Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-16

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The deacon was diligently perusing the
columns of the Yolo Doughnst as the car
sped townwards, and the other passengers
were either reading or gazing listlessly out
of the windows. 1t was dull morning,
the weather was gloomy, and there was
noticeable absence of cheerfulness gener-
ally.
Suddenly the deacon was seen to become
greatly excited, and every eye was directed
toward him.
"Whoop! Wow y he exclaimed, hold
ing the newspaper aloft, Here's sensa-
ton for you-here's the kind of news we
like to read It's headed a Battle Unto
the Death, or Terrible Struggle on An
| Engine"
Read til Read it i" chorused the pas
sengers. who were now equally excited.
The deacon polished his spectacles
quickly and began to read aloud:
| The entire city of WASHINGTON was
/
last night, over the news of frightful en-
counter between Engineer Throttle and
Fireman Brakey, of the north-bound Ore
gon express train. The train was whizzing
4 past Davisville when the trouble began.
The fireman was jealous of the engineer
| Last night, crazed with drink, he heaped
on fuel until the boiler was in imminent
danger of exploding. The engineer pleaded
| with him, but in vain. Then he expostu-
lated-vain, too-and then attempted to
prevent further action on the part
| of the Economical fireman. The fireman
| now glares terrible glare with his glaring
eyes, Then he seizes the engineer and
tries to throw him from the engine. A
| terrible struggle ensues The fight is for
| life They speak no word, but with teeth
| clenched strive, one to precipitate the other
| to his death! Meanwhile the train rushes
madly on. The engineer, tiually growing
weak, endeayo to reach The regulator to
| stop the train and summon help. Too late
| The fiendish fireman guesses his plan, pulls
| himself together Tor a superhuman effort,
raises the exhausted engineer aloft, and ex-
| claimed All, ba You think you are foxy,
but Pm on to your With this he filings
| the engineer out the -window-but the
engineer clings 10 him, he cannot shake
| him of, so both go out together Drawn
under the wheels they are mangled horri-
| bly, as they cling together in their death
embrace Their death would have been
| fatal, had it not been that section boss
came along the track soon after. Fortu-
nately he had in his pocket bottle of Dr.
Curtis famous hair-restorer, and after adj
ministering a dose to each, they began to
show immediate signs Of -"
! Now the deacon, in all his thirty years
residence in this city, was never known to
use profanity before, but on this occasion
| he swore long, blue suiphurous streak,
| that near suffocated the laughing pas SEN
| gers-and justly, too, because they had no
business to laugh.
| Colonel ROBBIE, of the Athletic Club was
on his way into town yesterday from East
Park, where he had been taking a little
practice for his great foot-race with George
Clark which takes place to-day.
Can't you give Us a tip on the race,
| Colonel >" asked friend who boarded the
| car at Twentieth street.
! Certainly, with pleasure" replied the
| ever .affable athletic Colonel. I'm a dead
sure winner. Can't lose. Clark will never
be in it. Just put your money up on me
| and YOU won't have to walk home"
"Yes, but l understand Clark hackers
are offering odds on him. They seem to
think that they have a world heater in
him. What do you think about it?i
"Oh, Clark can run, I'll admit, but even
if he could do a hundred in seconds I'd
beat him tomorrow"
How is that?'
"Well, now, if you promise you won't
| give it away, I'll tell you what makes me
so confident" The Colonel looked very
| mysterious as he reached into his overcoat
pocket, and produced therefrom a l,air of
low-cut shoes, with long, sharp spikes pro-
| truding from the toes. See those ?" he
said with significant smile.
| Yes"
well, you know that am TO give Clark
six yards start on me in the race. Well,
now, just as the pistol goes off I'm gong
to make very cat like spring. l will land
right on Clarks heels with those spikes.
They'll pin him to the ground-see? Then
| I'll just slip out of the shoes and trot down
the course. l can take my time, you see,
because it will take them half an hour to
| dig Clark up. Well, here's where | have
to get off. Good bye Just put your
money on me, now, and you will be all
right"
Fate willed it that George Clark should
board that very same car at the next cor
ner. He, too, had been to some quiet place
having quiet practice fo- the great event
of to-day.
| The gentleman who had received the
"tip" from Colonel ROBBIE noticed the con-
| fident air worn by the Coroner elect and
| President of the Athletic Club, and con-
cluded to sound him.
well, George" he began, what are the
| prospects for tomorrow"
| Couldn't be better" was Mr.. Clark's re-
ply:
I'm good condition."
Excellent. I'm a sure winner. You
, see, Robte has been doing a lot of talking
of late as to what he could do in the sprint
| ing line, but he wouldn't do any running.
| 1t was all talk with him. l concluded that
| it was about time to take the conceit out of
| him, being quite a speedy runner myself,
and the next time he commenced to blow
Just challenged him."
| But he claims he can run hundred
yards in ten seconds, and advised me to put
all my money on him.
"Oh, he did, did he? Well, now, look
here, my friend, just take a little advice
| from me, and put your money on your
humble servant here I'm the winner to-
morrow-can't lose. In the first place l
can beat ROBBIE out of sight in an even race,
| but Mr.. Clark dropped his voice into a
whisper) if you don't give ii away I'll tell
you that tomorrow I'm not even going to
give him half show. He will never be in
the race"
Explain yourself"
"All right-but NUNS the word, you
know. You see, Robes got girl-a
| sweetheart, you know-and he gets letter
from her every day. He didn't get any to-
day, though, and be can't for the life of
him understand why. l have that letter.
Pm acquainted with the yonng lady and
she is standing in with me. Now, to-mor-
row, when we are all ready for the race,
I'm just going to pin that letter on my
back-see? ROBBIE will see it just as the
pistol goes off. He will never pass me as
long as that letter is in view, not much-he
will keep behind me until he has read it
through, and I'll have walk over in the
race. Oh, I'm foxy, l am, and if you want
to win any money tomorrow, you will put
your money on me-"