The record-union., 1891-06-06

Long before the doctor" had con-
cluded the commercial man had been ex-
hibiting prenonitions Of apoplexy. He
turned deathly pale, his eyes protruded
like door knobs, and, as the doctor was
reciting his last sentence, the unfortunate
young man fell limp and insensible in
the aisle of the car. The hop-man's bottle
was brought into play again, however,
and that was all that cheated Coroner
Clark out of job.
AS couple of sportive- looking gentle
men were riding out toward the suburbs
the other evening they discussed, among
other things, the relative abilities OF
Schaeffer. Carter and other leading lights
in the billiard world.
Speaking of Schaeffer," remarked the
elder of the two, reminds me of little
incident hat occurred during his visit to
Sacramento about-well, I think 1t was
along about 1877"
II didn't know that Schaeffer was ever
here"
"Oh, yes, he was, and I remember
it very well. Ha! ha! ha! I can't
help laughing when / think how Ed
Robbins got away with him ~
"You mean Ed Robbins Of the Golden
Eagle billiard-room? Did he beat
Schaeffer?"
"Well, no; that is, he didn't beat him at
billiards, although at that time-you
see Schaeffer was only 20 years old then
he didn't have much percentage over
Robbins in straight billiards. Pll tell
you how it was:
Sat that time Robbins was running the
Orleans billiard-room on Second street,
and John Domingos had the bar. The
Orleans was a popular resort even up to
those days. Ed was having little prac-
oil NV hin,c,a1f I,,11 Of
when young man dropped in sort of
carelessly and watched him punch the
ivories for a while. He was roughly
dressed, but his manner showed that he
was no slouch. He wore dingy felt hat,
a blue flannel shirt and duck overalls,
and carried big knife at his waist. Rob-
bins quickly took his measure. He had
seen such men before, and knew that his
visitor was sharper.
p" wouldn't mind playin' yer game,
mister spoke up the newcomer. i
hain't played billiards lately, N 1 see you
kin handle the cue pretty lively, but I'd
like ter go yer one, fer luck"
"Ed never shows the white feather, SO
he tackled the visitor, and of course the
latter lost, but Robbins saw enough to
convince him that the young fellow was
good one. Who the mischief could he
be? Finally it dawned upon Robbins
that Schaeffer was on the coast, and he
had had good description given of him.
Sure enough, that was he-the youth
whose marvellous skill at billiards had
already astonished the country.
"'Mr. Schaetfer, I'll give you two-and-
a-half to play me another game, and /
want you to play your best, said Rob
bins.
"'How did you know me? You never
saw me BEFORE remarked the other,
keenly eyeing the Sacramentan.
"'Oh, [ knew you the moment you en-
tered said Robbins, knowingly.
''Well, to make the story short, Rob-
bins and Schaetfer played for some time,
and the latter highly complimented the
Sacramentan upon his skill. He also
confided to him the fact that himself and
Jim Gates (an old-time billiardist) had
been making a tour of the State, and
picking up games here and there TO make
a stake with which to go East.
During the conversation Schaeffer
asked Ed If there was anybody in town
whom he could get to play him for $50 q
side. Robbins said he thought ne could
find two or three men who wouldn't be
afraid to try it, and Schaeffer deposited
$50 and left, saying he would be around
about o'clock at night.
"a couple of hours later another
stranger happened i'll the billiard room.
He was also dressed q Ia miner. He
could play billiards little himself, and
believed he could beat anybody in Sacra-
mento.
after what SchaefTer had confded to
Robbins, the latter knew at once that this
was Gates, and knowing that good game
of billiards would draw big crowd, he
made up his mind to work it SO that the
experts would play there that night.
1--WE got man who'll play you to-
night for S50,' said Robbins. You come
around about 9 O'Clock and you can get a
game, if you'll cover this money on
| deposit here
fer's deposit, not knowing that he was
running up against his partner, and said
he'd be on hand. Ed gave the snap away
to few friends, and they told others, and
the result was a big crowd at the Orleans
that night to witness the game.
'Gates was first on hand, and when
Robbins took Schaeffer over to him a
little later and introduced him as Mr..
Smith of Rattlesnake Bar, nobody could
have told, from the manner of the men,
that they had ever met before
''Well, they went at it-there was
nothing else for them to do-and they
played fine game, which Gatos won. At
its conclusion he walked up to the bar
and asked for the 500.
Robbins handed him 800 instead.
"'How's this?' he exclaimed, this
match was for 500, wasn't it?'
"'Oh, yes replied Robbins, without
even cracking a smile, but you know
the proprietor of billiard-room is always
entitled to ten per cent. of the stake,
when gentlemen play for money, in
order to pay for the use of tables, gas,
etc.
'Schaeffer looked at Gates, and Gates
! looked at Schaetfer for a moment; then
they both look ed at Robbins, but Ed was
in earnest, and the travelling billiardists
who were looking for soft snaps had to
| leave $40 of their good money behind
| them. They didn't stay many hours
| longer in Sacramento"
woei woeI Unutterab1e Woe.
Why endure it daily, nightly, we had
well nigh said hourly They do who are