The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-08-18
Inclined to be Quarrelsome.

We heard that prince Of story tellers.
Tom Galloway, get off the following,
amidst bursts of laughter, the other
night. Squaring himself and stretching
out his legs, he began:
There was once little slim built fell
low, rich as Jew, and independent as
the devil, riding along highway, in the
State of Georgia, when he overlook a
man driving drove Of hogs by the help
of big, raw -boned, six-feet-two speci-
men of humanity. Stopping the last
named individual, he accosted him:
/ say, are these your hogs p
No. sir, I'm to work by the month";
What pay might you be getting,
friend .
Ten dollars a month, and whisky
thrown in was the reply.
We'll, look here, I'm weak, little,
inoffensive man, and people are apt to
impose upon me, d'you see Now. I'll
give you twenty five dollars month to
ride along with me and protect me-; was
Mr.. Gardner's reply. But he added,
as thought struck him, how might
you be on the fight?'
Never been licked in my life. re-
Joined the six -footer.
just the man / want. It's bar
gain p queried Gardner.
'Six-footer ruminated. Twenty five
dollars-double wages-nothing to do
but ride around and smash fellows
mug occasionally, when he's sassy. Six
footer accepted.
They rode along till just at night they
reached village. Dismounting at the
hotel door, they went in. Gardner i'm
mediately singled out the biggest man in
the room, and picked fuss with him.
After considerable promiscuous jawing,
Gardner turned to his fighting friend and
intimated that the licking of that man
had become sad necessity. Six-footer
peeled, went in, and came out first best.
The next night, at another hotel, the
same scene was re-enacteG, Gardner get
ting into row with the biggest man in
the place, and six-footer doing the fight
ing, whipping him of course.
At last, on the third day, they came to
a ferry, kept by huge, double-6sted
man who had never been licked in his
life. Whilst crossing the river, Gard
ner, as usual, began to find fault and
blow" The ferryman naturally got
mad, threw things around kind O. loose,
and told them his opinion of their kind.
Gardner then turned to his friend from
the shoulder and gently broke the in
telligence to him that he was sorry, but
it was absolutely necessary 10 thrash that
ferryman.' Sixfoot nodded his head,
but said nothing. 1t was plainly to be
seen that he did not relish the job. by
the way he shrugged his shoulders, but
there was no help for it. So when they
reached the shore both stripped, and at
it they went. Up and down the bank,
over the sand. into the water, they fought,
scratched, gouged, bit and rolled. till at
the end of an hour the ferryman caved
Six-footer was triumphant, but it had
been tough work. Going up to his en-
ployer. he scratched his head for mo-
ment, and then broke forth J.:
Look here, Mr.. Gardner, your sala-
ry sets mighty well-but-Im-of the
-opinion-that you are inclined to be
quarrelsome. Here I've only been with
you these three days, and I've licked the
three biggest men in the country! l
think this firm had better dissolve. for
you see, Mr.. Gardner, I'm afraid you're
inclined to be quarrelsome, and reckon
I'll draw !'-Tohama Gazette