The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-06-13


its force, the first effect of a defeat e
pecially from a despised adversary, III
hinges and half paralyzes the who.
nervous system. But as fighting To-
gradually recovered to the consciou
ness of his own strength, and the reco
lection that it had been only foi1ed b
the skillful trick of wrestler, not th
hand-to-hand might of a pugilist, th
panic vanished, and Tom Bowles wa
himself again. "Oh, that's your sor
is it?" said he. "We don't fight wit
heels hereabouts, like Cornishers an
donkeys; we fight with our fists, youngs
ter; and since you will have a bout a
that, why, you must. ?"
Providence, answered Kenelm
solemnly, sent me to this village fo
the express purpose of licking Ton
Bowles. It is a signal mercy vouch
safed to yourself, as you will one da,
acknowledge"
Again, a thrill of awe, something lik
that which the demagogue Aristophane
might have felt when braved by til,
sausage-maker, shot through the valian
heart of Tom Bowles. He did not likt
those ominous words, and still less The
lugubrious tone of voice in which they
were uttered. But resolved, at least
to proceed to battle with more prepara
tion than he had first designed, he nov
deliberately disencumbered himself OF
his heavy fustian jacket and vest, rolled
up his shirt-sleeves, and then slowly adj
vanced toward the foe.
Kenelm had, also, with still greater
deliberation, taken off his coat-which
he folded up with care, as being both 9
new and an only one, and deposited il
by the hedge-side-and barred his arms,
lean Indeed, and almost slight, as COM
pared with the vast muscle of his adj
versary, but firm in sinew as the hind
leg of a stag.
By this time the laborers, led by
Jessie, had arrived at the spot, and
were about to crowd in between the
combatants, when Kenelm waived them
back, and said, in calm and impressive
voice =
"Stand round, my good friends,
make ring, and see that it is fair play
on my side. am sure it viii be fair
on Mr.. Bowle's. He's big enough to
scorn what is little. And now, Mr..
Bowles, just word with you in the
presence of your neighbors. I am not
going to say anything uncivil. If you
are rather rough and hasty, a man is
net alway master of himself-at least
so / am told when he thinks more
than he ough5 to do about pretty girl.
But I can't look at your face even by
and though its expression at
this moment is rather cross, without
being sure that you are fine fellow at
Al 41,o4 1f
as man to man you will keep it. Is
that SOP"
One or two of the by-standers muir
INJURED assent; the others pressed round
in silent wonder.
"What's all that soft-sawder about ?"
said Tom Bowles, somewhat falteringly
Simply this: If in the fight be-
tween us beat you, | ask you to pro-
mise before your neighbors that you
will not by word or deed molest, or in
terfere again with Miss Jessie Miles.
"Eh!' roared Tom. "Is it that you
are after her?"
"Suppose I am, if that pleases you;
and, on my side, I promise that, if you
beat me, I quit this place as soon as
you leave me well enough to do so, and
will never visit it again. What! do you
hesitate to promise? Are you really
afraid shall lick you ?"
"Youl I'd smash dozen of you to
powder"
SIN that case you are safe to promise,
Come, It's a fair bargain. Isn't it,
1eighbors %
Won over by Kenelm's easy show of
good temper, and by the sense of JUS
ice, the by-standers joined in a common
exclamation of assent.
"Come Tom" said an old fellow,
' the gentleman can't speak fairer; and
We shall all think you be afeared if you
lold back.
Toms face worked; but at last he
yrowled. "Well, I promise-that is,
f he beats me-"
"All right" said Kenelm. You
near. neighbors; and Tom Bowles could
not show that handsome face of his
among you if he broke his word. Shake
hands on it.
Fighting Tom sulkily shook hands
"Well, now, that's what / call En-
glish, said Kenelm 4" all pluck and
no malice. Fall back, friends, and
leave clear space for us. "
The men all receded; and as Kenelm
took his groun there was a supple
ease in his posture, which at once
brought out into clearer evidence the
nervous strength of his build, and, con-
brasted with Toms bulk of chest, made
the latter look clumsy and top-heavy.
The two men faced each other q min
ute, the eyes of both vigilant and stead
fast Toms blood began to fire up as
he gazed-nor, with all his outward
calm, was Kenelm insensible of that
proud beat of the heart which is arous-
ed by the fierce Joy of combat. Tom
struck out first, and blow was parried,
but not returned; another and another
blow, still parried, still unreturned.
Kenelm, acting evidently on the defen-
sive, took the advantages for that strate-
~ which he derived from superior
frame Perhaps he wished to ascertain
the extent of his adversary's skill, or
TO try the endurance of his wind, be-
lore he ventured on the hazards of at
tack. Tom, CALLED to the quick that
blows which might have felled an OK
we're thus warded off from their mark,
md dimly aware that he was encounter
Dg some mysterious skill which turned
MS brute strength into waste force, and
might overmaster him in the long run,
came to rapid conclusion that the
sooner he brought that brute strength
TO bear, the better it would be for him.
after three rounds, in
which, without once breaking the guard
IF his antagonist, he had received few
playful taps on the nose and mouth, he
1rew back and made bull-like rush at
MS foe bull-liI1e, for it butted full at
lim with the powerful, down-bent head,
and the two fists doing duty as horns.
The rush spent he found himself in the
position of man milled. I take it for
granted that every Englishman who can
,all himself man-that is, every man
who has been an English boy, and, as
such, been compelled to the use of his
what "mill is. But I
sing not only "pueris, but virgini-
Ous." Ladies-"a mill ''-using, with
reluctance and contempt for myself,
hat slang in which lady-writers in
1ulge, and Girls of the Period know
much better than they do their Murray
sc a mill speaking not to lady-wri-
,ers, not to Girls of the Period, but to
innocent damsels, and in explanation to
hose foreigners who only understand