The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-04-03
peato the waist.

hoped to be of any assistance to him.
After crawling close to him | managed
TO attract his attention, and he walked
over to me and whispered, stay where
YOU are, have the confidence of these
men. If they see you they may grow
suspicious, and turn against me. My
troubles here will soon be over if sue
ceed in whipping this brute, and l am
confident Of my ability to do So" AZ
ter again warning me to keep in con-
cealment. he returned to the crowd
where Ford was impatiently awaiting
him.
had surmised they were preparing
TO fight with natures weapons, and
was greatly surprised to see each man
choose a long, blacksnake whip. |
stood lost i'm astonishment and wonder,
and could not realize what l was to
witness. Standing agape | noticed
some men draw a ring around the con
testants aud then one of them called,
''go."
Ford sprang at his adversary and
slashed his whip with a vicious cut,
but Bob sprang out of harms way,
and the blow only cut the air. Before
Ford could regain his equilibrium Bobs
whip rose in the air and fell upon his
neck leaving a long cut from which the
blood spurted. Then like lightning
both whips again fell, leaving large
bloody whelps on the body where they
struck. Bob evaded another vicious
blow, and a quick snap Of his whip cut
Ford's chest like knife. With roar
of pain Ford slashed his whip around
Bob's waist, leavinga red circle from
which the blood flowed plentifully.
But Bob did not even finch from the
blow, for he advanced on his man, his
whip steadily falling upon Ford's neck
and shoulders, every blow cutting him
to the quick, and the punishment be
coming terrible. Ford slowly and dog
gediy backed away from Bob as he
advanced, and fought. back with the
desperate courage born of despair.
The bodies of both men were cover
ed with blood, and il was evident that
one if not both of them, must soon sue
cumb 10 the terrible castigation to
which they We're being Sub
jected. Suddenly Ford stopped re-
treating and sprang at Bob, just in
time TO evade vicious blow, and in
doing so, his body struck Bob heavily
causing him TO fall 10 the ground.
Ford was quick to take advantage of
his opportunity and rained blow after
blow upon his fallen enemy before he
could regain his feet Bob sprang up
like an infuriated beast and rushed
Ford back against the crowd and
/ quickly jumping backwards he crack
ed his whip and cut a large piece of
/ flesh from out F0rd's side. Ford howl
ed with pain and started TO rush Bob,
but was met by such terrible cut from
the whip that it seemed to me his body
must surely be severed in two. Not
for a second did Bob cease his terrible
/ punishment, but slashed his whip un-
mercifUlly around his foe. Ford re-
treated out of the ring toward the
crowd, but Bob saw his game, and
sprinsing between the crowd and his
friends he slashed him toward the lake.
Ford was fighting back madly, and
| did not realize where he was going un-
| Ill the cold water of the lake brought
him TO realization of his danger Then
he struggled like a iiend, slashing
blindly in the air, cursing wildly and
calling his friends TO help him. One
of them sprang forward To do so, but
leaped out and covered him with my
revolver, and appealed to the crowd
for fair play. 4 dozen pair of hands
dragged him back into their midst
Ford seeing his last hope vanish, fought
with the fury of dying tiger, but his
strength was leaving him, and little
by little his more vigorous opponent
forced him into the lake. Ford's
strength was gone and with one last
desperate slash of his whip, he sank
from view. Bob dove after him, and
with my assistance dragged him ashore
more dead than alive.
The crowd broke into wild cheer
for the Yankee boss, and | started To
embrace him but he pushed me away
saying he was TOO sore to be touched
We made a stretcher, and some of the
men carried Ford, while Bob leaned
on my shoulder, his body still bare and
bleeding. We staggered through the
woods, at last reaching the camp.
Then Stokes and / helped Bob on the
engine, and started for the mill, when
Bob fsin:ed from exhaustion and loss
OF blood. His poor body was sight,
and the blood flowed pr0fusely from
the many cuts. I feared for his life,
and told Bradley to drive her. We
Were soon at the mill, and / aroused
the young physician who lived there.
lie hastened to attend Bob, who had
regained consciousness, and insisted
that the doctor should attend TO Ford
first. - Bradley ran up to the camp,
and wired Quitman for another ply
sician for Bob.
In two weeks Bob was able to be out,
and the mill ran as it never had been
known TO run before. ] was placed in
charge Of the woods during Forl's en-
forced confinement in bed, where he
stayed three months. We never had
any more trouble about procuring logs,
in fact, we had always a surplus of ma
terial. At the end of the year the
mill paid its first dividend, and the
management decided to enlarge the
plant, Eb Ford declaring he could ca
silly furnish logs enough to supply two
mills.-Phiiade,oiid Sunday Times.
a Word to the Wise is Sufficient