Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-04-20
Testing a Bully.

On the road from Frostburg TO Dams
Rock, in Allegheny County, Md, there is
o. mining settlement called Pompey
Smash The members are chiefly Welsh
and Irish but there are some few Ameri-
cans there, and as lot, they are the
hardest customers 10 be found anywhere.
About the 10Th of every month they get
paid off, and for two or three days after
ward the scene in that neighborhood, as
the reporters say, beggars description.
Drinking, fighting, fiddling and dancing
constitute the general employment till
every dollar is gone; and then with broken
heads, gouged-out eyes and shattered
noses they resume work again. Some
years ago there was fellow at the settle
ment--a great bully--named Kirby. He
lorded il over the rest without pity, and
though there were among them men Of
twice his weight and size, everybody was
afraid of him. Probably one reason of
this was. because he had formerly been
prize.fighter, and on several occasions had
shown very vivid remembrance OF the
arts OF his old profession. When drunk
this man was the greatest nuisance imag-
Unable, loaing about the shanties, med.
ding with everything and trying his best
TO pick quarrel. In spite OF his bravo
do, one or two of the shrewder men in
the camp suspected that he was in re-
ality an arrant coward at bottom, and on
one occasion the event was proven be-
yond dispute. Kirby had long made it
a point 10 torment an inonensive lit.
tie lrishman named Ryan; but Ryan
look everything as a joke, and would
not retaliaie. At length Kirby insulted
his wife, and Ryan on fire in an instant,
struck him so suddenly as To knock him
down. KIRBY got up and said " You
have got 10 fight me for that, and i am
going TO kill you" Ryan by this time
was cooler and replied: " You are
bigger man than / am, Kirby, and
wouldn't stand up against you two min.
utes by the watch and, besides, you have
fought In the ring. But ] am not cow
ard, and unless you are one you will agree
10 the proposition ] now make. On the
road 10 the Rock you know as well rs
where To find two raitle-snake holes. III
90 there with YOU and the crowd and each
Of us will put his naked right arm into
one of the holes and sit there till aaybfcak
without moving" Kirby OF course backed
out; but the crowd jeered him so that at
last he consented. Al sunset the whole
party started for Dams Rock, arriving
within "A mile of 1t shortly after dark. by
bright, full moon they found two snake.
holes, !, aiding 10 the same nest. Some
body must find out IL there were snakes
within, and as nobody else would Ryan
consented. This was just as he had fore
seen. He thrust in bis hand and instantly
withdrew H. and AT the same moment the
curious sound made by the disturbed
yarmints'' inside was distinctly audible
Kirby was as white as death. The word
was given, and each Of the two men, with
his right arm barred 10 the shoulder, thrust
II into the hole which had been allotted
To him by the toss Of a penny. And so
they sat in dreadful silence all that long
night. Light began TO break soon after
three O'Clock, and Ryan drew forth his
arm, and, with smile, stood up. They
shook Kirby, but he stared at them va.
cantly, and did not stir, and they pulled
him away The bully was perfectly I'M
injured, but almost imbecile with fright.
Nor was Ryan hurt, and not the least
scared. The shock 10 Kirby's nerves was
so great that for several days afterward
he was i'll, and when he recovered he felt
so contemplate even 10 himself that he
left the place. Then Ryan explained the
mystery. When he thrust his hand In
the first time, he emptied large vial OF