The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 22, 1901, Page 15

THE SUNDAY CALL. HE Hon. Chester Hawley's age was an enigma to his friends. anccdotal frame of e his listeners to the earl and tell th in almost ever; ings fam then Somc 2 comy but of his legal endium of E rmatior sure the truth. Hawley grew lived its life and_ his t for the delectation of . This & home this Christmas g his way [-sati eve and through the rain he was d man. “Thev all tell 4 make me 80, but my At age in two. 1 really think not believe me if 1 _told them uth—sixty to-night.” S0 mused eturning home after a damp E Is favorite club. The dinner 1 one, the wine properiy f his own picking. would ever think that would be so shaken past be brought up in shion. Thirty vears $100 bill an in e company who en ti and successfui he entered blocks surprise which sent 1 backward to the ves me w Hawley into 1t he was not in His New: York slar i of lize th n both seemed to lose interest lanced at each offered. After space with the acking of brains and circumstance. d a good memory for volces, that at gome time in his this man. He followed in the New Yorker's at sea est's The g the 1 til the warm nd & ciation filled with a glowing gratification. switche tenor of his re- a fine athos. “My Christ- opment yes of the men Hawley's he conclusior ndsome fee will find t > was re sat down 1 close friends Frandisco's | sudden Hawley d dollars by the rn. the others amounts in the same y were all unmarricd, during working hours and when work was e their own horses ever e occasion presented it- ey would drive out to Jim Dickey's » House, along what s now & the Ingleside road, for a break- ¢ pleasure f 1t 2 lunch dinner. These four v made money easily and they spent th & free band. Jim Dic] latterly and perhaps the most Jlifornia roadhouse pro- id in reminiscent mood Frank Edwards, Jim Fred McAliister were the four f the West, and that Hawley was der of this unparalleled quartet. - Hawley was the gamest, bul out and out stock gambler, close second. Whether at poker, business these men would their ready ilable funds if was properly and genuinely n as colon = of all « s, often Hawley dare given During the few weeks preceding this ce dinner Hawley and his con- d been dipping into the sea of e BLOW AND ® N HAWLEYS MEASURED speculation, losing one day and win the next. Business absorbed their tion to the exclusion of everything e The strain told on all and when they met Christmas Eve for temporary forgetful- ness of financlal cares they were re to counteract all the inroads that the stren- uous life had made on them by a wild hurrah celebration. After a toast to “Her” Boyvd silenced his friend with a quick, jerky movement of his hand and sald “Gentlemen, we have seen the best of the town fighters. We have paid for every bruiser that could be found and some have_scrapped well, others poorly. Haw- ley, 1 have kept account of our mutual bets this year on the fights which we have arranged for the plessure of our friends. You are $1000 ahead of the game. A month ago you told me you had discovered a new boy who is the picture of strength and epart- ment store. Santa Clau hold- ing his court within and the busy throng jostled each other gsod- naturedly as they struggled through the crowded doorway. Richly gowned and of refined appearance, the woman's natural beauty was marred by a bored, unhappy look “Please, ma’am see Santa Clau The wistful question. in a pleading, | chnidish voice, and a timid touch on the arm, drew the woman's attention to a ragged feminine creature at her side. With a flush of annoyance she was turn- | ing away without a word when some im- | pulse, possibly stirred by the gentle | Christmas spirit that once a year steals | into every heart worthy of the Master's | sacrifice, prompted her to turn and look again into the pinched and haggard little I fently she gazed at the little, o0l child —aged with poverty and grinding cares beyond her years and strength. A small, square shawl was pinned across her shoulders and a shapeless arrangement of nd faded ribbon did duty for a bat. mouth _drooped at the corners. Clinging to her hand was a tiny tot as ragged and as pitiful looking as herself, The hard lines of the woman's face re- laxed and she asked: % an't you go in | “No, ma’am, the answer came with | breatiiless haste, “they won't let children g0 in unless they are taken in.” /by