The San Francisco call., 1907-02-02

Bad weather made it difficult for
contestants for The Calls gold prizes
10 DO much business on the first day Of
February, consequently there are few
changes Of Importance in the score this
morning Furthermore, most of the
contestants We're saving UP their votes
TO send in today, so as to make a good
showing in the Sunday paper. The
count must close early Saturday, and
votes to be counted in the score for
sunday morning must be in not later
than 4 O'Clock in the afternoon.
February ? is known as grounding
day in a large part of the United
States where the WOodchuck, or
grounding, is a familiar animal. The
grounding is a alternating beast but
tradition has il that he wakes up from
his long winters sleep on February ?.
crawls ont Of his hole in the ground
and takes an observation of the
weather. If the sun is shining so that
he can see mis- shadow he retreats into
his burrOw and goes TO sleep for an
other six weeks. sunshine on
grounding day" or Candlemas, as it is
called in the calendars, is said to
presage six more weeks of wintry
weather. II, however, the sky is over
cast so that the grOundhOg cannot see
his shadow. spring is near at hand and
fair weather will be the rule. In the
absence Of the prophetic woOdchuck, let
the gold prize contestants who have
been hampered in their work keep
Lookout for their shadow today, and,
II there IS anything in the grounding
theory, let US hope that the sun may
keep behind the clouds for one more
day. so that the succeeding six weeks
may be fair weathe- and give the con
testants a chance TO get out and hustle.
Some of the wOuld-be priZe-winners,
like the grouHdhog. have been hiber-
f~-a e. 1g-r- u f- %rr,a.o
for them TO crawl out OF their lairs and
get busy, in fair or foul weather, or
they VIII never get any Of the prize
money
Most of the leaders. judging by re-
suits so far as reported, were doing
the grounding aet yesterday by keep
ing indoors. Orly a few polled any
votes during the day, so there are few
changes in the lineup.
~NEWsBoY JACK, IN LUCK
Jack the Newsboy' accumulated
gain OF 2SOO from various sources and
recaptured forth place from Emile
Iversen. "JacE' is getting a good deal
Of voluntary support from distant
places. Among the subscribers who
favored him With votes during the last
few days a-e Spencer Reynolds of
Eureka, New ". A. Henderson, Surf,
!. Santa Barbara County, Cal; G. H
Neary, Sfisun, Cal, and Lottie White,
Lonoak, Monterey County, Cal Jack has
passed the 10000 mark, and half
dozen more yearly subscriptions to the
Daily Call would put him in the very
front rank again, where he started
THESE BOYS DESERVE HELP
Christ Church Athletic Club of Sau-
salito registered the largest gain OF
the day 2550, and passed the 10000
mark Master Ellard Slack, president
Of the dub, and his Juvenile associates
deserve much credit for the energetic
way in which they are endeavoring %
win enpugh money in the contest to At
UP q irst-class gymnasium for their
club. Master Slack deserves TO be com
plirnen,ed on the busineselike way in
which he is directing the campaign to
win itch prize for the club over which
he preides- The citizens of Sausalito
have reason TO feel proud that they
have n organization in their town like
the Christ Church Athletic Club How
much better that the boys spend their
evenings at such a club developing
their moral and physical manhood, than
TO be 1oa1ng on the streets or loung-
ing around poolrooms and other re-
sorts for the Generalization Of youthsl
There is no better opportunity for the
exercise of true philanthropy than to
help the ttirty-thres boys composing
the Christ Church Athletic Club of Sau-
salfto to secure enough money to equip
their gymnasium with modern appar-
stus for physical culture. Any one can
helm these enterprising lads in the
achievement Of their praiseworthy et-
fort by prepaying subscription to The
Call for year, more or less, and CIV