The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-15
FIsHBALLs FOR TWO.
One Portion Highly Seasoned ns n
Lesson I'm International Etiquette.

George Birdsall, Andrew Peasly, Jack
Perry and Peter. Larkin constituted a
rough-and-ready quartet contributing
largely to the boisterous element of life
on the Comstock early i'm the SOS. They
had been New York firemen, and were
prominent in the organization and man
agement Of the volunteer fire depart
ment Of Virginia City. They were also
connected at intervals with the police
department and assisted in the develop
ment OF many Of the wildcat mines in
the neighborhood. They were cool,
courageous and loyal to their friends,
but abrupt to their enemies, and not al
ways considerate Of the rights OF others
when in their humorous or eXhilarated
moods. All of them have passed to their
final accounting, Perry, the last OF the
four dying in San Francisco three or four
years ago.
Birdsall was a large, handsome man,
with a ready and rasping wit and a
measureless fund of paralyzing invective
at his command. He could almost stop
clock with prOfane abuse Of it in words.
At the breaking out of the rebellion he
and his companions developed into stanch
union men, and were dangerously in
censed at the slurs cast at the New
York fire zouaves by rebel sympathizers
after the first battle of Bull Run. Among
the most reckless OF the sOutherners on
a
openly expressed his qualification at the
rough handling of the fire zouaves by his
confederate friends One morning Tom
strobe majesticaIly into a restaurant on
est, Virginia City, and discovered Bird
sail breakfasting an Goldfish balls. With
a sneer at the dish and a remark that no
gentleman would eat the Yankee COM
pound, Tom seated himself at an adj
joining table and ordered his breakfast
a few minutes later Birdsan ordered an
other plate of Goldfish balls and quietly
and smilingly took a seat at Toms table
Being served, over the Goldfish he poured
half a pot of mustard and about the
same quantity of oil. Adding a large
quantity of salt and cayenne pepper he
slowly mixed the mass. while Tom was
buttering his waffles and furtively glanc-
ing at the strange proceeding. Then
with one hand showing the fiery and
nauseating mess under Toms nose across
the table and with the other drawing a
six-shooter Birdsall CURLY said, Eat It,
TomT'
Tom put his hand behind him.
Don't try to pull your gun, Tom. -
remarked Birdsall in a low voice, level
ing his own revolver. ''If you do that
I'll fill you full of holes"
you've got he drop on me, George. -
said Tom, withdrawing his hand from the
handle Of his pistol
GU can Oct your llle nave, anu
that L will play il for all it's worth re-
piled Birdsall with a look that meant
mischief. 'I'll make you either a corpse
or a Yankee before you get out of your
seat. Eat, and be quick about it!'
But, GeOrger'
''Eatr' was the only response.
Tom thought it best to comply. and
with tears in his eyes and VOWS Of ven
geance in his heart proceeded to choke
down part Of the abominable mixture.
There, that will do, Tom" said Bird
sail, rising from his seat. you needn't
eat any more Of the Goldfish unless you
have learned to like it," and he left the
restaurant fully expecting his victim 10
follow him, pistol in hand But the af-
fair ended without bloodshed. Tom left
Virginia City two days after for Phoebe
and never returned to the Comstock.-
San Francisco Call.