The San Francisco call., 1897-01-03

AAdEhE - u WelIut StIdHSe SIOIy VI Z
A2SS loaded goat, which has been care
,H4S fully led from Bernal Heights, at
dead OF night, by sad-faced man. As
full as a goat" has been synonymous
with being loaded, when applied to
bbulous persons from Kamschatka TO
Key West. But this goat is not full, but
loaded. Within the circumference of its
ribs is a load sufficient to tear down houses
and send goat meat flying all over San
Francisco's sandy peninsula ano away
down into San Mateo County. At least
SO the story goes. 1t may be true and 1t
may not be true, but the rumor is grlsIy
and breath-estopping; an injunction to
hilarity and a midnight bogy.
John Hanifn has kept his goat IN his
yard weekdays and on Sunday let's 1t
nibble the sweet grass that grows adjacent
to the top of Bernal Heights. There is
not a gossoon or a colleen IN all San Fran
cisco County who does not know Hanltln' S
goat Its gentle whinny bespeak the
softness and mildness of its altogether
charming disposition, and "as Kind as
Hanifn's goat has grown to be proveTb
among the lads and lassies where BernaI
towers toward the skies. When finally 1t
has run its allotted course and has be-
come valuable Principally for its capacity
to be turned into goat leather, tears Will
be shed and children will feel sad.
1t was on Sunday that Hanifn's goat
really enjoyed life. From Its eyrie it
could survey the landscape o'er." gazing
placidly at the heights of the Twin Peaks
in one direction and at the City, which,
like great gray panorama, lies unfolded
below. Gales come hustling over the
wind-swept heights, so that the gossoons
on the top hug the ground to avoid taking
a header and rolling with breakneck speed
down toward the Cogswell School. But
Hanifn's goat liked fresh breeze and
Hanifn's heart beat with pride as he
looked upward and saw his beast dancing
and prancing on his hind feet up on the
apex, as secure against falling as If built
on a strong foundation and its legs all
pilasters.
The Bernal Heights boys and girls Of all
ages hail Sunday Tor the glad view OF ami
mated lie which it brings around every
seven days. The poundman comes not
on that blessed day. So all the goats in
the neigh borhood are out and they bleat
and crop the grass with impunity and are
gay by the dozens and hundreds. Some
times there is a clashing of horns when
two rival "bilies'' come together to fur
nIsh fun for the small boys. But really
the ''billies" are the best friends, and on
weekdays they get fresh cutlcle and goat
hair 10 replace that scraped off on Sun
day and dream SIX days through about
the fun they will have in a little shindy
on the seventh.
few weeks ago new family moved
to Bernal Heights. One of their be-
Ioneings was the biggest billy goat the
heights have ever seen. He has the long
est and sharpest horns, the most mis-
chievous disposition, the greatest amount
OF pluck and vitality and the fun
niest eyes that nature ever has bestowed
on a goat with whiskers. He had not
been on the heights more than a week
just one Sunday-when he demonstrated
his proWess Breaking from his tether he
had a bout with every billygoat on the
hill with the exception OF Hanifn' S mild
eyed beast. HanItin's goat looked up
from its grass-cropping with a pathetic
expression in its eyes. The stranger
looked a minute and walked away. From
that minute all the gossoons and colleens
and even the one omadhoun on the hill
knew that they had misunderstood Hani-
fms goat and that it had fighting blood
after all.
But Hanifn's goat took on no airs.
Never did it look more peaceful than on
the day when it made its dreadful fame,
which extends as far as Scotch Hill, I"
and even has found its way to the goat
fanciers and 'all-around sports \of tender
years on Telegraph Hill. 1t happened
this way.
Hanifin got prouder of the goat than
ever and walked about with chip on his
shoulder-which the new family, who