The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-06-11
HIRING A FIGHTER.
The g TarantuIa of CaIaveras'' Inter
views Senator Jones.

From the Virginia City (Nev.) Enterprise.
Just previous to the Senatorial contest
which resulted in his election, Hon. j. p.
Jones had the following funny adventure
in this city with a man who came to him
10 hire himself out as - fighter"
Mr.. Jones and several friends were in
one Of our first-class saloons. slipping their
wine, smoking and chatting, when a rath-
er strange looking customer entered the
place, and, sauntering up to the group.
began the operation of " eyeing over" the
gentlemen composing il.
He was a man of middle age and medi-
nm height, with arms disproportiOnally
long. great spreading hands and knotty
fingers. His angular, ungainly form was
poorly and scantily clad. and he was topped
out with curious little bullet head. set
upon a very short allowance of neck.
From the sides of his little round head
stood leaning out two great pulpy ears,
and all that appeared on his face in the way
of beard was a iet-black stubbed mus
tache. This seemed to have been planted
hair at time with a pegging-awl and
hammer, the latter coming down on the
detenseless nose as each bristle was in
serted. and so intimidating said organ that
it had ever since remained crOuched out OF
livid scar described a semi-circle round one
Of his projecting cheek bones, and
passing down entered the cor
ner of his mouth, giving TO the
features an UglyUpward hitch on the side.
Wabbling his little glitter gray eyes over
the party before him until said Orbs rested
upon the rotund form and rosy face of
Mr.. Jones, he pulled of the hirsute ten
pin ball which he would have called his
head a scrap of hat, and making an awk-
ward bow, said:
-. i. Jones, believer
THAT Is my name, SIR said Jones.
Correct" sententiously observed the
strange visitor.
do YOU want TO see me-" said Jones.
About three minutes, and in private,
if you please"
Mr.. Jones led the way to a large private
room in the rear of the saloon.
Mr.. Jones, sir. you don't know me"
said the fellow, but when you lived in
old Tuolumne, [ war also in that part of
Calitorney-in the admin county. Mr..
Jones, Tine the 'Taranterler Of Calaveras;'
Ime war boss of the hills ~
Il don't dispute your word, sir" said
y. p. d" ''but how does your being war
horse of the hills concern me?''
lime here to tell you. Here, now, you
are gOin' into this here contest and it's liza
BILE to be a very lively one. About lee
ton day it'll be ALFRED hot. Now what
yOu'n need will be a good fighter; a fell
low to stand up, knock down, and drag
out for YOU; a man what can go to the
polls and knock down right an left
wade through everything !"
Mr.. Jones said he had not thought it
would be necessary to have such man at
the polls on election day.
''Oh, but it will ~ cried the man ofmus-
Gle. You see you don't know about
them things. III manage it all for you"
80 you want me TO hire You as my
figh.er?''
. Jest sOI''
"What would be your price from now
till after the election? You see as I've
never had occasion to hire a fighter,
don't know much about the value of such
service"
well, [ couldn' undertake the job
short of 81 600; there will be lots of work
TO do"
Amt that pretty high?''
OF course. it's a considerable sum. but
thar terrible rough setover here. These
WashOe fellows are on it themselves, and
they are more on the cut and shoot than is
healthy. You see 81 1000 is no money at
all when you calkerlatc the risk. I'm liza
BILE to be chopped all TO pieces, riddled
with bullets, and either killed out and out
or crippled for life. You see 81, 600 is no
money at all
Well, come to look at it in that light.
| don't know but your price is reasonable
enough
CHEAP! of course it is. | rather like
y-p1Uf. vi I ,t-pul1a't tho
Job at that figger. Comets it a bargain?
Am your man, at the figger named?'
We'll, not so fast. If | am to have a
fighter, | want the best to be had. don't
want fellow that will be kicked and cuffed
about town by every hummer. [ am able
to pay for a tirst-class fighter, and won't
have anything else!'
Amt | fightcr!' rolling his eyes
fcrccly and thrusting. first his right, then
his left, straight cut from his shoulder.
lucking his head cOmically about and
posing himself on one foot. " VIII any
body kick and cuff me?-me, the war boss
Of the hills. the Taranterler of Calaveras?
Not much -
4" Have you ever whipped anybody?''
Ever whipped anybody? Me-have
ever whipped anybody? Ha. ha, ha .
You make me laugh. Next you will be
lSking if was ever whipped. show me
your man-ShOw me Your mentor |
Iin't particular about 'em coming one at
a time. Bring 'em on. and I'll whip all !
hat can stand in this room in one minute |
)v the clock!"
Well" said -. p Il think you'll |
10; but, as said before, want the best |
nan in the country. My fighter must be
Irregular lighming-striker. Now have |
mother man in my eye. He is something |
If fighter. Has graveyard of his own |
If considerable size. 1t lies between the |
pair OfyOu. The best man is the man for |
my money"
" Bring on your man! bring him on. |
III deyOur him Show him to the Tar |
nterler!''
4" Remain here two minutes and I'll |
Jring him i'm
Now. before coming into the room with |
he fellow, Mr.. Jones had observed James |
\. Cartier commonly known on the |
Pacific coast as Big Jim Cartter-saunter- |
o everybody in this city, and pretty gen.
rally throughout the towns and cities of
Nevada and California, Jim Cartier is a
powerful built man, standing over six
eet six inches in his stockings, a man who
5 - on the shoulder" and who is at home
With either knife or pistol, as more than
me grave can testify. Calling to Cartier,
'Ir. Jones briefly made known the situa-
ion. and invited him to interview the
war boss of the hills
This was as good a thing as Cartier
wanted, and into the room they went.
Here" said Jones, as they entered the
DOM. is the other man. Nobody will
disturb you here, and after all is over the
)est man is the man for my cOin.''
Jim waltzed into the room with his hat
tapding on two hairs, and a wicked smile
laying upon his features. Said he:
= Is this the blessed infant that has come
o eat me up? Is this the Calaveras skunk
hat has come over here to set himself up
: 'Chief?' Move back the chairs :"
With this Cartier began to wriggle from
ide to side in the effort to ''shuck" him
elf of the lOng-tailed black coat he always
wore, and in so doing he displayed on one
ide that famous old white-handled, six
een-inch bowie-knife, his constant COM
'anion, and on the other the butt of navy
evOlver.
$50 this is the lop-eared cur of Calaveras
Who comes here to set up as fighter?
love the chairs to the walt" cried Cart