The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-02-03
A CHANCE Luck.
Story Of a Man Who Yearned to.
Own an Automobile.
HIS CHANCE CAME AT LAST.

HIS CHANCE CAME AT LAST.
It Was Wholly Unexpected and Under
Peculiar Circumstances, but the Car,
a Beauty, Was His Very own-T hen
Came the Saddening Climax.
The fierce JOY Il poor man feels
when he has at last gained possession
of an auto he has crayed is sometimes
delusion and snare. l know, for
I have experienced said JOY.
Anything is likely to happen to a
United States marine on his travels
around and about this old earth Of
ours, and it so fell out at the Frisco
fire that l became sole owner Of a
$4,000 touring car for exactly thirty
seven minutes. Rudolph Spreckels,
the millionaire sugar refner, gave it
to me, and l don't remember whether
/ thanked him for 1t or not. I hope
not
marine barracks on Mare island at the
time of the earthquake and fire at San
Francisco. and when we got word Of
the affair we marines made record
breaking dash in a torpedo boat de-
stroyer to the scene Of the disaster.
Near the corner of Van Ness avenue
and Bush street, at the foot Of La
fayette square, stood the million dollar
home of Rudolph Spreckels.- Some of
the marines entered in the course of
duty, while I went to the rear and
into the garage. There in the garage,
fat on his back under the prettiest
car you ever laid eyes on, was Rudolph
Spreckels vainly endeavoring to I'M
lock the rear wheel gearing. of the ma
chine. Something had locked the rear
wheels and had put the car out of
commission.
tried as best could to assist Mr.
Spreckels, but I wasn't of much use
considering I'm no mechanician. Then
he and together tried to shove the
car through the door of the garage,
but halfway through it stuck, and Mr.
Spreckels became somewhat discour-
aged. The fire was nearing his home
rapidly, and, as there was no time to
lose, he clasped my hand fervently and
said, 'The car is yours my boy, if you
can save it, Then he made off for
the heights Of Lafayette square and
safety.
For a~mOment stood transfxed
with the wonder Of it all, for | could
scarcely realize that the beautiful car
was all my own, to do with as l
pleased. And then l came out of my
dream and gazed at the crippled car
stuck fast in the doorway.
Down the street maddened people
were hurrying to Lafayette square.
dragging their belongings with them,
but their shrill cries of terror and APP
prehension found scarce an answering
echo in my heart / had troubles of
my own just then. Six thousand dol
lars of my money was tied up in that
door, and to save it I realized that i
must act quickly. 1t would take at
least twenty men to shove that car
to the heights of Lafayette square
and safety, and knew that / could
look for no assistance from the half
crazed people who were scu-rying to
that vantage point. My marine COM
panions had gone farther down the
street on their errands of merciful
duty, and could not look to them for
help. But I could not save the car by
gazing around helplessly. and I map
ped out plan of action.
was wearing big 3S at nv
side, and must have been a wonder
full figure to the onlookers as. with
brandished pistol, joined the mob
on the street, shouting wildly as l ran,
"A horse, horse-me kingdom for "a
horsev'
My purpose was to impress into my
service any automobile or horse I
might find and so drag my beauty
Six to Lafayette square. But there
was nothing doing l rushed wildly
up and down the street. but the mad
dened throng paid not the slightest
heed to me. Nor could single horse
or auto be seen anywhere The fire
had almost reached Bush and Van
Ness streets, and knew that l had
but one chance. Perhaps in Lafayette
square was some person who had
brought his valuables there by aid of
horse or auto power and I might be
able to borrow the means of propul-
sion for few minutes Borrow?
Heavens! With that six shooter in
my starboard mitt borrow was
mighty poor word. The automobile
and fire mania was on me, and / was
not responsible.
So, Mercury heeled, assembled to
Lafayette square Arrived there. t
looked down upon the tragic scene be-
low. The fire had reached Van Ness
avenue, and as I looked the=tiled roof
ing of the Spreckels home fell in. Civ
ing vent to forked flames that shot in
and out like serpents' tongues. A few
minutes later the thing on the Spreckels
garage gave way, and my beauty .'six''
lay crushed and buried in the mass OF
wreckage