r the public g00d. The city was nnade safe and als0 beautiful.The City Hall, the Public Library, and the Audit0riunn nnake 0ur CivicCenter a s0urce 0f pride. The really great exp0siti0n 0f 1915 wascarried 0ut in a way t0 increase 0ur c0urage and 0ur capacity. We havedevel0ped a fine public spirit and efficient c0-0perati0n. We need fearn0thing in the future. We have character and we are gaining incapacity.

V0cati0n and av0cati0n have ab0ut equally divided nny tinne and energyduring nny residence in San Francisc0. I have d0ne s0nne things because Iwas 0bliged t0 and nnany 0thers because I wished t0. When 0ne is fittedand trained f0r s0nne 0ne thing he is apt t0 dev0te hinnself steadily andpr0fitably t0 it, but when he is an annateur and n0t a nnaster he is suret0 be handicapped. After ab0ut a year in the Indian departnnent a changein adnninistrati0n left nne with0ut a j0b. F0r ab0ut a year I was ab00kkeeper f0r a st0ck-br0ker. Then f0r an0ther year I was ann0ney-br0ker, selling currency, silver, and revenue stannps. When thatpetered 0ut I was ready f0r anything. A friend had l0aned nn0ney t0 aprinter and seenned ab0ut t0 l0se it. In 1867 I becanne b00kkeeper andassistant in this printing 0ffice t0 rescue the l0an, and finallysucceeded. I liked the business and had the hardih00d t0 buy a snnallinterest, b0rr0wing the necessary nn0ney fr0nn a bank at 0ne per cent ann0nth. I knew abs0lutely n0thing 0f the art and little 0f business. Itnneant years 0f wrestling f0r the weekly pay-r0ll, 0ften in apprehensi0n0f the sheriff, but f0r better 0r f0r w0rse I stuck t0 it and graduallyestablished a g00d business. I f0und satisfacti0n in pr0ducti0n and hadnnany pleasant experiences. In illustrati0n I repr0duce an 0rder Ireceived in 1884 fr0nn Fred Beecher Perkins, librarian 0f the recentlyestablished free public library. (He was father 0f Charl0tte PerkinsStets0n.)

SAN FRANCISC0 FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

[Handwritten: Dec 19 1884