Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-02-02
A KICKING BCRfsO.
Bout Between Gigantic Indianlan and a
Donkey-the Donkey Ftooree.

In the early days of Dutch Flat a
largc-boned and gigantic lndianian
was known 20 his rouga but kindly
associates as Kicking Tom. He had
won the nickname by reason Of tie
terrific force with which he could
launch his great sinewy foot against
an opposing object. He was, besides.
as 1.-the and springy as a panther. In
those day men were not very part.cu-
| lar about tho character Of their amuse-
ments, although nothing mean or nm
demanded took place among them,
Their rough courtesy was genuine and
hearty, and they were as brave as
Norman barons or Paladius Of France
They at times bad little regard for Inn
man life, but in their deadly ailrays
| they took the lion and not the hyeua
for their model They admired cour-
age and strength, because these were
qualities which came every day into
rCquisitjon, and without them there
was neither peace nor safety in the
then lawlcss realm Of the gold seekers
Among these pioneers Of the wilder
ness Kicking Tom had grown into
universal popularity. He was gencr-
Gus. brave and kindly, and, what per-
haps endearcd him to his associates
more than anything else, he was al
ways foremost in the rough sports of
the camp. lie was ever ready for fun
and frolic, and it was matter of SUI
preme Indifference to him whether this
took the form of pleasant episodes or
rough fighting. He exempllied the
old adage that 1T is just as good to
fight as to eat One day a miner
brought into camp a Mexican burro
which soon obtained a wide celebrity
as vicious animal, who, when cN-
cited, would attack man or beast with
desperate fury. Several mountain
ponies had been kicked to death by
him, and more than one man had
nearly lost his life by the savage heels
of The brute. So exciting had become
the record Of the jacks achievements
that they became the subject of uni
yersal conversation and inquiry among
the miners. Sitting in tteir cabins
they sprung wonderful tales Of what
lac had done and was capable OF do
iug.
He is the liveliest kicker going"
said one
"a a. ~" -
head without touching the skim re-
| piled one Of his companions.
That YVES touching Tom in a fender
place, aud after moments reflection
he broAe up with tie remark;
"He can't out-kick me. The obser-
walton was received with amazed 81
ieH !I .l ,ra,,, wv. ho.d n,,,... ,,,;,,oo
i'"i ~ IN ~ ~
''''4y ~ =" :. = ',..,'it'.'I a .ulo.,
"u'' I'm
i''0l'''''"i IN ~ ~ ~ a1o ,
cua'lee' ~ Io'"S - Nlo@ :, io' Fio''
'"u Nv wy ~ ; 'i,i'' " i,i'
con,n,nion -
III moan what saw old man. So
don,t Ec FOO .pry with your tonone. .
| Ana Toms hro,y lowered IN oafner-
iur oprer Ills friends apolo0jzed
foi. ,be iast and tben the crowd dis
| narsad
The nevt dav the rumor went wild
fhrnpob tho canp taat Tom was Will
ipo to Nick the bIrro for n wager. In
tbe dusE az tho evening the miners
uYtbpred in from their work and dis
enssed the subject in All its bearings.
Opiniops as TO the match was about
evenly divided. If ANYTHING, Tom
was tbe fayorjte. Under these cir
cnmstaneps j min for 500 a side was
easIIv ARRANGED between the beast and
The man. ana it was decided that tae
conflict should come on the next sun
day AFTERNOON.
PROMPTLY M the appointed hour
every nhabit1nt Of Dutch Fiat was
assembled InaltfIr level SPOT iust
outside Inc limits Of the camp. The
prelIumaripS were quickly arranged
And NM frht betan The beast
seemed 10 take i'm the situation at q
.lanoo ga 1avi,c bacl- his oors ba
i ~ 80 ~; -" - 9n"ono2f w;th an
" ",,., o,cs IS Sndicnly Tom leaned far
Ss,,.1 ond loaded !, tarritic EtcL
.,,..,.,1,.,,,, az, i,,,4i,,, ,f tba nral-
/ squat tiy W NV -"
ana head. The brute reeled before
tha f,rna nf thp hlnu bnf rpnOypriuv
"
| I,pnrhol batI, hapls ~ his ANTAGONIST