Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-18

that was at once striking and effective.
There vas then living in the outskirts
of the town a mar who had achieved q
wide notoriety, in a profession which
the good sense of the country has since
seen fit to restrict by stringent legal
penalties.
"Old Breeze Fogerty," as he was
called, had been a professional pugilist
and prize-fghter. For some years he
had held the heavyweight champion
ship in q certain great city, whose
pugilistic celebrities often obtain far
larger and more frequent mention, in
the public press, than the nature of
their craft, or the taste of the people at
large, seems to require.
In his retirement, this former prize
fighter was tending a ':saloon''-a bust
ness often entered upon by decayed
gentry of his stamp-and by way of
keeping up his ''manly practice" he
would occasionally punish some bully
ing customer-to the great admiration
ofthe crop of younger roughs who made
his place their nightly resort.
Butthis was not often, for the brawny,
ponderous old bruiserwas rather good
natured animal at heart, and ifhe some
times struck hard, it was rather in the
cause of his s'science' than out OF
malice.
To this unsavory parsonage young
Solberg applied, calling on him no at
his saloon, but at his hotel, on private
business. He had, 1 think, good rea-
sons for putting the ~Sophomores and
their coarse tyranny on a level with
roughs and prize-fghteEs and their
methods of self-assertion. One was well
matched against the other.
Salberg stated his case to the eN-prize-
fighter and unfolded a plan of opera
tions. AS he was a young gentleman of
means, he had no difficulty in securing.
the offices of the g~ood-natured bully
all the more readily, perhaps, because
the old king of the ring may liave been
signing in spirit over the too peaceful
life into which public sentiment had
latterly forced him.
1t was arranged that Immediately
after dark that evening "Old Breeze
should go quietly to Solberg's room at
the college, and place himself at this
young gentleman's disposal.
Meantime our threatened Freshman
went about the business of his studies
for the rest of the day, but during the
afternoon he took occasion to indulge in
a walk about the college campus, and
carried his cane as usual. The better to
show his contempt of the insulting
notice placed on his door. he twirled il
after the most foppish fashion of the
day.
The Sophomore saw him and boiled
up with indignation. The Freshman
was defying them. Word was rapidly
passed among the faithful. and q class.
meeting was called to take immediate
action.
The charge was. that Freshman Sol
berg had not only been out with q cane
since he had been specially warned, bu'
had tiourished it defiantly.
All the Sophs agreed that he must BIZ
dealt with summarily; and the unani
NOUS vote was that he should suffe,
"Thompsonian treatment that yer,
night, and then be ''gathered-to-his
fathers"
Solberg felt that the crisis was ap
preaching. At twilight he retired t.
his room and locked the door. Abou
half an hour later his heart was glad
dened to hear three taps on the PANEL
The pugilist had not failed him.
A whispered consultation was held
the preliminaries were arranged, an,
the man Of the ring was hidden ava
under the bed, upon a blanket ant
pillow.
Solberg then trimmed his lamp, an,
fell to work upon his next morning
Odyssey lesson. Old Breeze snored.
Ten o'clock struck, and still no move
ment on the part of the Sophomore
but not very long after, Solberg hear'
mutfled~ footballs outside his door, AM
low voices in the hall.
He blew out his lamp and fastened t.
5 shake the s%lumbering Ajax under til
bed. The Philistines are upon lis
, Fogerty!"
GAY, sor, and it's fun we'll hay
thin!' was the hoarse whisper from be
meath.
A few minutes later they heard a lou,
| and peremptory knock. Solberg tire,
himself upon the bed, but after Il decen
pause called OUT
s'Who's there?:"
""The Vigilance Committee" was tn
stern response. "Open!'
II know no Vigilance Committee.
replied Solberg. Idccline to open m,
, door at this unreasonable hour"
5 "Open your door within one minute
or we will burst it," was the next sum
| mons.
Burst my door at your peril, gentle
l men!" cried Solberg, 81 warn you.
This defiance was soon followed by
heavy blow us if from a log of wood
then another-and another.
With the third blow the bolt was tor,
from it's socket, the door flew open, an,
in rushed three Sophs to seize the rebel
lious cane-t1ourisher.
l But at this juncture uprose old Breeze
met them before they reached the mid
die of the room in the conscious glor
of his old renown-while Solberg, rollin
off on the back side of the bed, took hi
; place under it. The foremost Soph, a
he rushed forward, received a bio,
which fairly threw him out into the hall
A like infliction on the nose of IL,
I second mar landed him in a breathles
condition over the table into the glas
5 door Of a book case; the third Soph wa
struck by the open PLAN of the prize
: fighter on the ear, followed by a sledp