Daily Los Angeles herald., 1880-08-27
POLITICAL PEDESTRIANS.

A Novel nGo as You Please" on the Polite,
sawdast-Potts, Austin and Graham Try
Brush.
1t may not be generally known
but the candidates for our local of
fees have caught the pedestrian
fever, and the word went th'
rounds for q Ego as you please
preliminary contest. Everything
seeming to drift that way, a meet
Ing of the candidates was held, anC
it was concluded to start the pro
gramme by two hour squirt be
tween the candidates for County
Clerk. The entries were A. w.
Potts, Democrat; H. G. Austin, Re
publican, and d. M. Graham,
Greenbacker.
By common consent it was agreed
to secure as much privacy as pos
sib!e, and for that purpose 3 O'Clock
Wednesday night was selected. 1t
was thought that, by that time,
this audience at the Pavilion would
have pretty thoroughly dispersed; ;
and, as there would be no inter.
ruption to the regular walkers,
everything was expected to be
lovely. The event confirmed the
anticipation. Az the hour drew
near, u select crowd of good fellowe
had assembled in the Pavilion. The
Alsacian face of Phil. Lauth, beam.
ing with Gallo enthusiasm, the
Teutonic phiz Of Joe Bayer. with
the Wacht Am Rhein imprinted on
every lineament OF II; Charley
Miles, aud heavy delegation of
the fire laddIes," with a strong
dash OF the political fraternity aud
quid nuncs generally, were on
hand.
The first to put in an appearance
was tine present popular County,
Clerk, A. w. Potts. His splendid
physical condition extorted buzz
OF admiration. His face wore its
usual genial and debonnalr expires.
sion. His broad chest and robust
limbs were the subject of universal
and favorable comment. His Co.'S
tune set off his mauly beauty to
perfection. A.blue tunic. open at
the throat, with a HIghlander's re-
trsnched leg gear, completed
turnout at once dashihg, gay
and captivating. Fortunately no
ladies were on hand, or 1t would br
hard to estimate the number of
"mashe," Potts would have made.
Tue glow of victory was on both
his face ami form. He never look
ell better in his life. 1t was a case
Of McGregor on his native heath
Spurning the ordinary entrance,
Potts vaulted lightly over the rail.
ing aud paved the sawdust like a
thing Of life and beauty. He had
maize u lap before his numerous
and enthusiastic supporters could
catch their breath. The word "g0'
Is the only Que that could fittinply
describe the 1.-the aud tremendous
bou nds in which he flung dust be-
hind him. The only walker who
ever equaled Potts Wednesday
night was that terrible s wede who,
about the beginning of this ceu-
tury, walked from Bristol to Lou
don, distance OF sevrnty-two
miles, in eight tours. The timers,
with stop watches in their hands,
lnns o1 sAtyhnSt ,at - h. L,< =
realized that Potts, if he kept up Is
he began, would record at least
l91 miles as his two hours per-
furmance.
Pretty close upon the heels of
Potts, Mr.. H. G. Austin, the Re-
publican pedestrian, juked into the
arena. He was dressed in a bright
yellow tunic, with tights of q lilac
color. He was seen to be pretty
well winded before he began. His
few supporters looked with auxi-
ETY. upon his small expanss of
chest and uylobtrusive calves. He
started off at brisk gait, but he
quickly showed that he would be
iaid out If he persevered in forcing
the fight. He therefore struck u
more moderate pace, hoping that
Potts would be winued by his ter
rifle efoi -. The hope was a valD
one. as Austin began to realize by
tn mt Graham made his debut.
NJ. d. M. Graham, the Green.
backers' candidate for County
Clerk, had devoted considerable at.
tentlon to his costume. AS befitted
his candidacy, he came out in q
rig which Was green from tip to
toe, symbOlizing his devotion to
the exploded theories of the Green
hackers aud highly embiematic of
the envy he felt at the splendid
score Potts was making. H.
disclosed the same physi-
cal peculiarities as Austin,
only much intensified. Pale a. the
start of the race. a hectic flush soon
overspread his cheeks, and he
pumped his breath up with
spasmodic energy that foreboded
early exhaustion. II was q nOta.
BILE circumstances that the Green
back candidate did not seem to
have a single pHrtiZan in the entire
thrOng.
Tne band struck up the gay and
festive Strains of Garryowen, and
P0tts's heels seemed to have bee n
tipped with magic. His broad, d,-
lating chest, his easy and assured
carriage, act ed like elixir upon his
followers. Hi- lightning pace 50
stimulated Graham that he at
tempted to squirt, aud fell out at
the emf of the fifth mile. Austin,