Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-04-06
QUIET MAN.
Ehe Bitter Experience oe a Bully whs
 Tackled Rim.

NtR0Q8 an OA0 uOuS6s OuCG latnOuS among the river men as place of revelry. harbor for fugitives from the | pioneer justice of the time, and place l where physical prowess was the one safeguard of purse or person. A good | many stories cling to the spot, and any good guide can tell of battles that chill | the blood of the summer tourist For in the days when the Dell House was at it's best great rafts oflogs went down the river in charge of gangs of men who drank and swore and fought like all the pirates in Algiers.
 Once upon time-so the guide will tell you-Bill Endsen came down with Q raft of pine from the upper woods, and before pushing through the narrow up at the Dell House and told his men they might stay overnight Among the crew was one Flintsore, a bully who had beaten half the men in the party, and only waited proper opportunity before tackling old Bill Endsen him self; and, although old Bill had for years been called the best man on the river, he was afraid of the savage rafts- man who fought so like 8 tiger and whose passion was never sated until his victim was unconscious. Bill had decided if ever trouble did arise between them he would kill F1intsore with an ax rather than meet him hand to hand
 Sitting in one corner of the Dell house, when the noisy crew came laugh ing and swearing in at the door, sat 8 short, square man with a rather large bundle on the floor beside him. He paid no attention to the men, and at first they allowed him to pass unnoticed. But as liquor stirred their blood they grew more boisterous and invited him ito join them. He declined, and again they gave him some nome nts of peace. After 8 while tho widest rafter in the party came over to the corner and asked the quiet man what he had in his bum de. He declined to answer, simply say | ing it was his own and that he was talk | ing it down to Madison. The rafter was angry and he amused himself by stand l ing across the room and tossing empty
 whisky bottles at the motionless bundle
 "You stop thati' yelled old Bill End
 sen. '"The man is not bothering us and
 we won't bother him"
 But we will" said Flintsore, who
 had notyet seen so good an opportunity
 to quarrel with his rival. Words could
 but lead to blows with these men. They
 were unarmed and there was no chance
 for postponement They stepped out
 side on the level, grassy plat of ground
 and engaged in 6 battle which is still
 remembered by the pioneers They
 rolled over on the ground; they sent in
 heavy blows; they kicked, wrestled, bit and gouged, till old Bill was utterly
 beaten and lay defenseless against the brutal blows that fell upon him.
 Flintsore desisted at last and the
 other rivermen took the victim to the river and washed his wounds Then Flintsore went into the house and approached the quiet man, who alone had not followed the fighters out side and watched them
 'Now what have you got in that bun
 dleP" he demanded.
 ''No matter what I've got" returned the short man; tits none of your busi ness"
 . '"Then you get up and fight"
 "Well, you take an hour to rest u] : and I will fight you," responded tn, F quiet man; and there was that in hi = eye which promised he would keep hi F word. "You take an hour to rest up 3 Then we will go in the cellar together l lock the door inside and throw the ke, l out through the bars. After that, Go, 2 have mercy on the weaker man" ! Flintsore was wild with delight l Here was a chance for two good fight . I In one day. He took drink to his ow1 s good luck, and then stretched out on tn . floor and waited
 When the hour was up the quiet ma,
 cast one long look at his still motion
 less bundle, stripped to his shirt an led the way to the cellar. The base
 ment was walled with rock. The doc
 was heavy and strong. The window I were barred with iron The floor wa . earth
 They looked the door, tossed the ke / out through the grating, and a momen
 later the crowding river men outsid 4 knew the fight had begun. They coul z see little through the bars. They presse their faces against the windows, climl
 ing upon each other for a vantag :, point, till the only air passage wa ;. choked, and the men inside fought i poisoned atmosphere.
 . They were there scarcely twent = minutes. Then the man who had bee
 quiet came to the window and calml .' asked for the key. Besides him ther S SS was not 8 sound in the cellar. He LII = locked the door. and they crowded 1T
 There in the middle of the floor la Flinstore, bound hand and foot, gagge , almost beyond the point of breathing i. and stripped naked The tough clotl
 ing which had covered him now hel !. him disgraced prisoner. When he hs
 been freed the men asked him if I ., wanted to try it again.
 "a "No," said he humbly. ''That ma
 hal xryfkh hand Hn 4 me down whenever he wanted to. couldn't touch him. And if l tried :. clinch he downed me and fell on m ,o My ribs are broken My heart hurts '~ The quiet man still sat in his corne ar Do you mind telling us who yc are?" asked one of the raftsmen p | liNa1v