Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-10-07
STEPHENS CITY, FREDERICK co, SATURDAY, OCTOBER
died away, when a quiet but unmis.
takably firm voice was heard to say:
ltSI... 1 IL

oied away, when quiet but unmls-
takably firm voice was heard to say:
"Stop there enough of this r.
ALI turned with start, and saw that
the silent stranger near the door had
risen from his seat. au
"Gentlemen," he continued, amid the
universal hush of amazemcnt, II must
tell you that am tailor, and that I
object to hear any man speak ill of my
trade.''
"Do you, really" cried Hermann,
with laugh. "Well, then, I must tell
you that you will either keep civil
tdngue in ycur head; or I'll have to
show you thu difference between an
honest forester and fellow who lives
on cloth clipping and ends Of thread" I"
Better live on them than on stolen
game" retcrted the unknown, with Bit
ing contempt. sAA
At this last insinuation, honest Her
mann-who certainly was said to be not
overparticular whether the deer that he
shot belonged to the park or to the
forest lost patience altogether, and
laid his hand upon his long hunting
knife. But Instantly the landlord
thrust himself between them.
"Halt there, lad-no bare blades in
my house, if you please. I'll tell you a
better way to settle it than that. You
know our old Bavarian fashion; when
two young fellows want to try each
others strength, they join hands and
see which can tug the other across the
line. Clear space there, and let us
see which is the best man."
The tables and benches were pushed
back, line chalked on the floor, and
Hermann and the stranger, seizing each
others hands in strong grasp, stood
foot to foot, awaiting the signal.
Now for the first time it broke upon
the foresters that their champion might
not have such an easy victory after all,
for the supple vigor of the strangers
movements, and the firmness with
which he planted his feet, showed that
Hermann had his work cut out for him.
Hermann himself, feeling the iron grasp
of the unknown's long, bony fingers.
began to think 80 too; but could any
man, much less tailor, be match for
him? Absurd And he began with q
pull that ought to have ended the whole
business at once, but somehow il
didn't.
Then, stimulated by his comrades
shouts, Hermann put forth all his
strength, tugging as if he were uproot-
ing tree, till the sweat hung in big
drops on his forehead, and the veins ot
his hands stood out like cords. But
though the unknown was sorely shaken,
across the line he would not come
and at length Hermann paused, OK.
hausted.
Then the watching eyes around saw
the strangers arms stiffen suddenly
and Hermann's huge frame bend slowly
forward. Frantically he struggled, but
his strength was spent, and forward he
slid, inch by inch. just on the chalA
line he made final effort, and stood
firm for an instant; but now the stranger
exerted all his force in turn, and pulled
him over the line with such a tremend.
GUS tug that they both rolled on the
floor together.
''Oomrader' shouted the hunters
crowding round the conqueror, "you'vt
done what none Of us could ever do
Tell us your name, that we may remem
ber it,"
"My parents named me Ferdinand.
answered the stranger, with queer
little mocking smile, ''but of late
folks have been calling me Strong
Schalk p
Strong Schalk!" echoed Hermann
starting from the seat upon which ht
had sunk dejectedly. "Shake hands
lad it would have broken by heart t.
be beaten by tailor, but 1 don't mint
a bit being beaten by you. Come, le
us be friends T.
And from that day forth the two mel
were the best friends imaginable.
An Awkward sign.