Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-04-14
THE KING or THg ONO.
Interesting Narrative ~ al Oh
ktatpOaLll Al
Hs~ Hs Besans shs cbaas p.oss Fighter,
srsstlsr. k4aEsr ssd hias >hsr of ths
valley. .-ad H0- Hs asd~ aAs
Ci@1sszs Good

Cia4ssas o@.ssh
~ ssslagtoa Ey} Cor Filla1slpaia rirn=s-
fhls lrtis t1@a. 0aess q4a-ls oll lsasss
are fass faliug lnt1 4eeaF, an1 sa.ss
braa.i. rres-frisged main street rarely
echoes elta tas wheels ~ trails, ~ Is oncl
tas commercial metropolis x ths great
lFs ssl. aa.l "a merchants grew rich throast Q
shrssd bareers vita ths rsd nasa for iars
and equally sharp .dickers7 a-a the
hardy Foatle rsilea. whose necessities is4
ta8 cay 81. manufactured soots t6sy -sp
"a ed Ia those days 81. Loais as small
elIitary aaEp1sts @aere thle4.o sIa41s
~as a Wilderness and Cincinnati was
collection of rude lus and disu4ntisl
natboats drawn W 9a tne river taak and
Fosf4d over a. a saelteF Tor he O1l1
aoiupaus s 81 ,a RS. hallrJa 4 aers b.
ia ieve. .ore ett 1rean4 ~ a ie~ enthusiasts,
aad t4s i4lv eraft tEat parted che waters
{ Of the muddy OHIO sere uuwle.iy dat
a.afs salch hoatei laz Is doa The river
/ of received Increased ina etus irDm tne
Z l9nz -s.sesp cars
IA ene ~ tae Oldest, qua.n-esr, and most
cturesg4s h1ls 70 llv Uncle IA e 80
--f lie is ninety yeas IL, aud ev ~
/ morning. ram r shine, bee rises with The
ark. .e.zs Als lons hickory staff, aud
I sli1es slarlily dO~n the broad pike 70
/ haysvlIe, returning before night falls
/ tle Is majes site ply seal wreck not ye.
I gone q pieces eet i've inches Ia
I heiyht aud stl. ere, l. Time has shrunken
I aad weakened as thews and slnsws, hnt
I fu tn days tha- 1 speak Of 40 ar "a was -
I
I lime as bis. he loves TO talk aboul rle
/ past and - a newspaper man his stories
are always interesting lie vas the part
i.er OF NJ 10 Flax. the king OF the hat-
/ Doatnen-"
Il linked fortunes with Nike az his own
| rsqls 81" be sad % me, ''ant there's an
/ interesting little story connected with the
partnership"
He dropped his head forward, reflect We
I iy, aud without dls;urbins bis rever.e l
pushed IA bottle aud glass toward him.
Mechanically he filed the latter, and for
moment held il u the light, admiring the
warm, rich color OF tn liquor. Tnen be
ossed the contents OH az a gulp.
1t IS good llqusr," he said, smacking his
/ lips 'and the taste carries me back q the
] a
| ! was good man then. a very good man,
end had no fear. | used 20 winter at
MavsvI.e. and one season. don't remem-
ber th. date-I ran my boat into Limestone
Greek AMI made all snug for cold weather.
The ics came early, and great many
hatboatmen made their quarters here.
Nike Fink's boat laid just below mine.
bad neari OF hire. but we lad never met.
We hatboatmen worked hard and made
money during tho summer and We spent
10 right royalty when We laid Of for the
winter. W. had froIcs every day and
iances every night. The seasons fun had
hard begun when il cam 70 my ears
that VI ke Fink had boasted everywhere
that on bis BOAT - as the best rifle shot, the
best fist Il ghter. the best runner, and the
best wrestler in the Ohio Valley. IL wasn't
long before chance was given me 70 par
italy test ths truth OF his challenge. met
his runner, his wrestler, and nis fighter all
IN one DAY, and 'downed' the three. THIS
made Mike pretty NAL and be arranged il
for "a % Try our skill with the rifle. About
week afterward We met at harn-rais-
ing cut at Kenton's Station and after the
work was finished we settled down TO solid
sport Finally Nike challenged me TO
shoot with him. / accepted, and every
body gathered around % watch US. N0u
see, Nike didn't belong 90 MaysviIle, and
a great deal depended On the result. II ne
won il would diminish Maysville's glory,
and II l was successful (having already
defeated the champion fighter, wrestler
and runner) she could lay claim to the
proud distinction OF owning as her son the
all-round champion
Mike had been drinking. but | knew
what was coming and hadn't touched -
drop. When I ste ped 10 the mark-.t
was my first shot was a. cool ice
and my muscles were under perfect con-
troll / made two bulr's-eyes out Of a
possible three. When Nike stepped uI
and raised his rifle he tossed his head
scornfully. but the liquor had affected 5
nerves and his first shot was bad one
He loaded his rifle nervo usly, and raisin
it took a long. steady aim. When hs
pulled the trigger great shout went GI
AMI everybody crowded around me. lie
! had missed the bulPs-eye and / was th'
champion. l vas right proud OF my
achievement. and celebrated the victory
by drinking more liquor taan was good fOl
me. Nike felt his defeat keenly. and, &C
companied by his friends, left for town
= When I returned was told that he va
: stil unwilling to acknowledge that | wa
! the champion. tie admitted that I hag
iistanced his feetest runner thrown hi
z most expert wrestler. whipped his sbles
fighter. and fairly defeated him As
mar <sluan.
"'He can beat me shooting he said
! but can whip him with my fists
when 7 heard n = ycu may depens
urou to was pretty mad would hav
hunted him up and settled the matter tha
+ very night but my friends knowing m
condition. prevailed upon me 90 so home
P / The xf morning was very cold. / cam
into town slout Ten o'clock and went 20
s bostman's supply store. kept by a Jew
5 whsre felt pretty certain I'd and Nike
sure enough, he was there witn thre
~ his mates-the three I had alresd
d iefea sed. They were seated around
r zreat tig wood stove and. emf rinz th
}. store lacksd che door behind me sud pu
= the key in my pocket. FINK and hl
4 a Z