doesn’t your mother take you vill you take us in to P in? The childish lips quivered and the UPON TH MAN HIS LENGIH E GROUND you would be against even Dick Sca and glory of the beach. If mind to {t 1 will take k, give vy of $1250 to $1000 2 all the and le hands. t i ments in your the terms offered were gl Hawley pledged HOyS ta- or of quite a looked horrified at the suggesti it's Christmas,” he shouted. * on that day?" Hawley had the same reverential feel- ing toward the holiness of the day so the progpect of the prizefight was deferred. The wine fizzed into the glasses and mounted to the brains of the four diners. Try as they would they could not get away from the fight. Discussion followed and the end of it all was that an agree- o il e urely not y drooped disappointedly. is: With newly awakened sympathy and tact the woman changed the conyersa- tion. “How old are you?"’ softened voice. ghe asked in a The child, small, aged and thin, an- 3 old.” he woman caught her breath. “The little boy,” she went on, “is he your grandson? There was a whimsical light in her beautiful as she asked the question. “No, ma‘am,” gravely answered the child. *“F my little brother. He's 8 ars old. His name is Bobby.” “And your name?"’ “Martha.” The woman gazed a moment longer at the two pitiful little figures. With the divining sense of children, they already knew that their _vlvt'nr_v. was won. At last they stood facing his Majesty, Santa Claus—the usual tawdry, familtar- mannered. patronizing creation of the de- partment stores. Martha's whole cramped little soul shone forth refulgent in her wide, wondering, reverent eves. ‘“Bobby, do you see him?” she asked in a stage whisper, “Yep," answered Bobby. “It’s Santa Claus, Bobby,” she whis- pered again. “Yep,” responded Bobby, clinging closer to his sister’s protecting hand and trying hard not to feel afraid of the fantastic ment was reached fighters could be rounded in the morn , the four would drivg out to Jim Dickey's, spend the day at the beach, remain over night and with the rising sun climb out of their bunks and watch the two young pugllists fight for the \IlumY{lonshh& on the level plece of ground back of the st Hawley knew where his man could be found; Boyd was equally sure of the laca- tion of Scannel. Messengers were dis- patched at once and within an hour both were asking for admission to the private dining-room already filled with cigar smoke. They declared that they were in good conditfon, needed no training and would be on the corner of Kearhy and Commercial early in the morning, wait- ing for the wagon to drive them to the scene of pugilistic conflict. After counsel- ing their respective principals to abstain from liquor and tobacco Hawley and Boyd old fellow in the fur-trimmed jacket and high-topped boots. s Martha, and evidently placed her somewhere about 50. “Why,” he blustered, 1o have a box of candy. “I—1 know it, Santa Claus,” she breath- lessly stammered, in painful confusion. “But Bobby—he's little, you know, and— and he just loves candy.” Santa Claus handed Bobby the sweets, and as he did so his glance accidentally encountered that of the woman. Embar- rassment brought the hot blood surging to his face. and he hurriedly reached for a box for Martha. A shake of the lady’s head arrested him. “Please ask them,” she sweetly sald, “what they wish you to bring them for Christmas.” He understood, and put the question first to Bobby. Bobby's mind worked slowly, while Martha watched him anxiously, fearfully. “I wants a top what winds wiv a string,” he laboriously jerked out, at last. Martha breathed easily. > Again the woman nodded to Santa Claus, and he said: “All right; what else?"” Martha slipped her arm about Bobby's neck, stooped, kissed his fat, red, dirty cheek. and whispered: “Tell him nothing élse, Bobby. & whole heap, you know. Santa Claus glanced at the woman. ‘A wagon that you can ride in,” he urged. Some Santa Clauses have an eye age 'you are too old That's Majesty bent a flerce look uporn, dismissed the fight ‘went on. LR ) News of the match traveled quickly and although little time elapsed from the time of the dinner till the drive over the old road round the hills to the south and the toasts to business. % ‘‘Oh, no,” panted Martha in terror, sim- llléanfously with Bobby’'s enthusiastic “Yepi” Santa Claus smiled and continued his questioning, directed by a nod from the woman. “And you, little girl,” he said genially; ‘what do you want me to bring you?”’ “Oh, nothing at all!"’ she gasped. “Now, let me see,” he tantalizingly in- sisted. “A pretty doll that goes to sleep, a nice little trunk to put her clothes in, a tricycle, a—"" “Pleage, Santa. Claus, T don't want nothin’,” 'Martha interrupted, in reckless despalr, “but—but——-" broke in Santa Claus, glancing mischievously at the wo- man, whose face was illumined with a sunny smile. All at once a knowledge of the fraud to which she had been a party came to Martha with overwhelming force and she shrank with a sudden proud reserve from her new friend—the richly appareled wo- man who needed nothing that Santa Claus could bring, while the real mother— A lump came into Martha's throat and ‘hurt. “Tell Santa Claus what you would like him to bring your mother,” the woman gently said. - “T don’t know,” she said, hesitatingly. “If you were rich and your mother were poor, what would you give her?” the wo- man'’s soft voice tempted. with principals, seconds and other attend- ants, word passed from one haunt to an- other on Christmas morning that Chester Hawley and Jim Boyd had matched the redoubtable local champion and that the fight was set for the following day at Dickey’s roadhouse on the beach. In the B e B R o e e Y A Christmas Incident. *'Oh,” exclaimed Martha, thrown off her fuard by this adrolt move, “T would give er new shoes and stockings and a hat and a pretty dress and a cleak and—"" Suddenly she checked herself with a droll little gesture of disma; ‘was only fool- ing,” she stammered; *“ v “Come,” the woman said, smiling con- tentedly, and taking Martha tenderly by the hand she conducted them back to the entrance, where she bade them good-by. In each eager hand a gaudy trinket was tightly clasped and the weight of years seemed to have dropped from Martha's small_shoulders as she turned for a last affectionate glimpse of her benefactress. Her little crushed soul was already ex- perding with hope of Christmas joy to come, for the woman—her beautiful friend —had written her name and address in a dainty jeweled book, that she might tell Santa Claus where her mother lived. As the woman stood gazing after her erstwhile proteges, a man gave her an idle, careless glance in passing. Some- thing in her face seemed to arrest his at- tention. He hesitated, stopped, then has- tened back with cordially outstretched hand. “Why,"” he exclaimed, “how well you are looking! I hardly knew you. More beautiful even than when I went away.” A delicate blush overspread her refined features as she mutely protested, but he replied: “It is true. How glad I am to see you again! I thought I had forgotten, but— where have you been?"’ She glanced down at the jeweled memo- randum book in her hand as she quletly answered: “I have fust arrived from the north pole. Don’t you see my reindeer and sleigh outside?” | i 7 rnoon a dozen ve- lats rt of the afte: A i by trotters of high hicles or more, drawn degree, skimmed over the road and through the broad way into the yar of what was then the famous resort for the men whose blood ran fast in their veins and who divided nerve-racking whenever the two work with pleasure rould not confliet 3 N pderneath those sheds at Colonel Diek- ey's on this Christmas some thirty years ago champed and stamped as fine a lot O horseflesh was ever see Am,\‘whrn-; Men who fortunes to see Lodi anc Norfolk rice on the track adjacent to the house were there to dribble away a bill or two on an impromptu prizefight. The cold north wind blew over the d sent the blood to the cheeks of v voung sport lovers, and they ¥ hor: 't se against the In suc 2t e into the ounde the sheds, and wild a itions here and there hedlam out of the quiet n Hawley and Boyd were made r Christmas day. T called upon to do the explaining. which per the rounds of they did readi bet k< at c! f d. There was ;\m:xk:m(a]“{ eatis expressed until it was learned th o fight was not to be that day. Some had engagements in town, without arrang- thers turn that same others had hurried 2 Ay time left to on. But the most serious difficulty he lack of sleef accommodations. » could they ail bunk for the night ¢ vears Jim DICK coratal- jtality were by- He arose to the for this rois- comingly man- When the winter of cloud on the Christmas party a wi fon took T ] stable boys and !