The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-27
A BAD HALF=HOUR.
The Story of a Very Hot Night.

Yes, it was just about the worst half
hour ever spent in my life. 1 would not
repeat the experience for all l ever expect
to be worth. My hair turned gray in that
night. The gray matter of my brain
would turn blus in another such ordeal
1t happened, as most things do in the
life of newspaper worker. in the course
of my regular work. Things do not often
happen to one in the hours OF sumDer.
and the life of a working journalist
knows but two divisions-hours for work
and hours for sleep. 1t is something like
the divisions of time for the sailors at sea,
four hours "on" and four "off, only with
the newspaper man it IS twenty hours on
and four off.
had been sent by the paper up to Stock
ton to look up some matters in connection
with certain railroad claims. and having
got up my stuff in good season. found
myself with whole evening on my hands,
and no particular avenue OF amusement
open TO me that promised to be worth
while entering upon; you all know about
what attractions a small city offers to
stranger on a hot summer night. And IT
was hot that night in Stockton. Inc
thermometer during the day stood at 116.
By o'clock it had dropped to 100, and there
was prospect Of few cool hours before
the sun should arise next morning and re-
sumo business at the old stand.
Despite the heat. it was lovely night,
and il seemed as if the entire population
of the city had yentured forth to enjoy its
delicious fragrance. In the course of my
stroll l wandered through the large square
in the center of which stands the court
house. The beating of a bass drum. the
rattle of a snare, the jingle of tambour-
inc and the glare of half dozen struggling
torches, throwing their dancing shadows
upon a tattered American flag, announced
that Salvation Army corps was having
knee-drlll at one corner. L wandered
over and joined the crowd that en-
crcled the soldiers. There was some
thing Rembrandtsh and weird in
! the whole scene. The dark bonnets
and dresses of the lasses, the red shirts
and rough, earnest faces of the men shone
htfully in the uncertain light. The man
with the snare drum was tall. handsome
fellow, with the face of an angel who had
lived long in hades. Beside him, rafting
her tambouTne and marking with an
earnest "Hallelujah % "Praise the Lord p
every period of the trembling wreck of
manhood who, mounted on a soap box,
was telling the gaping throng how he had
been saved from sin, was woman whose
face still showed the marks of the devils
tn at had been cast out.
1t is curious and an impressive spec
tacle always. Salvation Army CORPS
| Whatever NAV be ones theological beliefs
or unbeliefs, there is something about this
rude, often uncouth, Outcropplng of the
| truth that sileDces criticism. When the
saved sinner had done speaking | turned
away, where, in another corner of the
square, a street fakir in a gayly decorated
hack was saying: And now. ladies and
gentlemen, l Will take a bottle of my
Golden Cure; add another bottle OF the
same kind place on top bottle of my King
of Pain and still another bottle. All these
for half a dollar. You can never get
them for that again" ButnOt caring either
for Golden Cure or King of Pain. l passed
the great opportunity by and strolled
down the street to where, to the accom-
paniment Of banjo AMI guitar,
gaudlly alfred woman and a red-haired
young fellow were singing character
song" to attract a crowd, while between
the stanZas bewhlskered chap who occu-
pied a democrat" wagon close beside
them was vocifernusly urging the assem-
bed throng to walk up, now, ladies aud
gentlemen. assure you your teeth will
be extracted instantan eouslv. as it were,
and positively without pain, ladies and
gentlemen. No pain or no pay. This is
no humbug. ladies and gentlemen
| stood. fascinated, watching this per-
Torrance, as one after another four or five
hulGing farmhands mounted the wagon.
sat down in an old BARRIERS chair therein
placed, and after partaking of few drops
OF red liquid administered by the operator
submitted in smiling silence while from
the mouth of each huge mOldr was ex-
iracted 1t was an astonishing sight, and
my newspaper instinct was Just leading
me into a debate as to whether l would
not be justified in sacrIf cng tooth for
the sake of getting a good story, when
some one touched me on the shoulder and
curious, rasping, metallic voice said in
my ear, They have stolen both of my
headlights"
Turning, beheld tall, cadaverous in
divdual standing close beside me and
looking into my face with pair of deep
gray eyes that seemed to read my Utmost
thoughts They have stolen both my
headlights" this figure repeated in his
curious metallic monotone, "aud you must
help me recover them" | glanced from
him TO the tOOth-pulling fakir and saw
that the scene of his operations was ilu-
minated by the bright glare from two
locomotive headlights. Certainly if they
thieves.
Why" said I, in surprise, 'ln that
case should think you would have only
to call policeman and claim your prop
erty. You ought to be able to prove it, in
the case of such things as headlights"
"HushY' said the stranger. ''All would
be lost II | were to lay claim to the prop
erty. This is case for stratagem. The
rerple in the crowd dislike meme, who
have been their lifelong benefactor. If
they thought the headlights belonged to
me they would be among the first TO de-
clare the robbers had clear title TO the
property, which they have taken from me-
just step aside with me, and l will explain
the case TO you, and together we will con-
trive scheme to restore me to my rights,
and will see to it that you do not go un-
rewarded"
Seeming some possibly interesting de-
tails for Sunday special that would per-
haDs net me glory as we'll as space rates, [
followed my strange guide down side
street to large building, apparently a
warehouse. door of which he opened,
bidding me enter, and then. following me.
he closed and locked the door behind him.
Now" he said. exultanty, I'VE are safe
from prying apes, and l will show these
people, 1 will surely show them" and
rubbing his long, lean hands together he
sat down opposite me. The glare of an
electric light directly IN front of the