The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-11-18
John Mackay's Grasshopp0r Bet.

would be splendid thing to ring in on
Maurice H0efich, the mining expert.
Hoefich is around the Office. q good
deal, and whenever he takes lunch
with Mackay he is sure to get in some
sort of a dispute and offer a bet.
Mackay don't like betting and frowns
it down unless he thinks people are
irving to biuff him. AT last he deter
mined to cure Hoeflich of his habit,
and find where the weak spot in his ar
NOR lay.
One day he saw Hoeflich on the stoop
playing with an enormous grasshopper,
which he was teaching to jump. Hoe
fich's grasshopper could jump twenty
three feet, and it was not long before he
remarked to Mackay:
''I'n bet you 81 dot you can't find q
hinsect to peet him!'
Mackay bot $40 that he could beat it,
and Hoetiich raised him to $40 at once.
The bet was closed at these figures,
and Mackay said he would have the
hopper there in day or so. He then
sent trusted emissary down to Carson
Valley to secure contestant for the
winged steed of Hoefiich.
IA"" SPOu. u " "o0A AO1iA>
ing in Carson Valley catching hoppers.
He finally sent an official report to
Mackay, stating he had caught over
5000 grasshoppers and put them
through their PAGES. The best gait any
of them had was seventeen and three
quarters feet. He doubted if bigger
jumper could be secured. On receipt
Of the letter the Bonanza Prince tele-
graphed to the man to bring him up
anyway.
) The next day he arrived with about
dozen hoppers from Farmer Tread
WAYS, and Mr.. Mackay gave them
quarters in his room as Vanderbilt
would stable his stud. Each hopper
had cigar box to himself, and every
morning they were taken out and put
through their PAGES. 1t was impossi-
BILE, however, to get one to jump over
eighteen feet. although all sorts of in
vigorating food was given them.
Mr.. Mackay was in despair, but one
morning hopper shifted at bottle of
ammonia on the table, and Immediately
jumped thirty feet. After making a
few experiments it was found that one
Whit of ammonia so enlivened the hop
pers that they could make jumps that
were almost Incredible. Next day
Mackay announced to Hoef1ich that he
was ready for the match. The expert
was ready at nine o'clock, an hour be-
fore the time, with his pet hopper
Not finding Mr.. Mackay in he sat down
in his study and there noticed the bot
tie of ammonia. While he was exam
lining it Bridget. the old and faithful
domestic of the Gould & Currie firm,
came in with:
Don't be techin' that numonia, Mr..
Hoeflich. It's to make Mr.. Mackay's
hoppers sprightly. Bedad, behave, by
the robes of st. Patrick, he's ont o his
senses since the pump broke at the
north ind" ...
Hoetiich pumped the domestic, and
soon knew all about Mackay's game.
A light broke upon Hoeflich; grab
bling the bottle he rushed up street to
Perkins drug store, threw away the
ammonia and ordered it filled with
chloroform. In ten minutes he was
back, and. leaving the bottle where he
found it, got out out of the place as fast
as he could. ...... -.
Mackay soon arrived with half doz-
en- mining superintendent he had in
vited up to see him have some fun with
Hoetlich.
They were hardly seated when Hoe
fitch came in with the hopper in a cigar
box under his arm.
II vas q leetle late, Mr.. Mackay,
but m here mid der hopper and der
COIN"
He laid down the money, which was
covered promptly.
sAny one else to betP''
John Stewart laid down 800.
John Kelly put up $50.
Warren sheridan stepped in for $500.
Hank Smith wanted like amount.
Sam Jones had only fifty dollars, but
he put it up.
Then few got into the corner of
the room and concluded it was q shame
to rope in Hoeflich in that way, and final
ly agreed to give the money back after
they had won it. Mackay then ban
tered Hoeflich to raise the pot one hum
dred shares of Union Consolidated.
Hoeflich wrote an order on the broker,
and remarked:
'sDar's no limit to de bets, gentle
men, de coin speaks"
Nearly every man doubled his bet,
and then Mackay got behind Sam Jones
and let his hopper sniff of the ammonia
bottle which held HoeAich's chloro-
form.
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 straw. Hoe
fiich's grasshopper described q semi
circle in the air and scored twenty-four
feet. Mackay's gave q lazy lurch of
some four inches, and, folding its legs
across it's stomach, fell fast asleep.
Jones swore that he could hear it
snOre.
Hoeflich walked back into the room,
swept the coin into canvas sack, and
Mackay wrote out an order for stock.
and Hoefiich went up the street with
his hopper under his arm. leaving the
others too astonished to speak. Pres
emily Sheridan put the ammonia bottle
to his nose, and called Mackay's atten-
ton to the smell.
Chloroform. by graciousr'
Then the Milesian woman who was
the cause of all the mischief, appearing
with a broom, announced that it was
..swapin' time" and the crowd dis
persed, each going in different direc-
tiOns.
. As Mackay started for the Union
shaft he remarked:
THAT fellow Roedich does play in
mighty queer luck"
And to this all hands inwardly agreed.
Larson (Nev.) appeal
Destruction In the Air.
Bark Benjamin, the distinguished sci
enlist, warns the country and the Gov