The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-08-06
TOM B.ARsEzs,s MISTAKE.
How HE Tackled MILLER, tfae
AtHaHefe.a,n'rfcIE of aaae Boys:
[BsltimoreAmerican.l I

tz=l=Zz=zzss bHlilGaUFe LAaiSEtCdu.
es, sir, = said burly Tom Barber, {
4 ToWsontown, to the reporter, as he turne
up one Of his heavy, .hob-nailed boots, an
knocked the ashes from his pipe, ,'I'y
i been considered for some time bout tn
best man in this ere region, and, ter g
further, kin lick the headlights clean o1
1 er any man that bristles his neck-feather
! round this part Of the country. I've don
/ it in my time, and kin do it agin. lam
med big Sam Shoecke, of the Hartfor'
Road, till he wasn't no more'n halt q man
and as ter that feller out at Govanstowl
that rybody said could fix me up, why
met him one: day when both Of us wer
purity full, and l eoopered him like a bar'l
just tell you I amt no sloueh--it's al
science-and if you doubt the strength o
my arm, why just
Thanks, thanks said the reporter
hurriedly; "don't rise on my account
The fact is, Lam not pugilistic charac
ter. Yes, ycs-that is, you were say.
ing =.+
"4Thy, was a saying" resumed the
giant, slapping his chest, THAT the boys
out here all have grudges against me fol
KIN; ck-downs at various times, an they put
up the meanest jobs on me bout the time
that feller Miller was Il trainin' for a walk
with the Scotcilman, Ross. You see,
didn't know Miller from side of sole
leather-hadn't n'tnever seen hiIu-and one
day I walked into Jake Simms' place down
thar near the car-track, and there wuz a
gang of the boys in the saloon, a drinkin'
an: foolin' aroun, an a right stout-lookin
chap | hadn't never seen before Wuz q
showin Johnny Maraee some sort O. fool
ish little kinks with the gloves, an Johnny
was a pluggin away at him, but couldn't
tech him. Thought 1t WIZ one o. these
darned city chaps col11e out here, thinkin'
he wuz sum shakes with Ills props, and,
bein' little pert that way myself, sot up
impatient-likc and watched 'em foolin'
away like dunghill chickens kickin' up the
lli tsA Stit - isttiti WV ~ tJ.stt ,''i''i
son aud whispered a4 how would like to
give thai city clap Il littls, turn. Sam grim
ned few. all ttirtied an holtrred 10 the
boy. an the big Teller that Big i'otn want
ed to put 'c,n OH with the stranger. They
all bust out lafiiu but thoughti i. wstz at
the idec of scein'' me set him down on the
floor virh my old undcrfaudcr. So. got
up, stripped of my coat, let down my gal
luses, AT got tho bl.ckskins on. The 9TH
er Teller Wlz introduced rs Mr.. Thompson,
and then pulled off his coat: | 2ped he
hadn't Oil ltdtliln' hut sort o. uiElershirt,
an that he was right shaft; l'ttilt about the
arnls am chest, but | didn't think for a
minnit who twas, though now wonder
how could Il made sceh a log-goned fool
of myself, sccin, rs how had hetred bout
the walking match. and sum Of the boys
had been saying THAT Miller was goin' ter
walk ont to town every evening. Well,
anyhow; VIZ eatuc to time, the stranger
sorter siniin' ali a=sIingii' Ilisarms round
let out al him with some rip-snorters but
sumlow they didn't quite reach him, coz
he was kinder shy and lodged his head
away. He didn't hit, back, and thought
I wuz taking his gall from the fltrst; so
went at him like a good un, and was givin
him the best in the shop. ] couldn't hit
him, COZ he kept keeping away, but he was
snlilin' 90 | kinder got mad. Once Or
twice he let out, sorter timid like, with his
left, and touched me on the noze. and that
made inc worse, go fixed to gin him a
right and was ctu1in' at him with
my whole weight, when I.c kinder dOdged
his head to one side, and my fist went past
his head, but my nose brought up against
his fist, and the next thing was settin' on
the eanded floor with a bloody nose, while
all the fellers WIZ Just KILN themselves
a-nudin' one another an laffin. sot
there, sorter stuntetl-like, when the strang-
er, lafin' fit ter bust, says: o, git up man,
you amt half licked vet;' but told him
had 'no1gh, and Wae then introduced tc
Professor William Miller. We'll you
could a-knoched me down with a feather
just to think | had been Staging away al
old Miller, thinking he was softy, and had
been wonderful why couldn't hit him as
/ did the town gavks. Well, lie was the
best of friends after that, and az the ole
boy used ter walk out here every evenin'
why, we met oftener afterward, but never
again with gloves on. Thank you! A lit.
tie whisky 'thout any water or sugar ir
it.