} L\Y \1\ m‘";: a month’s adva : R ss disregard of « and broke away noise > crowd Soon_after the flonts ‘wer bhig. bleak build- ing was wrkness. Al was silent 3 of the ocean. he boys of doors a . pride of the He was popular not his own class, but among outsid “gentle- men”—reputable men ies, who stole away from home to see a mill— him. He so sure of himsell was >und! the his mind far from engagement of the over wley's discovery."” He et he was confident to all satis- annel, whom hard fights. The tighters appeared in the big barroom almost simultaneously. Scannel bowed pleasantly to his antagonist and walked r o the fir poked one foot over the burning log and then the other and joked good the very re- E il barkeeper. T w_man hung yly to the end of the bar. Within five minutes after the appearance of the principals th arroom was filled with stamping, hand-clapping men. The fire and the bar divided immediate honors. . e e Not many of the men fight are In San Franeisco to-day—or for the matter of that on this side of the world—but those who were eye wetnesses never forgotten the battle between who saw that k Scannel and Hawley's man. Both young men, trained to a nicety, active, alert, agile, about 15 pounds in weight, fought until one was packed off the fleld seless and the other supported by his seconds. The unknown overcame his nervousness after he knocked down the redoubtable Scannel for the third time. The champlon was nonplused. Feint or rush meant nothing to his opponent. All were met with a perfect mastery of skill. The Impact of his knuckles had left cuts and gashes in Scannel's face and the only visible sign of battle on his own face was a discolored patch underneath the eye. There seamed no hope for Scan- nel, and the time was placed on his en- durance. Congratulations were shouted at Hawley across the improvised ring and even Jim Boyd whispered to the beaten man’'s seconds to throw up the sponge. Scannel became almost frantio at this and with a touch of melodramatio fury swore that he would quit only when strength and senses left him. The tide of battle had been s sweeping one way. The new man's con- fidence In _himself grew stronger and stronger. Scannel’s rage was becoming more and more impotent. Then something happened as it does sometimes even in legitimate prizefights. There was a sud- den rush. In a mad, wild swing Scannel’s right fist fell full tilt upon that most vul- nerable of all spots, the chin. No one was more surprised than Scannel. It was a flerce blow and Hawley's man measured his length upon the ground. He tried to pull himself together, but his locomotive power had left him. 'He was limp, pow- erless. The seconds worked hard on him during the minute that followed, but it was of no avail. Hawley’s man could not :‘neh't.ha scratch and Scannel had won the ! Like a thunder clap out of a clear sky, the sudden change and turn of affairs left the spectators speechless and dum- founded. Back to the house they all walked, wondering over the result, all except Hawley, who walited Behind to pat his game young pugilist on the shoulder. The seconds packed him to hig room. Hawley administering solace and comfort. On his cot thely‘I lald him preparatory to a rub-down. awley did not feel the loss of the $1000 on the bet half as keenly daily | as the sorrow of this hardy boy, who fought a winning fight till the very last moment. As he left him Hawley put a $100 bill into his hand. saying: ‘‘Here, my boy, take this, and if you need another you know where to find me.” Then there was bustle and flurrg. It seemed as If every one present had to reach town at the same time. Horses wera hitched In one, two and three fashion, men called out to one another as they drove off, bet# were paid, bottles opened and a general shout filled the air. The prize-fighters trailed behind in thelr own rig. Scannel won the purse, but he was a sorry sight indeed. The new man's face —save for that black patch—was un- scathed, but the deepest of sorrow sat in his heart. Hawley, true to his promise to the pugilist, never divulged his name. The discovery was_to depend upon the result of the fight. He had made up his mind that if victorious he would follow the fortunes of pugilism. If defeated he would seek luck in some other way and ]n. nno.!hel; I(In'tl- - a el Chester Hawley's New Year's eve was a merry one in a quiet way. Dinner was served in his own rooms and the table was set pour deux. Hawley had made | both fee and reward.