The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-26
SKIPPED WITH The POOL,
Ayers Company, the Fungus Com
mission Men, Leave Patrons
in the Lurch.
The Crowd of Disappointed Plungers
Retrieve Themselves With Carpet
and Furniture.

CONSERVATION and dismay, oaths and
pandemonium, were rife Tuesday after
noon about O'Clock up in the dark and
dirty rooms in the building at the corner
of Ellis and Market streets where the
| fungus booksellers, Ayers brothers, for
merly passed out the green checks.
The rooms we're packed with bettors i'm
patient for their winnings on the race in
which Montana led.
| Their expectations were shattered, the
returns came not, neither did the Ayers
| brothers, who had left the room shortly
| before the race.
| Odds at the track were to on Montana,
but Ayers Company raised it to 6 to 5, and
it was not long before the snap was discov-
cred. The rooms were full and something
like $500 had passed into the cashiers
hand.
1t was good bet and the patronizers of
the pool were congratulating themselves,
and visions began floating before their
minds of Christmas plum buildings, with
the contingent luxuries.
A few moments before the race was
called the genial managers behind the
counter sauntered through the crowd and
went downs talrS.
No particular notice was taken Of this
maneuver and the time went on.
At last the news that Montana had won
shot up the narrow stairway and through
the crowded rooms. But Ayers Co, was
represented only by its blackboards, it's
long green counter, its carpets and its pat
rons.
The true state of affairs dawned on the
duped that were waiting.
The first to recover his presence OF mind
was tall long mustached Kentuckian.
They have WEIGHED the pool!" bawled
he, and then he made wild leap over the
counter and plunged his hand into the
drawer OF the desk.
| Ten or twelve angry men followed suit,
| and in the confusion that followed a dozen
! hands were laid on the kentuckan's
collar.
Hold on!" he yelled, 81 don't belong
10 this concern. Keep your hands off
from me. am only trying TO get even %
Fortunately he was believed, and the
suggestion conveyed in his exclamation
was acted on by everybody that could
lay hands on anything portable.
In few moments a deathly quietness
reigncd in what was left of the pool
rooms OF the Ayers Company. Down the
a
OF determined looking men and boys.
at the head of the procession, borne
aloft by two stalwart plungers, moved the
walnut desk of the fugitive commission
| ers.
| The bearers were heard 10 murmur in
dulcet tones, Heaven helps those who
help themselves!
Close after the desk was carried the big
roll of carpet that few moments before
had been held down by the anxious wait
| ing ones. Then followed articles of every
description, from an ink we'll to box of
crayons.
The savage Kentuckian and Bates, the
candy man, brought up in the rear.
| ~ had 81 90 in the pool said he cf the
mustache. while be Haunted a book of
| blue checks tr1umphantly, "but | have
cleaned out all the stationery; thought it
was corking good bet, SO 1 blew all my
| pile in and | got several of my friends to
do the same thing, but, added he with
an air that broded Merry Christmas to
Ayers d Company-"I am Kentuckan.
| was born in Kentucky. l was raised
there, and by the blue grass and triple X
OF my State, if | ever lay hands on Ayers
! Company they will pay me what was
coming TO me or, well, won't do ANYTHING
to them, that's all. l know whereI can find
them, too. Just watch the papers SOON"
Bates was enveloped in an immense rub
| Der sheet, MS portion OF the booty.
81 had two bits up grinned he, land I'll
cut dis thing into four bits and paint a
sign on each piece to help me to sell de
candy, see?"
But the fugitive firm will never come
back to gather the ecnoes of profanity that
! float in their former dingy and fraudulent
resort. They have only aided in building
| up greater distrust for individuals of their
ilk and fastening the final destruction of
| the paryenu booksellers.