The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-01-27


dissenting Nate, jeering and gliding at him.
"Oh, now, gentlemen, be aisy," said his
reverence, with light wave Of the hand.
Every man has a right to give or refuse as
his feelings prompt him; and I'm thinking
it's not for regard of the money that the
gentleman refuses TO contribute. If might
l would ask him if he does not think some
kind of religion is good thing?"
You can ask me anything you please;
but I'm not buildin' meeting houses
do you not think they ought to be
built?" asked the father, softly.
Il don't care whether they are built or
not, I'm not in the business"
Wouldn't you give toward oharity?'
"Meetin houses are no charity"
I'll tell you what I'll do, said the priest;
If you'll add ten dollars to the amount in
my hat, I'll agree to show you before next
charity, or will on that day pay you back
the money and two per cent month in
terest: or, If YOU die before that day, the
money shall be paid toward your funeral
expenses. Come now, what do you say"
II don't say nothin' to that But I'll tell
you what I'll do"
''What?" asked his reverence.
I'll put up twenty dollars against any
mans twenty that can throw any man in
the house, best two falls out of three, and
if lose, the money goes in the hat"
"O-a-ah!" growled ONE one, Eyer don't
want to challenge priest, do ye?"
whist! Wait a moment, said Father Ryan,
interrupting the speaker. Then turning
to the challenger, who still sat in his corner:
when and where do you propose to
wrestler"
Right now, and right here, in the back
yard, on the stone floor"
What hold?"
Collar and elbow"
"Gentlemen," said Father Ryan, blandly,
as he turned to the crowd, 'tif one among
you will be kind enough to put up the money,
with the help Of God I'll try my best to
win it,
Heres your money!" said the barkeeper,
spanking the heavy gold twenty on the board
And here's the mate to it," said Nate,
rising from his place on the corner and
striking second twenty on top of the first.
Now all was excitement. The -nog was
forgotten, while betting became the order of
the hour.
"Twenty dollars even that the padre wins!
bet my last dollar on religion every pop!"
tive to one on Nate Smith-from ten
dollars to a hundred"
The preliminaries being all settled the
impromptu athletes stepped to the centre,
shook hands, and then standing front to
front, took each other by the collar with one
hand, and by the elbow of each with each
other hand and the muscular bout began,
The collar-and- elbow wrestle between
skilled contestants is really, SO to speak,
fist fight with the feet. One would think
in viewing the kicks of the mailed feet that
shins would be broken like pipe-stems, but
it is not. often one wrestler is permitted to
get a square-toed kick upon the shins of
the other, where there is science on both
sides.
But to really describe the tripping, kick
ing, Tending, foiling and muscular writhing
Of the contestants on this New Years day in
the stone amphitheatre behind the log sa-
loon, is not in the power of this pen, nor in
any power slower than Muybridge's light
ming photographer, but the result was that.
after posing on the brink of alternate sue
cess and defeat, Nate Smith went down, SOL
id, on the fiat of his back, taking care, how
ever, to stiffen his neck against sounding
rap of his conscious cGbes0 on the hard
floor
"Score one for the church," shouted
knowing fellow in the crowd.
"Hurrah for the padre-he's little bull
with the clay on his horns!'
Once again the strugglers came to the
centre, andnow again the contest was waged
with all the vigor of the human animal,
supplemented by that essence of immortal
ity known as the intellect This second
bout was even more YEARLY worked through
than the first-each man having already
tested the skill of the other-but it ended
in a drawn battle, both men coming down
together with a terrible fall upon the hard
hoor This time there were serious inquir-
les to know if either man was hurt.
Hurt, is it? Yes, indade I am: but am
not injnred."
''Iam not injured, either hut I've got as
much of this thing as I want at present."
said Nate, and then added, well postpone
the other fall till next New Years"
mo, we won't!' shouted the crowd; that's
a dead give away"
"All right, boys. Father Ryan, are YOU
ready?" said Nate.
his place' I'm here among the tieers like ke
an early martyr in the amphitheater.'
Nate extended his hand, which the MARTYR
glasped good naturally, put instead of TAX
ing hold of his collar, Nate, holding the
priest still by the hand, turned to the crowd
and said:
''Boys, here's man that has throwed me
once, and tied me once. I've done my
level best to save my money and to win his,
but it can't be done. The best can do is
to fall with him. throw up the sponge.
The money goes in the hat"
At this speech there was cheering and
grumbling, but the cheers predominated.
"Gentlemen, said the father, my oppo-
nent has acted throughout this joust like
Christian knightand chivalrous spirit, and
wish to say that, if there is dissatisfaction
with his conclusions, will waive any claim
that I may have upon the sum Of money at
issue in this wager; and, further, if he is
willing, we will, turn and turn about, wrestle
with any dissatisfied person, or persons, one
at time of course, until there is no shadow
of complaint of unfairness. But I want it