TALES OF CALABAZAS

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is the seventh of a series of Calabazas, the Old West, re-written and copyrighted by Elizabeth Toohey, former State Historian from the Reminiscences of Cabell Brown. The eighth will appear in an early issue.)

Calabazas Founds an Athletic Club

The town indeed was taking on a cosmopolitan atmosphere. One day a man with the map of Erin for a face, one Aloysius Murphy, walked into the town. He was extremely dirty and weary, his baggage a bundle suspended from his shoulders by a rope. Mr. Murphy informed the town he was a barber, and, true enough, next day Calabazas had a barber shop. A cotton pole wrapped in gaudy red and white cloth advertised the fact. The shop was in the narrow space between the Palace hotel and the custom house, the sky the only roof. Public spirited citizens had loaned Murphy a cane-bottomed chair with a round back, another kind hearted so-andso had donated a tin basin. The storekeeper advanced credit for two roller towels and a bar of impervious soap, while a whisky keg served as a washstand. Cum Sing gave a teacup without a handle for a shaving mug and Murphy produced from his bundle an old comb and brush, a lather brush, two ancient horn-handled razors, a much nicked razor strop and an odd assortment of old sporting and criminal newspapers. Without the latter it would be impossible to run a successful barber shop.

Murphy possessed all the ingratiating Murphy possessed all the ingratiating graces of his profession. He anxiously inquired into the health and business prospects of his customers, as he puffed the clipped hair from their faces and necks with his breath, or advanced the proper manner of settling all political problems, while rubbing rancid oil into his customers' scalps. Murphy had no use for dudish perfumed hair tonics; his choice was mutton tallow which, he said, was "pure as the schnow from the mountains and not wan of thim schticks of hog fat wid a smatterin' of tin foil forninst it."

Murphy soon became well known. Many the customer's head that rested against Murphy's stomach, while he scraped the customer's face, usually putting him to sleep with his continuous drone. After the shave the customer was invited to "step over to yon basin and wash the lather off and I'll give yez hair a swipe."

During the heat of the day Murphy rested himself or played pedro for drinks. Much of his time was given to heated discussions of athletics or horse-racing. He had a chest like a barrel, his head thrust forward and arms akimbo in the best approved pugilistic fashion. He wore on Sundays a jockey cap and a shirt dotted with horse-shoes. Murphy took his athletics seriously. A blanketfilled with straw served as a punching bag and in the early mornings he walked as if for a wager; as he explained, "to keep meself in condition, do ye mind, for, me bye, that Chinaman feeds ye wid banes till yer all puffed up loike a blather and ye've got to work it off or t'will spile yer wind."

Murphy's talk, violent exercise and loaned literature created an athletic boom. In the evenings now might be seen wrestling and sparring matches in the streets. Short distance foot races, with Murphy as referee, took place for cigars or drinks.

In two weeks after Murphy hit the town an Athletic Club was formed, Handsome Tom, Curley George, Bottle Bob, Casino Harry and Hydrophobia Dick, and several others with Murphy as instructor. Miners and railroad hands were encouraged to settle all disputes with their fists. The club also arranged cayuse races for purses. The fame of the club spread abroad and attracted many sports from neighboring towns. Murphy proved to be the champion foot racer. From a suit of underwear he, after much labor made a pair of tights. He became so engrossed in sports that his business suffered. Oft times he was too busy to shave his customers, saying: "Yon's the razor and mug. Give yerself a rake off and I'll charge ye half price."

Among the railroad hands was a young man who took almost as much interest in the sports as Murphy. He was a slouchy, good natured, dumb looking (Continued on Page 23)