The San Francisco call., 1895-11-18

you all unmindful of its merits? Look over
head into the expanse of glass. See the sym
metry of the white balconies, the green fringe of
exotic plants crowning the rim OF the top
story. Are you all blind to the fact thet you
have here an institution that is without
para"
A ponderous door swung open just then and
strain of the washington Post March, was
waited into the hotel. Instantly Mr.. Hopper's
whole demeanor changed. 81 suppose that's a
real estate announcements"
"No; the races" answered one of the party.
Mr.. Hopper went into a violent fit of laugh
ter, which was some time passing off.
''Let me tell you a funny thing that hap
pened out to the track last week. Gentlemen,
just so sure as the sun shines on the dome of
Sentinel Rocks said he, "this will make you
laugh. / was spending an hour or two watch
ing the runners and incidentally ran across
Jack Rafael of the Tivoli. You know Jack is
not betting man: assure you he is not.
But at any rate while we sat talking of old
Broadway and the Lambs Club Jacks eye sud-
denly fell upon the name of a horse on the
programme. 1t was something like Hattie c,
or Annie L, or Clara Z, Or some such senti-
mental name. Jacks memory went back to
the little old country town in Wisconsin where
he was born and the long-forgotten scenes
fitted to and fro before him. There must have
been some maiden by that name whose velvet
hand had nestled in his and whose native
simplicity was not to be forgotten. On, the
sweet and unmarried past. 1t all came back
the halcyon day, the cool of summer evening
when they strolled alone wrapped in each
others dreams of long ago."
Mr.. Hopper clasped his hands and looked up
at the green frip ge while his voice trembled
with emotion.
SAT any rate" he resumed as that soft and
1ahr tod emil 10 ic
characteristic face, "Jack insisted on buying
that horse. I scoffed at him. advised him
not to make fool of himself. The animal
stood in the 80 to 1 class. Absolutely no show,
SO thought-of winning. Jack was firm and
bought five tickets"
Mr.. Hopper lowered his voice, gathered his
friends around him and said softly: "As sure
as am in the presence of immensity gentle
men, that horse with the sentimental name
won the race. Jack was perfectly wild with
Joy.
"He raised his hand as the horses neared the
wire, and as his choice passed the judges
stand in the lead his heart swelled up with the
recollection of the days of long ago, and let
ting out all his pent-up energy, coupled with
a howl of JOY that was heard all over the track,
Jack brought his clenched fist down on the
knee of the person sitting next to him, doubt
less confusing her with me. 1t was lady,
might add, and he nearly broke her leg.
~ cannot say just what happened at that
juncture, but Jack was brought back to earth
with o speed that must have made his head
swim. Boys. it never pays to drift over the
beaten path back to the playground of boy
hood just for the mere pleasure of mingling
the musty past with incidents of the present.
1t might do when one is all alone, communing
with wordless nature, but as a racetrack ad.
junct it is a failure
Mr. Hopper's carriage drove up and he was
whirled away to the Baldwin Theater for the
matinee performance. AS the vehicle spun
into New Montgomery street one of the listen
ers remarked that Mr.. Hopper had consider
able sentiment for man who appeared to be
so eternally iovial.