The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-02
A REETSA FROM B. c. HUGHES.
FINE GIFT ron ms NEW FRIEND,
Mr. SCHMIDT or TRAINORS.

cat who won prizes at tlre Madison square
Garden show ten years ago; the shade Of
Bessie Marcou, in whose desk he found
all those bonds and diamonds: the ghost
Of Puldeka Orphan, by Metropolitan, dam
Electricity, which he entered Ia horse
show. These and others haunt him al
ways on April Fools day, reminding him
Of present duties
Noon found Mr.. Hughes in Tralnor's
restaurant at Broadway and Thirty
third street, giving luncheon for Marlin
]. Hatch who conducted the recent sale
Of the Reform Clubs belongings. Louis
schmidt the proprietor Of the place. hap
pened along and, knowing Mr.. Hatch, was
introduced to Mr. Hughes MIR. Schmidt
had never heard Of Mr. Hughes. They
talked Of the wines that Mr.. Hughes had
bought for a song at the club sale.
That reminds me-, said Mr.. Hughes
that got something at the sale which
rather wish hadn't, much az | admire Il
It j. a stuffed reetsa."
What is a reetsa?- queried Mr.. Schmidt.
A reetsa,' said Mr.. Hughes, ia bird
found in Russia. IL makes a very hand
some ornament. had It sent home. only
to discover that mywife has strange super
stition about stuffed birds and animals.
She begged me TO remove it at once, and
there was nothing for me to do hut comply.
| would not let a reetsa stand between me
and domestic tranquility. / took the stuffed
creature TO my paper box factory In Mul-
berry street, but OF course, very few APP
preciauye people drop in there
How sad remarked Mr.. Schmidt.
You have a very artistic place here
continued Mr.. Hughes. Il cannot con-
ceive Of better home for the reetsa than
this, will be glad TO send It TO you II you
will accept
All, but you have paid money for IT,
objected Mr.. Schmidt. Il will accept on
condition that you let me reimburse you
Tut, tut" cried Mr.. Hughes, don't
speak Of money. l have more than l shall
ever be able to spend. shall be delighted
TO send you the reetsa on Monday, or per-
haps ! could get it here this afternoon by
messenger
AT your pleasure, Mr.. Hughes. said the
manager, rubbing his hands otto. bring
a quart Of that best champagne.
After luncheon Mr. Hughes hurried to the
box factory At this point the reader
must bark back forty years when the prize
steer President arrived at the old Centre
market, TO be viewed by an admiring oit-
zenry and, at length, slaughtered At that
time Mr.. Hughes was In business on the mar
ket and he liked the steer 30 much that he
had the hide, horns and head preserved
and stuffed with hay.
II was one Of the sights Of the market for
years, but Time got in its work, and when
a short time ago they began 10 tear down
the Centre Market the steer was not the
steer Of the long ago. 1t had split at the
a IL -.
and its tail was ready TO drop OF. The
GOAT, once q beautiful red and white, was
motheaten and dusty. But 10 was still
an impressive thing, for IN life President
weighed 400 pounds and the process Of
stuffing and consequent expansion had
well. for In the legs were iron rods bolted
10 the wooden platform.
Mr.. Hughes's present place Of business
Is not far from the market and when he
learned that the stuffed steer was In danger
OF being knocked to pieces by the workmen
in the process Of demolition he made a claim
for II and got It. He repaid the market
contractors by planting a 1poHcemAn's
skeleton In an upper floor OF the market,
but that Is another story. He sent the
steer 20 his warerooms and bided his time,
which, by grace Of Mr. Sohmidt's innocence
Of Mr.. Hughes's past, came yesterday.
This, said Mr.. Hughes TO his nephew,
John Hughes, his partner In hoaIery,
laying his hand on the steers broad back,
ia reetsa. | am going to give II to q
new but dear friend Prepare the proper
tags and get the wagon ready
IL was O'Clock when the reetsa was lifted
ON the Wagon by four husky employees
and the horses started north Mulberry
street gave three Italian cheers for the
spectacle. Mr.. Hughes went uptown on
Broadway car and landed at Trainor's,
where he apologiaed 10 Mr.. Schmidts repre-
sentative for the delay in delivering the
reetsa. IL would soon be there. Schmidt
himself had gone downtown TO find a suita-
BILE glass case for the gift.
Shortly after O'Clock Nephew Hughes
slipped in and tapped Brian O. thrice on
the cum, but spake not. That was the
signal that the crucial moment land the
reetsa) had arrived and Mr.. Hughes slippe
out the side door.
The live steer that came down Broadway
the other day caused no more commOtion
than the stuffed, II looked a. big ~ an
elephant. The driver and the mon on the
wagon knew their job. They stopped in |
front OF Trainor's, lsaped from the wagon. !
lifted down the steer, platform and all /
planted IL on the sidewalk, boarded the I
wagon and were on. 1t took them eight
seconds.
Meanwhile a messenger had arrived with |
a box addressed to Mr. Schmidt and with !
" a receipt for one reetsa from Brian G.. i
Hughes. The box was full Of wooden I
blocks. wrapped 40 cunningly that It took 4
contents. The object Of this was TO give /
the men time TO unload the reetsa. and II |
succeeded admirably.
By the time the manager had disco vered |
the innards Of the package the oaTtmen !
we're on their way home and folks were |
gathering by the hundred TO view the /
strange thing on the sidewalk. II was (
tagged carefully, 30 that all would know 1
just what II was, who II was for. from whom |
Il came and that there we're no charges |
on it.
The matinee At the Manhattan Theatre |
vas just letting out and all the girls stopped |
10 examine the reetsa. The cops tried 70 |
move the Gro wd along, but In vain. Waiter |
and hartendeTs scame out Of Trainor's 10 |
see the nice present After a while Mr.. |
Sohmidt's understudy appeared. He was |
IN an uncertain frame Of mind.
Sometimes think, he said, that Il "a |
an April fool Joke
The curious people - damned Broad |
way that the COPS ordered the reetsA |
10 he moved away. But wbeTef AZ a |
comprOmise Il was dragged With ropes I
around the corner into Thirty-third street. |
Small boys came hocking from the west I
70 mount It's back. One stole the Ntail, I
Dogs appc ared as by magic, barked at the I
beast until they were hoarse, and snappad /
OF It's logs. Teams anchored In front of 1
nearb by saloons, reared and enorted, recoG- !
ntZing n foe, and their drivers hITrr led out, |