One of Gertrude Atherton's many novels, "The Californians", captured much about the lives of the privileged class of San Francisco during the late 1800's and early 1900's. In chapter six of her novel, Atherton tells the story of two young women named Magdalena Yorba and Helena Belmont who reside in a very nice part of northern San Francisco. They are the daughters of very wealthy and powerful men known as Don Roberto Yorba and Colonel Jack Belmont. The two daughters decide one evening to rebel against their parents and sneak off to get a closer look at a fire in a bad part of town. During these times upper-class females were not suppose to be alone in public and therefore Magdalena and Helena head towards South of Market Street dressed as a boy accompanied by a muchacha from Spanish town. Magdalena is of New England Spanish decent while Helena is half New England and half Southerner. However, before the night was over, these two young explorers felt simply as Californians.
For the first time in their lives Magdalena and Helena were able to catch a glimpse of the life of poverty that many endure in downtown San Francisco. The two girls even began to feel sorrow for the people who were watching their businesses and homes burn to the ground. The two friends seem to put themselves on the same social level as the less well-off victims of the fire when Helena says, "Oh, the poor things! They've been burnt out. Let's talk to them." While their previous upbringing had taught them to stay away from peoples lower than them, Magdalena and Helena had developed a new spirit to gain a better understanding about the people who lived so near to them, but who were also much different. This sense of closeness to the people helped them to feel more a part of California.
As the story continues, Magdalena and Helena end up being brought in by a police officer for dressing as a boy and being vagrants.
