, 1853-04-23
0A249R94
A Clean Back Out.

In fourshng village, not moro than
three hundred miles from Mobile, Alabama,
live two individuals, whom we shall call
Jim and Joe. The latter is a quiet, good
natured, inoffensiye sort OF chap, one OF
those who will stand " running on" as long
if not longer than the most Of men, but
who is a perfect Bengal tiger, when his pas
sions are once aroused.
On the other hand, Jim was clustering
bullying bragadocio-one Of those pari'cu-
lar class OF men whose voice is always loud
esI in a brawl, but whose feet have a won
derful knack of carrying them out Of the
way of hard knocks. For great length oi
time the latter bad made a butt m Joc-had
time and again, by dint Of much clustering
and staggering, completely cowed him. An
opportunity finally occurred, however, oil
showing The two men up in their proper
colors.
In the course of waTm dispute, Jim let
out Somc offensive remark which produced
a more than ordinary caustic rejoinder from
Joe. The former tiled the blufing' sys-
TEN at once but Joe himself remarked tina,
he had stood enough" and would put up
with no more insults from his bullying
Dsighbor.
perhaps you want to fght,' said jim,
buttoning bis coat, and booking pistol and
bowie. knives on the calm but determined
face opponent.
Fight l will rejoincd Joe. you've
been in the habit OF growing over me for a
year past, and intend putting stop to 1t
at onee.'
Jim could not for moment believe that
his neighbor had the least disposition to
carry out his threats, and accordingly went
at him louder than before. Well, said he,
sPve been trying to get fight out of you
for the last six months slaPping his hands
together, and commencing to square on, ne
concluded with, 'at last there is small
chance of making something out of you.'
'Walk with me out Of the corporation lin
its, where we can avoid the law, and you
shall be graii6ed. Pm not in the habit Of
Dragging, jim, but il is my candid opinion
that in about ten minutes, you'll be so bad
Jy licked that your own mother won't know
you. Conc slong.'
There was an air of determination about
Joe that rather staggered his adversary, but
be still thought he could frighten him out
fight, and with that intention started off
down the street that led out Of the village.
'Whoo - said Jim, feel SO much like
Sighting ! can hardly hold myself
sGlad 10 hear it, coolly rejoinee Joe.
They had now nearly reached the corpo-
ration limits, and Jim's courage, like that of
Bob Acres, was oozing out at every pore.
He had tried to frighten Joe out Of the no.
tion of fighting, but finding himself disap-
pointed, he now tried to creep out Of the
scrape on another tack. They we're pass
ing the last grocery in the village, and an
open lot which had been chosen by Joe as
the field of combat, was in plain sight.
'Joe-a-hem-Joe said Jim nervously,
'can1 we compromise-a-hem, can't we
settle this thing somehow, Joe!'
'Nop
'Well-a-hem--a fair show-thaPs all !
want Joe--a fair 6ght.'
Never you fear, you shall have fair
show
They we're now upon the ground. Joe
commenced taking off his coat with a pro-
Voking GOODNESS and self-Possession.
'Ahem-JOc, can't we come 10 some un-
derstanding-cant we, as | said before,
compromise this little matter without
Athena 6ght, eh; ?
l am here to fght,' rejoincd Joe, throw
ing down his coat, and commencing to roll
up bis shirt sleeves.
'You will-a-hcm-you will fight, Joe p
81 will, JIM"
'Well, here's a dean back out! shan't
hght, It's all nonsense.
II is almost unnecessary to say that, from
that time out, Jim has been one of the most
quiet and pesceable citizens IN his neigh
borhood, and the severe lesson Joe gave
him, will not be soon forgotten What a
pity it is that every Jim had mol his Joe.