The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-11-30

carson New Appeal.l

Some weeks ago John Mackay was sitting
ia the Gould ami Currie office reading about
Abe stunning Frog of Calaveras," when an
idea struck him that some sort OF Il trick like
ahat would be a splendid thing to ring III On
Maurice Hoetlicll, the aiming expert. Hoe
dich is around the Office a good deal, ana
whenever he takes lunch with Mackay he j.
sure to get into some sort of a dispute and
sffer to bet. Mackay don't like betting, am
frOwns i, down unless he thinks peopl Art
arying 10 bluff him. At last he determined
10 cure Hoefich and find where the weak
spot in his armor lay.
One day he saw Hoeflich OIL the stOop
playing with an enormous grasshopper, which
he Was teaching to jump. Hoefich's grass
hopper could jump t"enty-three feet, and il
was not long before he remarked TO Mackay /:
an bet you - dot you can't find a hinsec'
10 peet him
md Hoefich raised luin to $50 at once. Ttr
bet was closed at these figures, and Macka>
said he would have the hopper there in a day
or so. He then sent a trusted -mlssary down
10. Carson valley to secure a contestant for
the winged sized of Hoetlich.
The man spent nearly a week in Carson
valley catching hoppers. He finally selt All
official report to Mackay, stating that he had
caught over 5000 g~rasshoppers and put them
through their PAGES. The best gait any Of
them had was seventeen and three-quarter
feet. He doubted If a bigger jump could be-
secured. On receipt of the letter the bonanza
prince autographed to the man TO bring him
mp anyway.
The next day he arrived with about q dozen
hoppers from farmer Treadway's, and Mr..
Nackay gave them quarters i'll his rooms as
Vanderbilt would stable his stud. Each hop
per had a cigar box to himself, and every
morning they were taken out and put through
their PAGES. 1t was impossible, however, to
get one to jump over eighteen feet, although
all sorts OF invlgorating food was given them.
Mr.. Mackay was in despair, but one morn.
ing q hopper shifted at a bottle Of mmonia
on the table, and Immediately jumped thirty
feet. After making a few experiments it
was found that one Whit of ammonia 80 ell
livened the hoppers that the could make
Jumps that were almost incredible. Next day
he announced to HoeHich that he was ready
for the match. The expert was ready at 8
o'clock, an hour before time, with his pet
hopper. Not finding Mr.. Makay in, he sat
down in his study, and there noticed the bot
tie of ammonia. While he was examining il
Bird get, the old ~favorite domestic of the
Gould and Currle firm, came in with
Dent be techiu' that numonla, Mr.. Hoe
fitch. It's to make MIR. Makay's hoppers
~Sprightly. Bedad, l behave by the robes of
St. Patrick, he's out O. his sinses since the
pump broke at the north ind"
Roefich pumped the domestic, and soon
knew all about Mackay's game.
A light broke upon II efilch; grabbing the
bottle he rushed up the street TO Perkins
drug store, threw away the ammonia, aud or
sered it filled with chlornform. In ten min
utes he was back, and leaving the bottle
where he found it, got out Of the place as fast
as he could.
Mackay soon arrived with q half a dozen
mining superiutendents he lad invited up TO
see him and have SO e fun with Hoef1ich.
They were barely seated when Hoeflich
came in with his hopper in ii cigar box under
his arm.
81 vas a leetle late, Mr.. Mackay, but I'm
here mid der hopper and der COIN"
He laid down the money, which was COW
cred promptly.
"Any one else TO ped"
John Stewart laid down 500.
John Kelly put up $50.
Warren Sheridan stepped in for 5000.
Sam Jones had only $50. but he put it up.
Then a few got into the corner of the room
and concluded it was a shame to rope Hoe
fitch in that way, and finally agreed to give
the money back after they had won it. Mac
kay then bantered Hoetlich to raise the pot
100 shares of Union consolidated. Hoeflich
III oAbS ia NO oiohS III >" q ACu .
"Dar's no limit to de bets, gentlemen; de
coin speaks
Nearly every man doubled his bet, and
then Mackay got behind Sam Jones and lie,
his hopper sniff of the ammonia bottle, which
held Hoefich's chloroform.
Time being called the hoppers were placed
side by side on the piazza, and at the word go
each insect was touched on the back with a
straw. Hoefich's grasshopper described a
senicircle in the air and scored "a feet.
Mackay's gave a lazy lurch of some four
|, inches, and then folding its legs across its
steEnach it fell fast asleep, Jones swearing he
could hear it snore.
Hoefiich walked back into the room, swept
the coin into a canvas sack and Mackay wrote
out an order for stock. Hoefich went up the
street with his hopper under his arm, leaving
the others too astonished TO speak. Presently
Sheridan put the ammonia bottle to his nose,
and called Mackay's attention to the smell.
aChloroform, by gracious! ~
Then tine Milesian woman, who was the
cause of all the mischief, appearing with a
broom, %nuounced thai it was s.swapin' time,'
ana the crowd dispersed, each going in differ
eat directions.
As Mackay started for the Union shaft he
remarked:
aThat fellow Hoefiei plays in - queer
IucF.u
And 10 this all hands inwardiy agreed.
Senator Grover Is at a water-cure, and is
SAID to be so much better in health that he
viii be able to occupy his seat at the opening
Of congress.
Representative Davis. of San francisco.