The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-17

bring my blood to the boiling point and
create an irresistible itching in my fingers
20 close on his throat. To do him justice,
he took no pains to evade contest.
When we laid aside our coats to settle
differences, generally managed to pay OF
scores satisfactorily, for, though he was my
master with the tongue and three years my
senior to boot, /, being bred hunter and
climber of hills, had the flrmer muscle.
Perhaps, too, / had the greater ardor in
crucial moments. and il that had its effect,
mine was not the first instance In which
the spark of naphtha fire in the Celtic blood
told in the fight.
But the fortunes of war are variable. It
chanced that one day my enemy caught me
with crippled arm. He rallied upon me,
rs was his won't, retaliated, we fought and
the victory was with him. If he had whip
ped the whole British nation instead of a
manned and insignificant unit of it, he
could not have exulted more, nor il he had
been of the race of rebel angels could he
have paid his debt of vengeance with a
keener or opener malignancy of delight
''There, you highland blusterer," he
cried, when the issue was decided. Have
you enough, or would you like morei How
does it feel to get drubbingt"
"You ought TO know, who have had 1t SO
often" retorted. But as 10 this days
work, we will reckon for it yet. Tomorrow
we'll see who crows loudest"
"We will" he laughed, with more sin.
lister expression than had ever seen in his
face before. "You and / agree for once.
And when the reckoning comes there are
muir cocks know whose crow will not be
90 cruise as 1t Is today.
He came up TO me with a devilish CLEAN
in his eyes and snapped his fingers in my
face. Tomorrow he hissed. "I'll show
you what'll be tomorrow. See, I'll crush
you like that" and he stamped and ground
his heel in the dust. IA poor, crawling
thing like you setting yourself up before
mep' Then he stood off a step and broke
into laugh of dersion. but checking him.
self he bent forward. again saying in tone
Of simulated compa 8 on: After all, us I'm,
a Christian, l oughts-o pity you. There Is
a shilling for you. Take it. Before seven
days are over dare say you will End it use
full"
Such was my amazement Mt this speech
and the sudden change of his manner that
mechanically held out my hand and took
the shilling. But its touch, which was as
a sting in the quick, restored my senses
and flung the coin back i'm his face.
"You may insult but you cannot degrade
me-" | cried, hot, moist, prickly sensation
springng to my eyes. what your mean.
ing il / cannot tell. only know that, be
ing yours, il must be spiteful and malicious.
But before the seven days Of which you talk
are over will repay your affront with in.
terest. And In the meantime will say in
the spirit of Timon, II is pity you are not
good enough 90 spit on"
Ny outburst awed the throng that had
gathered about us, and strobe away in
the midst Of dead silence. the picture as
an eyewitness afterward told me, Of fury
incarnate Peters tongue, however, was
not long still.
"Ha, Ia |" he cried mockingly ere had
gone 20 yards: $50 the beggar would ride
on horseback. would he's Pride goes be.
fore fall. The pauper who refuses aims
today may tomorrow dispute with the dogs
for bone. Even highlander may find
II hard 90 feed on his pride"
l turned quickly on my heel, under q
frantic impulse TO go back and rend my
tormentor on the spot. Perhaps IL was the
vision Of jeering faces that deferred me
for the crowd were chiefly bis friends, ol
II may bave been an acute sense Of my
physical disAtiiity, bst l only called cut IN