The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-12
ERICKSON PAD HIS BET
WHEELED BALL Up LONG HILL
IN A yYEEELRAR-
ROW
HUNDREDS ENJOY TIE SIGHT
Losers Endurance N-4ss Tested, bat
He Went the Distance With As
sistance, Marching 10
MUsic's Strains.

Escorted by cheering crowd of sew
eral hundred people, Theodore Erickson,
Stryker avenue wheeled Harry Ball
on barrow yesterday afternoon, frorl
South Wabasha and Isabel streets to Pc
ter Andersen's saloon at Stryker aVenve
and Dearborn street.
OF course an election bet was at the
bottom of the performance and it is
scarcely necessary to mention that Bail
bet on the Republican nominee for the
presidency. Erickson, with true Demo-
cratic fairness, swallowed his medicine
like man and worked like a Trojan I'M
til the long, dusty uphill journey was
completed.
The start was scheduled for o'clock
and was made on time to the minute.
For an hour or so before the procession
got under way the barrow was on OK
hibition at the starting point, tastefully
decorated with patriotic colors. Around
it the crowd gathered, and by o'clock
the principals experienced considerable
difficulty in getting to it.
A cheer greeted Erickson as he arrived
at the scene of action and removed his
coat and vest with a buSineSSlike air.
Just as he had finished putting on the
tackle, Ball fought his way through the
mob and was also received with a cheer.
He was dressed to imperSonate Uncle
Sam and looked the part as closely as a
bly, could.
Get in, and Wen get going" COM
manded the loser of the bet. Ball
obeyed, and the start was made to the
accompaniment of the cheers of the
crowd and the music of the fife and
drum corps.
At the first crossing, man threw
three plump live turkeys into Balls lap,
explaining that he had lost them on a
similar bet. Ball beamed expansively,
but Erickson did not. A dark frown
succeeded the look of determination
which had previously pervaded his CONN
tenance and he came to a stop with a
suddenness that nearly proved fatal to
Balls equilibrium.
DECLARED HIMSELF IN.
Either I gets one of them birds or
stops right here" he said, and for q
moment the success of the expedition
was jeopardiZed. Ball parleyed for a
minute, but could not convince Ericlz-
son that the contract included wheefrg
twenty pounds or 50 of added live weight
and was forced to grant the concession.
Then the band played, the crowd heaved
a sigh of relief and a fresh start was
made. When the hill was reached
Erickson showed signs of firing and the
services of a youth were enlisted to pull
the barrow from the front.
Half way up, the barrow struck stone
and the passenger was tipped out, roll
ing over on the dusty road to the I'M
bounded delight of the bodyguard Of
small boys. The only damage was the
crushing of the antiquated felt plug
hat of the bulky Bal and the delay was
trifling. A quarter of a mile from the
goal the pace slackened, and it became
a question whether Erickson could go
the distance. Frequent rests and the
NP ~afE ut
the Their end, however, sustained him
and a Garrison finish was made with
great eclat, a large crowd having assem-
blod at the finishing post to greet the
heroes of the afternoon. Though greatly
tagged, Mr.. Erickson, with final effort
managed to beat the winner of the bet
to the place where refreshments were
being dispensed. Both were warmly
received, and all went well until the
leader of the band preferred a request
for one of the turkeys. kr Ball did
not take very kindly to this demand and
was not backward in expressing, his
views
81 have given one away" he said. zone
rs disappeared. and if I give away an
other won't have none left This
luminous reasoning met with the APP
prevail of most of those present, but
the musician was persistent and did not
let up until the last of the birds had
been formally transferred to him. Then
the conversation became general and
sociable session helped to while away
the rest of the afternoon
VARNUM WHEELED HALF A MILE.
Yesterday afternoon, at O'Clock, Bert
Varnum wheeled Louis Luthey one-half
mile in a wheelbarrow from Congress
and Concord to Wabasha to Fillmore
avenue. Mr.. Varnum Is a vaudeville
actor of this city, and Mr.. Luther is a
business man of some note on the West
side. An election bet was the cause.