Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-07
There was mo- sign of reIentinc ,n

teeth showed in q horrible grin. Hi.
hand spread on the counter like paw
"To 10y wild ye!" he answered.
get out O my way" said Jim, with
ont looking around. The crowd fell
back, leaving clear space.
Come, Billy" he said again, but in q
different tone. He saw a mailman be.
fore him. With quick, clutching,
downward jerk, he rolled the Tiger to
the floor and fell upon him. But the
insane man rose under him with o roll
ing, bearlike action, and forced him on
the floor on equal terms.
1t was terrible sight. The two
brothers, so nearly equal in strength,
Jim fighting because it was his duty
and hindered by his great love and ad-
miration for his brother, the other man
irrational, cruel, deadly. Jim broke
loose and rose.
Bill sprang at Jim, whose left fist
met him and rolled him on the floor.
GOD forgive me-" Jim said; II nivir
struck me brother before"
He waited for the fallen man to rise.
Bill seemed to bound from the ground.
Again Jim knocked him rolling, and
again he rose. This time he rose with
a knife in his hand.
'Ah!" breathed the crowd.
'Shoot him!" said the barkeeper.
Keep off," said Jim. A new look
came into his eyes. He was fighting
for his lie now. Again he met the in
furiate with his fist, but the man fell at
his feet, throwing him sprawling. jim
whirled upon his back, catching Bills
hand in terrible grip. the blood was
running from a cash in his check.
Over and over the two men rolled in
the blood and sawdust. Notwithstand-
ing their great bulk, they writhed with
the bewildering convolutions of eats.
Now Jim came to the top, now Bill, but
always that right hand of the shcriffs
gripped the murdero& wrist that held
the knife. Jim fought silently, grimly.
The brother uttered short, snarling i'm
precautions, like carnivorous animal at
meat. He snapped ut his brother with
open jaws.
Again and again some volunteer
AdioSt a W StIlitc Dill, Dut d ll
said no" His pride was touched. He
would conquer him alone. He would
not let another man strike his brother
For ten minutes this struggle con-
tinucd, and then Jim rose and sat
astridc the Tiger, who. LAY breathing
heavily, cursing, raving, under his
breath.
"Uandcuff him!" cried the crowd.
Jim shook his head. "There is no
need" he said.
At the word 'handcuff," the struggle
began again. Bill wrenchcd loose sud-
denly and struck jim again with the
knife. The blow fell upon his collar
bone, and the blood poured forth again.
Jim caught the deadly arm again in his
left hand and lifting his terrible right
hand struck blow upon the side of his
brothers head, which laid him out limp
and still.
'Out o. me way now" he said, as he
rose holding tho limp body In his
hands. They made way for him and
he passed out into the street.
A shudder seized on the crowd. jim
was covered with saw dust and filth
from the floor. His face was unrecog-
nizable by reason of the terrible blows
with fist and knife which had fallen
there, and his shirt was dripping with
blood also. He walked into the middle
of the road with the stunned man held
in his hands The crowd made way for
MIN as if he were king. He put Bill
down and knelt watchfully beside him.
"Call the mayor" he said, "Ill have
q word with him."
A moment later and the mayor came
hurrying down.
"What is it, Jim?"
He lifted q wild, sad face to the
mayor.
"Y'r amer, ask permission to take
Billy home. God knows it would kill
him to wake in the Jail, y'r amer. The
by dawn't know what he's dom at all.
He'll be near dead with shame, whin
he sees the mark he's put on me. If he
wakes in Jail, twill break the heart of
i'm. Y'r amer, you know Billy, when
the whisky's not in him, he's as fine n
liliA uS lNSI DISdtucu Vic Dlo1tli VI
life. May take him home, y'r anner?"
The mayor, deeply moved, nodded his
head.
''Do what you think best, jim"
'God bless ye, y'r amer. Will some
body find Billys team?"
The team was brought, and the
maniac was lifted into the wagon like
log.
Jim climbed in. "Give me the lines"
he said to the man in the seat.
ashanti go with ye, Jim?"
"Give me, / say.
The man surrendered the lines and
leapcd out of the wagon
GOOD night, y'r amer. Good night
boys"
The wagon moved off in the glorious
moonlight, with Ji.a sitting beside the
drinls-crazsd man who lay on the bed
of the wagon unbound, save by the grip
Of his brothers relentless right hand.
He never set foot in Rock River again
and the next year jim was the only
candidate for sheriff in the county.
I