The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-05
YOLkS AND ALL.
A Remarkable Contest of
Easter Day.
HOW SICK THE WIDOW WAS,
An Exciting Egg-Eating Match in a
Fashionable Boarding-house.
1t Was a Draw.

The egg, which is regarded as q symbol of
the new life commemorated by the Chris
tian world on each recurring Eastertide.
was made to play highly sensational part
in fashionable clearinghouse in San
Francisco last Sunday morning.
young man well known in local Insur-
auce circles undertook to demonstrate that
he could eat greater number Of eggs than
young widow who boarded in the estab-
lishment and who occupies position as
teacher in one of our public schools.
The match originated in a conversation at
social gathering of the boarders one even
ing last week. The subject under consid-
Grafton was the Lenten fast, and the
stimulus it would impart to the average
clearinghouse appetite on Easter morn
ing.
The drift of intellectual intercourse natur-
ally carried the flow CT speech toward
Easter eggs. The young man said nobody
could surpass him in the capacity to devour
eggs raw or cooked in any style. This was
regarded as in the nature OF a challenge by
the young woman, who said he could not
eat any more eggs than she could stow
away.
Somebouy suggested that the two should
tuEdG6 III u lndlCH NE IelIUWIlR sunday
morning % settle the question of the cham
pionship In this particular arena of glut-
tony.
Everybody laughed and there was gen.
efal concurrence in the view That there
could be no finer sport. The competitors
agreed that nothing but an actual test
could determine which of The two could
make the better record in the field OF
activity.
The terms were easily arranged. The
wager was TO be two pairs of hne kid gloves.
Inc young man, who Was not a member of
the household. WAS to furnish the eggs, and
lie was also 10 send basketful of fresh
ranch eggs to the house the night before
the match
Easter morning dawued The contending
champions made different preparations for
the battle
The young widow rose early and arrayed
herself In her most gorgeous new Easter
raiment. Without touching particle of
tood she went to early mass, where she was
apparently one of the most deyOut among
the worsaipers before the grand altar, with
It's gentle, sweet and re tining influence.
Her aesthetic soul was deeply stirred by
the exalted music and the fragrance which
hlied the air with the perfume OF flowers
ana The odOr from swinging censerS.
The spiritual influence of prayer and song
and sermon IN no way turned her from her
purpose TO eat her way 10 victory. As she
passed out with the thr9ng the recording
anger OruSneu away tear.
AS Tor the youth he had other ideas of the
training necessary. Probably he could not
see, as possibly his adversary did. the con-
nectlOn between sacred and secular things.
With his mind intent on victory he also
rose early and nrclectinE his customary
breakfast struck out afOot for Golden Gate
Park where his aesthetic soul cnmmuned
with nature. After his stroll through its
lea!y avenues he took the cars for North
Beach, where he INDUCED In saltwater
bath and a rubbing down that, with the
previous exercise, put the keeuest kiad OF an
edge on his appetite.
When he arrived at the bOardlu g-houSe in
the Western Addition the preparations
were all complete and the widow as ready
and eager as himself for the assault The
population OF the establishment poured into
the dluing-Tcom TO enjoy the sport
Al 10 o'clock the contest began. Half
dozen raw eggs were first dOwned by each
Then as many soft-bOiled eggs disappeared,
and the boarGeTs felt in high glee.
Chat and badinage filled the room.
everybody thought II was very funny. The
japanese boy who waited on table looked
amazed when lie received orders to bring
on another dish of egg. He soon returned
Win score OF soii-boiled ones, when the
competitors again resumed operations
They had eaten about three more eggs
apiece when they began TO exhibit signs of
distress. There was no movement, how
ever, 10 guilt. Two pairs of gloves were at
stake. Besides IL was funny.
To make the consumption easier on the
consumers 1t was resolved TO vary the
course by swallowing a few more eggs raw.
Sixteen Of them In succession slowly disap-
peated, when tie contestants began 10 feel
that there ars really moments when one
wants TO be alone.
But the boaTders rallied them to renewed
eXertiOns, and the absorption Of sOft-boiied
eggs was renewed until ten more had van
ished.
The score was now tied, each having
eaten twenty-twO eggs.
The man at this stage showed the most
distress. The woman, however, said size
was willing tn call Ii q draw, but felt equal
to another onslaught.
They. were beginning to look bloated
about the face, The veins of The neck stood
out in evidence, the lips were turning
purple and the eyes we're assuming blood
shot hue.
There was, nevertheless, q general in
slstence that the fight should be to a finish,
though the landlady protested and the
japanese boy fled in terror from the scene.
tInally more raw eggs were ordered up
and very slowly each swallowed three with
pause OF about two minutes between.
Not another egg could they touch, and
each had swallowed exactly twenty-five.
What few minutes before had seemed
so uproarlously funny now became
serious matter. Both the parties mani
tested signs of being very ill., The woman
had TO be carried to a lounge. The man was
escorted upstairs. a physician was sum-
moned. The iandlady gave vent TO her
indignation at the whole proceedings and
threatened to put everybody out of the
house.
Meanwhile one of the boarders had gone
to drugstore in the neighborhood and pro
cured powerful emetic and two bottles of
citrate of magnesia. The effect was
instantaneous, but the insurance clerk and
The schoolteacher were TWO very sick people
Tor the remainder of the day.
AS soon as the widow had recovered suf-
icient strength she walked upstairs to her
room. The first thing which met her gaze
was yellow silk quilt on her bed Her
stomach rose at its yelk-like sheen and with
one loud despairing shrek she tore it from
its place, flung it on tho floor and piteously
begged that SHE should never be allowed to
see 1t again. She was again returning TO
her unquilted couch when her new Easter
bonnet, radiant with California peoples,
lo0med up on the bureau. There was an
other wild shrek as she tottered forward,
seized the hat tore 1t into shreds and
crushed the wreck beneath her dainty feet.