Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-18
Hiring q Fighter.

venture IN this CITY Win man VINO came
10 him to hire himself out as a fighter"
Mr.. Jones and several friends were in
one Of Our irst-class saloons slipping
their wine, smoking and chatting, when
a rather strengthening customer entered
the place, and, sauntering up TO the group,
began the operation of "eying over'' the
gentlemen composing it.
He was man of middle age and me-
dunn height, with arms ropOrtionately
long, great, spreading hands, and knOttY
fingers. His angular, ungainly form was
poorly and scantily clad, and he was
topped out with a curious little bullet
head, set upon very short allowance of
neck. From the sides of his little, round
head stood leaning out two great, PUPPY
ears, and all that appeared on his face IN
the way of beard was a iet-black, stubbed
mustache. This seemed to have been
planted hair at a time with a peggiug
awl and hammer, the latter coming down
on the defenseless nose as each bristle
was inserted, and so intimidating said
organ that it had ever since remained
crOuched out of sight behind the hairy
stOckade. A large, liyid scar described
semi-circle round one Of his projecting
cheek bones, and, passing down, entered
the corner of his mouth, giving to the tea-
ture an ugly upward hitch on that side.
Webbing his little, glittering, gray eyes
over the party before him until said Orbs
rested upon the rotund form and rosy
face of Mr.. Jones, he pulled off the mir
suite tenpin ball, which he would have
called his head, a scrap of a hat, and,
making an awkward bow, said:
d. P. 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,
ifyou please"
Mr.. Jones led the way to 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 I war also in that part Of
Calitorney-in the admin county. Mr..
Jones, I'm the Taranterler OF Calaveras;
I'm war boss of the hills and fighter,
you betr'
q don't dispute your word, sir,' said
81. p, F." "but how does your being war
horse of the hills concern me?'
Pm here to tell you. Here, now, you
are going into this here contest and it's
liable to be very lively one. About
election day it'll be ALFRED hot. Now
what you'Il need will be a good fighter;
Teller TO stand up, knock down and drag
out for you; a man who 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 a man at
the polls on election dav.
ooh, bat it will" cried the man of
muscle. "You see you don't know about
them things. I'll manage it all for you"
so you want me to hire you as my
fighter?"
i" Jest sop
What would be your price from now
till after the election? You see, as I've
never had occasion to hire fighter, |
don't know much about the value of such
service"
"Well, I could't undertake the job
short of 81 900; there'll be lots of work to
do"
"Ain't that pretty high?"
COT course it's a considerable sum, but
thar's a terrible rough set over there.
These Washoe fellows are more on the
cut and shoot than is healthy. You see
$1,000 is no money at all when you cal
kerlate the risk. Pm liable to be chawed
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"
"WeIl, come to look at it in that light,
1 don't know but your price is reasonable
enough"
Cheap! of course it is. I rather like
your style, or [ wouldn't undertake the
job at that figger. Comets it a bar
gain? Am l your man at the fgger
named?"
"WelI, not so fast. If am to have a
fighter [ want the best that is to be had
[ don't want a fellow that will be kicked
and cuffed about town by every hummer.
| am able to pay for = firstclass fighter,
and [ won't have anything else"
"Ain't l a fighter?" rolling his eyes
Fl Freely, and thrusting first his right then
his left straight out from the shoulder,
ducking his head comically about, and
posing himself on one foot; will any
body kick and cuff me?-me, the war
boss of the hills; the Taranterler Of Gala
veras? Not muchm
"Have you ever whipped anybody?"
"Ever whipped anybody! Me-have
| ever whipped anybody? Ha! ha! ha!
You make me laugh. Next you will be
asking if was ever whipped. Show me
your man-show me your mentor |
| time Bring 'em on, and I'll whip all
that can stand in this room in one minute
by the clOckr'
"Well," said al. P" "I think you'll
do; but, as l said before, 1 want the best
man in the country My fighter must be
regular lightning striker. Now have
anotherssman in my eye. He is something
of a fighter; has graveyard of his own
of considerable size. 1t lies between the
pair of you The best man is the man for
my money"
Bring him on. I'll devour him! Show
| him to the Taranterer!"
Remain here two minutes and III
/ bring him inn
Now, before coming into the room with
the fellow, Mr.. Jones had observed James
! n. Cartter-commonly known on the
/ Pacific coast as Big Jim Cartter-saunter-
/ ing about the saloon. As is well known
| to everybody in this city, and pretty gen
/ orally throughout the towns and cities OF
/ Nevada and California, Jim Cartier is a
! powerfully man, standing over SIX
/ feet six inches in his stockings, man
/ who is on the shoulder" and is at home
with either knife or pistol, as more than
/ one grave can testify. Calling to Cartier,
/ Mr.. Jones briefly made known the sltua-
! ton, and invited him in to interview the
''war horse of the hills"
This was as good thing as Cartier
wanted, and into the room they went
Here" said Jones, as they entered the
room, is the other man. Nobody will
! disturb you here, and after all is over the
hoo i, Fl,o 17,ea 4r,,41, rrIro