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SANTA CRUZ AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.

man diving feet foremost, so as to make a clean hole in whatever was below him. Another declared that when he came out of the cellar he swore roundly that he would bring suit against the city for damages, for being filled with redwood slivers through the carelessness of its superintendent of streets and sidewalks in allowing redwood to be put down instead of pine. Another still declared that as he fell past the second story window he saw a party inside playing "pitch seven up," and noticing that the dealer was "turning up jack" from the bottom of the deck, called out threateningly to him, "None of that, now!" The writer was then engaged on the Alta California newspaper, and incidentally published these various statements, intimating a mild doubt as to the entire reliability of the last. The morning paper was hardly out before the champion fallist came into the office with a copy in his hand, and demanded to see "the man who put that in the paper." Your humble servant was pointed out as the culprit, and he immediately demanded my authority for the statement. The upshot of it was that he indignantly denied that there was a word of truth in it, and demanded a retractation. He said, most emphatically, that he saw nobody playing cards as he went past the window; in fact, did not even look in; and that had he seen anybody playing, as had been stated, he would not have interfered with their little game, as it was none of his business anyhow. He wanted it understood that he never poked his nose into other people's affairs, and thought it decidedly hard that just be-