The San Francisco call., 1895-05-19

dine. When he wins he drops in with smile
on his face. and begins to harrangue about the
start, the bunch at the quarter the rush
down at the homestretch. the way he piled up
the tickets and the finish! He cannot say
enough about the good points of the animal
upon which he had his money, nor is there
anything quite SO fine as horseraeing as q
pastime. Il tell you, Ross he says, when the
two favorites swung into the stretch l saw
Tamalpais go right down to the ground and
almost fly. had eight tickets ON Dolly for
place, and / thought would lose. All of a
sudden she took the bit, and with magnificent
squirt she went 10 the front. won $65 on that
one headp And so it goes. He raves over the
sport like crazy man, and his talk is horse
horse, horse for three straight hours. When
he loses and dimes with me he never
mentions horse. but takes the privilege of an
old and dear friend to advise me to get new
cook. The beef is too well done, the fish is not
baked enough, the entree too hot, the yege-
tables have too much salt and the wine is too
young. Nothing suits him from start to finish
The whole earth is going to the,dogs and civil
ization does not civiliZe. If we go to the
theater after dinner the play is bad, the ballet
is awful and the house is badly ventilated
Whenever he gets in this mood / ask him
about the races. His answer is generally a
growl and he threatens never to be seen there
again. have reached pass now that when
see man in an anti-dinner mood I conclude
that his favorite lost or else he tore up his
tickets. Am I right, Doc?"
"Let's go and have cigar, Ross"
The way was long and dusty and the sun in
tense as, one day this week, several surreys,
bearing John D. Spreckels, Robert Watt, Leon
Sloss Thomas Magee, Fulton Berry and others
of the Valley road party, logged over the burn
ing San Joaquin. Mr.. Sloss was in charge of
the oOmmiSsarv dapartmant and hod totap
the precaution to take plenty of ice along. The
thermometer was over the hundred point, and
the wayfarers were assuring one another that
this was no junketing trip, but real hard work
Even Berry, whose stock of good humor and
fund of stories, with all sorts of points and
peculiar examinations, is inexhaustible, felt
the overpoWering oppression of the heat and
grew taciturn. Leon Sloss nodded in his dus-
ter. John Spreckels made vain attempt to
smoke cigar when Thomas Magee cried in
loud and distinct tone, "When we halt 1 will
make stew"
The effect Of this announcement was posi-
lively startling. That Tom Magee, in the
presence of such epicures as Sloss Spreckels
and Berry, should refer to gourmandaise in
any form was astonishing, but that he should
actually volunteer to concoct dish himself
filed his companions with the greatest appre-
hension.
"It is the heat" said Spreckels. "Poor
Magee's brain has given way. / noticed that
he has been acting queerly for some time"
HE scowled and looked so vicious when
told my last story" said Berry, 'that felt sure
there was something wrong with him."
81 wish we could spare some of that ice for
his head" said Commissary Sloss, "but there is
only enough to carry us through"
"When we halt will make you a stew that
will delight you," shouted Mr. Magee again,
waving his straw hat over his head.
Mr.. Watts suggestion that the unfortunate
gentleman should be strapped in his duster.
straitjacket fashion, was being seriously de-
bated when the driver of the leading surrey
announced that they were within few hun
dred yards of Baccigalupi's ranch, where they
were to rest for few hours and that Mr.
Magee might be confined in the wine cellar
until the deputies could be summoned from
Fresno.
SHOW do you feel now, Tom ?" said Mr.. Berry
soothingly as they stepped out of the vehicles.
Magee looked at him disdainfully, and pro-
duced big boiled ham from under the seat of
his wagon. At this, faint hone that there
might be some method in this freak cropped
out, which was further confirmed when Magee
called Tor pot and coal-oi1 stove. Both were
furnished him, and the ribaldry of the crowd
was changed TO awe as they noted the artistic
del1beration OF the suspects proceedings.
ne chopped up the ham in dices aud put 1t