The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-09-16
The First Fight Between the North and
South.

[ was up to Dickinson College the
other day, and as / crossed the campus
l came to a spot where two paths meet
and cross each other. 1t brought to
my mind story told me by an old
Dickinson student who was at the col
lege when the war broke out At that
time there were number of Southern
students in attendance-in fact the
numbers were pretty evenly divided
between North and South boys, and
you know how college lads are. They
have their own opinion of things and
generally express them vehemently 1t
was only natural then that there should
be considerable clashing between the
students from the two sections, and,
while there was a good bit of chin
music INDUCED in, there were no open
fights. Things kept growing warmer
and the feeling waxed more bitter be-
tween the lads until at last one evening
dispute as to who was right in the
seeding arose between a powerful
young blonde student from Philadel-
phia and a black-haired, fiery
Southerner from Virginia, a youth
of much muscle. The language
grew sulphurous, the lie was given
and the two fellows went together,
the Northerner bent on climb
ing his antagonists frame, and the
Southerner with the single purpose of
tramping on the blondes neck. The
fight took place just where the paths
intersect. Instinctively the students
from the two sections took sides, and
ranged themselves behind their respect
i've champions. 1t was no sparring-
match with so many minutes to the
round. 1t was a determined, continu-
Gus, bulldog fight, a regular rough and
tumble. Both were men of science and
good wrestlers, and they gave and took
without hinching. At one time the
Philadelphia was hopping the earth
with the Virginian, and then again the
Virginian was threshing the gravel
walk with the Philadelphian for a fail.
All this time the two sides looked on
and never interfered except to utter in
quiet way word of encouragement
to the contestants. It would have been
death to have interfered then, for
there were q good many revolvers
in the party. Finally last
elinch was taken by the two
fighters, who, breathless, bleeding,
exhausted, almost stripped of their
clothes, stood painting in the path. The
young Northerner by quick back turn
threw the Virginian and fell on him,
and before the latter could turn the
blonde youth caught his antagonist by
the long hair and bending his head
back so that his face was upturned beat
him insensible. Il hen he arose. looked
about him, painted out We've won,
boys!' and dropped like log to the
ground. Each side carried away it's
man and nursed him until he got we'll.
How typical were these two young fell
lows of their sections. The Southerner
never cried enough" all through the
fight, and he only stopped when he was
insensible. The South stopped fight
ing only when it was beaten into insen-
sibility by superior force. 1t never
squealed. And so, too, the North was
utterly exhausted at the close of the
war. But. you say, that was quite nat
ural. Very true. But wasn't it lit
tie bit singular that the first fight be-
tween the North and the South for SUI
premacy took place on the campus of
Northern college Harrisburg Tele-
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