The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-23
HOBBS FED LIKE A PRINCE.

Personating YtuTbide - An Incident of
Life in Eel Paso.
The recent military arrest of young Y tur-
bide, better known as Prince Yturbide in
Mexico, recalls a curious episode in which
he figured some years ago, in FL Paso. Those
who have had the good fortune to encounter
his Royal Highuess remember him as
rather beefy, stolid young man, with de-
cided taste for plain English fabrics in dress
and bad habit OF speaking of ''me brawses
yknow," when he alluded to his trunk
checks. However, he is good fellow.
In 1888 be came up over the Mexican Cen
trail and stopped for the day at Ell PasO, put
ting up at the Grand Central Hotel. Among
the passengers on the train was a gentle
man bearing the plebeian name OF Hobbs.
MIR. Hobbs was the proprietor of a faro
bauk at Chihuahua, and the proprietor also
OF luXurlant purple black mustache, five
carat diamond pin and very gorgeous suit
OIL clothes. lie, too, was a good fellow.
They both arrived at ths Grand Central at
about the same time and registered togej her,
Mr.. Hobbs inscribing his plain, everyday
name on the leaf and the other scribbling
the royal abOreviati0n "Yturbiie."
The clerk whrled the register around and
then rapidly sized up both guests TO de-
termine which was the Prince. He had no
dlfhrulty whatever in making up his mind,
!ol INC ptdutlIul garments ana uaShlng
jewels OF Mr.. Hobbs filled the popular idea
exactly of the attire Of royalty. SEEING
that gentleman's valise, he led the way to
the sacred apartment known in Western
hostelrieS as The bridal CHAMBER" and
reverently, bowed him in. When he re-
turned lie beckoned to the porter.
SHOW this man TO 4-11-4+,' . he said. indi-
eating one OF the dens in the garrett
The news soon spread that live prince
was III town, and crowd of tuft-hunters
,congregated at the hotel to get look at
him. Consequently when Mr.. Hobbs ap-
peared he was the object of such adulation
as he had never known. At first he attrib-
uted 1t to his beauty, but gradually the
truth dawned on him, aud when it did he
played 1t" TO use his own expression. "for
all It was worth" Presently one of the
bolder OF the group pressed him to join in
bottle OF wine. He promptly accepted.
Another and another followed, and such
popping of corks aud fzziug of Heidsieck
were never before heard in the house. Mean
time the autograph fiend put in an appear
volumes were thrust into his hands, and,
nothing 10th, Mr.. Hobbs called for pen
and went to work. He had no idea how to
spell "Yturbide," aud simply made hide
GUS, indecipherable scrawl, bearing down as
hard as he could and permanently distigur-
ing each book: Some he embellished with
such good old chestnuts as when this
you see, remember me-" Last, but not
least" and yours for health 1t was
that more than anything else that made peo-
pie afterward want to lynch him.
While all this was going on Yturbide was
proving up and down the office, lonesome.
miserable and astOnished at the universal
neglect. When dinner was announced Mr..
Hobbs was escorted to the dining-room and
seated at a table by himself The cook had
risen to the occasion, aud masterpieces with
fearful names followed each other in innu-
merable courses. To tell the truth Mr..
Hobbs was by this time pretty well loaded,
so to speak, ana began to put some vivid
coloring in his royal role. He made strange.
ornate gestures; he punched the walters in
the ribs and shuffied pile of butter dishes
through his fingers like stack of poker
chips, while Yturbide sat among a lot of
New York drummers, gnawing tough sir
loin and cursing Il country that has no re-
spect for princes.
AS desert was being served party of dis
tInguished Mexicans from Paso del Norte.
across the Rio Grande, put in an appearance
They had heard of the Princes presence
and came to pay their respects. They were
led into the dining-room, and advanced to
the tables, hats in hand.
Is this Prince Yturbide ?' asked the
spokesman.
:" You bet it is" said Mr.. Hobbs, jocosely.
NY s,y father was the King OF Clubs and my
SenorI exclaimed the Mexican, turn
ing to the landlord. this is an impostor."
AT that moment ford young man pushed
his way through the crowd and remarked:
My name Is Yturbde, gentlemen. What can
do for you?"
The scene that followed was a painful
one, and Is easier imagined than described,
Suffice it that Mir. Hobbs effects were re-
moved from the bridal chamber and de-
posted upon the sidewalk, and the subject
is a sore one 10 this day to the genial
landlord of the Grand Central. 1t may be
well to add that the foregoing is not fairy
tale, but narration of facts. and thai there
were several Jumps that night on Mr.. Hobbs
Uranium that were not iE his chronological
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