San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-04-10
THE ANNANIAs CLUB.

A number Of gentlemen were
seated about the spacious rotunda
OF the Menger hotel last night,
swapping tales and Willing away
the hours. Ii was suggested by
Tom Woody, who travels for st.
Louis hardware firm, that society
for the protection OF drummers be
formed. The party at once caught
onto the proposition and sugges-
tions were offered as to name for
the society.
Among other names suggested
was that Of the "Annanias Club"
which was adopted. The require
ments for eligibility to the club
were based upon mans ability
to take his Edgewood whisky
straight, to lie like a trooper, and
to sell no less than three car loads
of goods week.
The preliminaries having been
arranged, the election OF officers
was next in order, and it was
agreed that the gentleman telling
the best lie was to be made presi-
dent. Mr.. Dave Shanks, who every
one knows as a cheerful truthteller,
was the first to tell a story. 1t was
a corker. He was followed by Doc
Fallenstein, Ben Zuber, Paul Brad
ley, A. G. Shepherd, Jack Isaac,
Jim Swan and Ike Barron, in the
order named.
Some good stories were told, but
our space is too limited to detail
them. The story related by that
prince OF them all, G. G. Erier, fol.
lows:
1t seems that "Gus," as he is
known by everybody, had once
upon a time taken a trip abroad,
and as he was returning from
China the ship upon which he was
q passenger was wrecked in mid
ocean, miles and miles away from
land. Amidst the panic that ex-
listed "Gus" secured a plank and
launching himself over the creak-
ing vessels side, he was soon afloat
upon the bosom of the terrible ocean
with nothing between him and
the grim destroyer but a small
plank, hardly large enough to sup.
port his l65 pounds Of flesh. AS
he was struggling in the water and
trying to propel the plank away
from the vortex caused by the
-apidly sinking vessel, another I'M
fortunate passenger Of the Inflated
ship caught hold Of the plank and
sought to raise himself upon it.
The situation was one OF horror.
The plank would not hold two.
What was to be done? Self-preser-
walton is the first law OF nature,
and Gus. tells how he fought the
battle for possession of the plank,
and finally striking his adversary
a ringing blow in the face, he fell
off and was engulfed in the waves
and sank to rise no more. After
days OF privation and struggles,
Gus. was finally picked up by a
passing ship and was brought to
New York.
During the recital of the story,
everybody noticed the sgitated
manner of Harry Physic, who
travels for Myer Bros Drug COM
psny, who is "some pumpkins"
himself. 1t was supposed that he
was simply anxious to begin a
story, but imagine the consterna.
ton OF the party when at the con-
clusion of Mr.. Drier's story, Physic
assuming a belligerent attitude
wanted to fight Drier, for he de-
clared that he had been for five
years looking for the man who had
pushed him off that plank.
Peace was declared, and needless
to say, Mr.. Physlc was elected to
the presidency. The club deferr.
ing the further election OF officers,
adjourned to the cafe of the hotel.
When the reporter left itIwas with
pleasant recollections OF what a
jolly lot OF fellows the "Knights of