Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-03-17
4 BOLD ESCAPE.
An Exciting Christmas Episode in a
ROh-Tail Car.
San Francisco Chronicle


San Francisco Chronicle
About O'Clock Yesterday afternoon
a man o. good proportions, indicating
Iuetonlc connections, was standing on
the curb at the corner Of Clay and
Sansome streets, apparently awaiting
one OF the time annihilating and dis
Understanding one-horse omnibus
cars, which had leisurely stopped at
the lower corner in order to allow
charmingly dressed young lady to enter.
The mans countenance was the image
of satisfaction. Christmas cheerful
ness shone in his face for scarce two
steps behind him stood truly good
looking woman, well preserved in mien
and body, clinging closely to large
arm-basket the contents of which
were hid from sight by close-fitting
cover. The couple were evidently man
and wife, for he also mad his share of
the load, which consisted of grain
sack containing apparently some fowl
or game destined for the Christmas
table. The two had been marketing,
and having secured that which was to
cheer their hearts and stomachs were
now awaiting the horse car on which
to embark for home. Presently it
drew up, stopped at the wink of the
man, who, with a motion suggesting
much more concern for the sack and
;ts contents than for the woman, made
the latter enter, and then followed HIM
self He held his sack carefully in
front, and, after glancing at the passen-
gers, selected place nearly opposite
his wife and but short distance from
the young lady who had entered the
car at the corner of Washington street.
His sack he carefully placed at his feet.
Presently more passengers were taken
in, and the man and his bag kept mov-
ing closer toward the young lady. The
latter was absorbed in reading letters,
probably obtained ut the post office
and when finally our passenger depos-
tied his bag close at her feet and plac-
ed himself at her side, she merely
hauled in a few yards Of her dress and
continued reading. A certain air Of
quiet, suggestive of good cheer, per-
vaded the car. The man soon forgot
his bag, as well as his wife, and drop
ped into doze. The young lady be-
gan twisting her neck and looked at
other ladies on the sidewalk, and only
the wife with her basket would throw
an occasional glance at the bag, which
was partially covered by the young
lady's dress. This scene of quiet
Christmas expectation was destined to
undergo sudden transformation. All
at once the young lady gave a shrek
of horror, drew up her dainty boots,
dropped them again and raised them
as If dancing an Apache war dance.
The wife started up with a look as if Il
baby had fallen into Il washtub.
"Mein Colt, s'Ferkel ist aus'm Sack,
Heinrich" she shouted, and then she
made dive for the young lady's ped
estals, who only redoubled her screams.
She shook her petticoats, stamped her
feet, kicked the seat, the floor and the
woman who was on her knees before
her, and who was making wild grabs
at something which seemed determin-
Ell to seek refuge among the young
lady's under-garments. The husband
stood nervously by, evidently eager to
participate in the hunt, bat deferred
by the peculiar circumstance of the
case. Suddenl Y the woman straighten-
ed up. She had got hold of something
The young lady screamed like a tug
boat. The woman pulled like one.
Then there was Il loud grunt, and as a
pretty little porker was unceremonious-
ly dragged forth a squeal followed,
which acted like an electric battery
upon the young lady's nerves, and she
sank exhausted into her seat. A rapid
exchange of compliments between
husband and wife followed, which end
ed only when the Christmas pig was
once more securely imbedded within
the folds of the sack, upon the neck of
which the man placed his not too
small foot by direction of his wife.
When the young lady recovered from
her faint and met the grinning faces of
her fellow passengers, she performed
the acrobatic feat of alighting from a
bobtail car running at full Howard
street speed.