Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-07-31
A STORY OF HENRY BERGH.
One of His New York Experiences In
Protecting Dumb Animals.


One of His New York Experiences In
Protecting Dumb Animals.
Like we'll dressed, somber ghost he
went striding down the snowy street,
and at University place he found the
thing he had eXpected-a car packed
inside almost to suffocation, both plat
forms packed outside, with men cling
ing like big burs to bottom steps and
dashboard rails, and before it, within
cloud of steam, two ill fed, bony horses
with bloodshot eyes and wide, red nos
trils f1aring in their effort to fill labor
ing lungs with air, with heaving sides
and straining backs and TANKS, while
their madly scrambling feet struck fire
from the slippery stones as they strove
In vain to start again the awful weight
behind them. Curses, oft jerked bell
and assisting yells of passengers failed
of effect. The drivers whip was raised
ready for the stinging blow, when sud-
denly the straining effort ceased, the
horses heads dropped low, and through
the thick air there loomed up before
them a tall, dark form, with hand up
raised commandingly. And calm and
distinct two laconic words reached all
ears: "Srop! Unload"
"Who the blank are your furiously
demanded the driver. "And where's
your authority for interfering with this
trip?"
He knew we'll enough whom he was
talking to, SO silently Mr.. Bergh turned
back the lapel of his coat to show his
badge, for in those days he had to do
constabulary work as we'll as official,
then repeated, "Unload.
But, being tired, hungry and mad,
the f1oodgates gave way, and the pas
sengers' wrath burst forth. Abuse, sa-
tirical comment, threats, filed the air.
To q few who demonstrated decently
with him he expressed regret, but with
grave politeness insisted on tightening
the load, telling them they could see
for themselves the utter inability Of
the horses to get them to the end Of the
line and gently urged them hereafter to
note the condition of crowding before
taking place on car.
The conductor was especially ugly
and became unpleasantly demonstra-
tive. His example worked like leayen
on the rest, and spirit of riot began
to show distinctly III the crowd closing
about the TALL calm, self possessed
man. All faces scowled, and evil names
We're tossed upon the air. He had just
said. You are yourselves increasing
this delay; you might have moved
two minutes and half ago." when a
scurrilous great brute came close up to
him and, with an unspeakable epithet,
shook dirty fist directly in his face.
Without the flash of an eye or the
culver of a muscle in his quiet face
Mr.. Bergh caught the ruffian by the
shoulder, whirled him around, grabbed
the seat of his breeches and the nape
of his neck, and, with a splendid "now
all together" sort Of swing, he fired
him straight across the street, head on
into the snow bank.
A silence of utter amazement was
suddenly broken by one great, swelling
laugh, and then followed the always
thrilling sound of three gloriously
hearty American cheers. Many men
shook hands with Mr.. Bergh before be-
ginning their long tramp homeward.
Some admitted their error in aiding
the overlooking. Clara Morris in Nc
Clure's Magazine.
william Black's Joke.
On one occasion when William Black,
the novelist, and his wife We're to sup
with Mary Anderson in her room at
the Lyceum he got access beforehand
to the supper room. famous as the
| meeting place of the old Beefsteak
club, and pasted over the labels Of the
champagne bottles paper bearing in
large letters the one word Poison
| 1t happened on this occasion that, UNI
known to Black, Mary Anderson was
entertaining a number of guests with
whom she was but slightly acquainted
so that the joke turned out to be some
what embarrassing. 1t must have Civ
en- the strangers, who knew Black only
by repute, something of shock to dis
cover how very boyish he was under
his cold outward demeanor.
/