The L'Anse sentinel., 1898-09-24
Why His Reason TOttered
JAJITHoUT any reason whatever,
An Adventure with Man-Hunters.

w my strange companion grasped
my arm with u clutch like wise, and,
with abject terror depicted upon every
feature of his countenance, exclaimed:
''Save me! Save me. They are after
me again!"
"Who are after you?" asked, vain
ly trying to disengage his painful hold
on my arm.
"Thuse real estate men. They'll
shoot me. See" And he pointed out
of the car window to two peaceable-
looking gentlemen whoever approach
ing the train with fowling-pieces
slung over their shoulders.
At this moment a small man, with
alert, nervous eyes, who had been in
almost constant attendance upon the
German, entered the smoking COM
partment of the Pullman and said:
"Never mind, Jake. It's all right. l
have got them in the next car where
they can't harm you. See, I've got my
guns with me, and no one can hurt
you while am around"
'Nas it loaded?"
"Yes. l think you had better go to
bed now, while | sit up and protect
you"
"Yes, that would be PETER" said the
German, greatly assured.
/ felt sure that these two men were
as crazy as bedbugs, and / lit fresh
cigar to think.
was travelling from San Francisco
to London, and up to this moment had
seen nothing eccentric about the Ger
man except his rather grotesque APP
pearance. He and his companion were
intensely interesting characters, but
they seemed harmless. If they were
interesting before, they were doubly
so now. After awhile the little man re-
turned, and, throwing himself wearily
upon the cushioned seat opposite me,
Eaid
"Now that / have got my trouble
some friend to bed, I'll take rest.
He'll not stir, can tell you, so long as
he thinks there are Los Angeles real
estate men on the train"
whats the matter with him?"
said.
"Off here" And he tapped his fore
head significantly. There's n boom on
at Los Angeles, you know, and the real
estate men scared him out of his wits"
'You don't say SOP"
"Yes. About six weeks ago our de-
tective agency in San Francisco re-
ceived instructions from New York
attorney to locate the whereabouts of
Jacob Schmidt, who had not been
heard from for some time, and / was
assigned the task. A fine time had of
it, l can tell you" And the detective
meditatively puffed great rings of
smoke from his pipe. sect him to tell
you about his adventures in southern
California. You will find it amusing.
He's taken great fancy to you-says
you saved his life just now. He is sure
you couldn't be so dishonorable as to
have anything to do with real estate"
It was a strange story heard from
Mr.. Jacob Schmidt by piecemeal dur
ing the next few days. A story of adj
venture which might have sent many
better man than he off his head; tale
10 one would credit who had not gone
through that Los Angeles boom; one
that could not have credited had not
the sad havoc wrought in the other
wise sane mind of Jacob Schmidt
been daily apparent as we travelled to-
ward the Atlandtic seaboard. ~
About 90 years previous to this time
Jacob and Frau Schmidt crossed the
Atlantic, and, following the Teutonic
instinct, they opened a corner grocery
in the suburbs of Brooklyn. In 1883
reports were rife of the great specu
lative fever that had seized southern
California, and of the fortunes that
were made in day; and as buyer
presented himself at that time, Jacob
Schmidt decided to sell for a snug little
sum and seek his fortune in the far
west. All in good time the honest and
simple-hearted Teuton arrived at Pas
adena, where he had been advised to
pause and look around. To the con-
servative tourist from the effete east
the scene of pande emonium at the depot
must have been appalling. Carriages,
omnibuses and innumerable buggies
ained the curb. The carriage-men
were shouting, hotel-runners yelling.
but above all the din and jostling of the
crowd were heard the sonorous and
sturdy voices of the real estate run