The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-12

BE CAREFULLY WASHED THE MARBLE SLAB
capacityFwas largely developed, snickered
audibly, which breach of decorum was
met by an angry frown from the master
of ceremonies. Extending his hand, upon
which lay some twenty pieces of chewing
gum, with the tragic manner of a king
about tC bestow an order upon subject.
Brodie said:
''There's the stuff that wins the di'mon'
medal. It's tooty-frooty chewin gum.
The man that chews the most pieces of it
will have the name o bein' the champeen
tooty-frooty chewer of the Bowery, be-
sides gittin' the medal. Dye understand
1t amt the man that chews the longest on
one piece o chewin' gum that wins the
championship, but the teller that gets the
most pieces O gum in his mouth at one
time and keeps his jaws a-waggin' Be-
sides, We got to keep time with the music
This amt no go-as-you-please chewin
match. Mr.. Well, President of the
Tooty-Frooty Club, will beat time with the
bungstarter, and the bloke that breaks
time with his jaws goes out. Now, I'll
give each one O. you mugs piece O.
tooty-frooty. You'll hold it in your
hands till 1 start up the music and Mr.
Well gives you the movement. Then
I'll count, and when say 'threel you CO."
The music struck up at an andante
gait. Mr. Wee'lls bungstarter began to
make figure As in the air, like the baton
of Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, and, when
Brodie gave the word, the silence was so
thick that it could have been cut with
knife. They were off. Five pairs of jaws
began to wag with the precision of a
Corliss engine. The overstrained nerves
of the spectator found relief in an audi
BILE sigh. 1t was an inspiriting sight to
see those five able bodied men working
their jaws like threshing machines. Bet
ting began to fly around the room. Hobo
ken Pete was the fsvorite at 3 to I, be-
cause of the size of his mouth, with Billy
Fangs a close second, and the Naugatuk
third Encouraging remarks arose on all
sides such as:
''Sock it to 'em Petel" "Look at them
grinders grind" ''Holy mackeral, McMil
Ian amt keepin' time; he's off his beat"
cube for more than half minute. Then
he handed each man another piece of gum
and as they put it in their mouths stimuli
taneously he ordered the musicians to play
faster. The ehewers began to feel the
strain now. 1t was quite easy 10 chew on
a single piece Of gum, but when the guam
tity was doubled and the time perceptibly
II Iar
Johnny Halls Pet tried to enter protest,
but Brodie shook his head sternly and
said:
NO kickin'. You keep on Vaughn
your jaws or drop out"
The pace was getting to be very hot and
sweat began to roll down the faces OF the
men, At the expiration of two minutes =
third chunk was added to the gum al
ready masticated. The measured beat OF
''Boom-ta-ra" and Of jaws rose and fell To-
gether. Johnny Halls pet was getting
groggy. His eyes rolled. his jaws wobbled
and with a loud groan his gum fell out of
his mouth and he gave up exhausted, amid
roars of laughter The Naugatuck mas
ticator dropped out in the fourth round
and began 70 bsthe his jaws IN cold water
By this time Brodie changed the tempo Of
the music, for it was impossible 20 keep
up q lively gait on four chunks OF gum
Hoboken Pete was still in the lead, closely
followed by Billy Fangs, who might have
won in the last round but for the lament
able fact that IS has jaws came together his
teeth stuck in the plastic mass OF
gum and were held there as in wise lie
nearly disloezted his verserbT1r IN It's
efforts 20 seperate has nolArs, bit al n
vain. and be was ed ouE- he Goa
testznts had now been chewing for i've
inmates. wkich seemed an eternity &c
them. There were only tyvo left al this
stage OK the contest, Esboken Pete and
Blinsy Mcmillan The latter WAS fosllrs
along k-ayslT. while nArdarnnninH