Wichita eagle., 1888-04-27
Abe Lincoln's First Fight.

There does not live in the United States
today one who was so actively associated
with the martyred Lincoln as John White,
who lives down the Bishop branch, town
of Viroqua- While in The Censor Office
the other day Mr.. White related many
amusing incidents Of his bOyhood days in
Illinois, when he and Lincoln were fast
friends, split rails, did surveying and went
to husking bees together. Lincoln was
his senior by a number Of years, and for
that reason the every act Of the lamented
president remains fresh in the memory Of
Mr.. White. Il remember Well" said he,
''when the bully of Sangamon county, in
duced by some good natured wag, came
to the spot where we were chopping rails
and challenged Abe 10 prize fight The
great, brawny, awkward boy laughed and
drawled out, I reckon, stranger, you're
arter the wrong man Inever fit in my
whole life
But the bully made for Abe and the
first fall Lincoln came down on top Of the
heap. The champion was bruising and
causing blood to flow down Lincoln's face
when a happy mode of warfare entered
his original brain. He quickly thrust his
hands into a convenient bunch of smart
weed and rubbed the same in the eyes Of
his opponent, who almost instantly begged
for mercy. He was released. but his
sight for the time being was extinct. No
member OF the trio possessed 8 pocket
handkerchief, so Lincoln, with usual
originality, tore from his own shirt front
the surplus cloth, washed and bandaged
the fellows optics and sent him home. 1
was also present at the first lawsuit he
ever conducted in justice court. Here
served him well the inexhaustible supply
OF original ideas and ways which charac-
terized his past and future life. In boy
hood days he was as true TO his friends as
his great career proved him 10 be 10 his
country. "-Viroqua wis., Censor.
Spectators at Bull Fight.
The uncovered seats on the shady side,
especially those affected By the youth and
students Of the town, were closely packed
with heads in ranks like the seeds in an
ear of maize The less crowded places on
the sunny side were occupied by busy
knots Of press reporters, by country folks.
BIZ hundred or more Of Andalusians, in
manner and dress a grotesque caricature
of the toiero Of hard worked artisans seek
ing in this wild orgie of excitement some
respite from the dresry round Of labor.
The distinguished society Of metaderos,
butchers, leather dressers, tanners, the
myrmidons of the slaughter house and
purveyors Of the fodder seethed like a
boiling pot, and the hubbub, with the fit
ful ringing Of bell, sounded like the
spasmodic progress Of a neighing and
kicking horse.
The detestable medley Of slang and
dialects rose up Ike the Kissing or some
coarse and maIodorous fry as it SINNERS
over the fire. The chula muttered a
coarse oath as she insoiently forced her
way through the crowd, dI1fusing a mixed
perfume OF musk and garlic; and the
miserable lout whose natural destiny It
was TO clean tripe and bladders. being in
capacitated By nature for any more worthy
function in life, made speaking trumpet
of his hand 10 hurl q torrent Of abuse,
favored with 8 hot vapor CT raw spirits,
az the presidents box, where il would no
doubt reach the ears of some official OF the
Spanish cepital-the governor perhaps, or
perhaps the president of the council
Leon Roch," by Perez Galdos-