Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-12-07
TWO ABLE klCNERS.
Ono Was a Hooscr md the other - gack-
ASA and the Man won.

ass, and the Man won.
In tho days of tho san Gabriel
canyon mining boom in the seven.
ties large hmol and gigantic lndi.
aniun was known to his rough hut
kindly associates rs Kicking Tom,
He had won the nickname by reason
of the terrific force With which he
could launch his 9rc0t :;inrWy foot
against an opposing object One day
q miner brought into camp n Next
can burro which soon obtained Il
wide cello brity As u vicious animal,
who, when excited, wo1ll attack
man or beast with desperate fury,
Several mpuntnin ponies had been
kicked to death by him and more
than ono man had nearly lost his
| lifo by tho savage heels of the brute.
| So exciting had become tho record
Of tho jack : achievements that
thoy became tho subject Of univer-
sal conversation and inquiry among
tho miners Sitting i'll their oabins
they spun wonderful tales Of what
he had done and was capable OF do.
ing
"Ho is tho lve1icst kicker going
said one.
You arc right, old man. That
beast can kick tho hair off IL mans
head without touching the skin,
replied one of his companions.
That was touching Tom in Il ton.
dcr place, and, aftcr II moments re-
Election, he spoke up with tho re-
mark
lilo can't outl1ick mo-" Tho OBJ
siervutiun WAS received with amazed
silence.
/ Lord, Tom! Why, hold make
,ninoo meat 1T you in Il minute"
/ "Would he?" replied tho athletic
rnlianian, "Then no can have the
chance. I'm ready TO kick for 500
and may tho best man win
cor tho best jack interposed 4
companion.
II mean what say old man, sc
don t no too spry with your tongue. >
/ And Toms brow lowered in gather.
ing anger. His friend apologizod fol-
the jest, and the crowd dispersed.
| Tho next day the rumor went wild
/ through tho camp that Tom was
/ willing to kick the burro for IL va
ger. In tho dusk of the evening tho
miners gathered i'll from their work
and discussed the subject in all it:
/ bearings. Opinion Us to tho match
wa. about evenly divided. If any.
! thing, Tom was the favorite. Under
! these circumstances u mill for $l0t
a sido was easily arranged between
/ the beast and tho man, and it was
| decided that tho conflict should come
, off next Sunday afternoon.
Promptly at the appointed houl
every inhabitant of the canyon and
the villages that have since grown
into Pomona and Pasadena was as
semhled in a littlo level spot just
/ outside tho limits Of the camp. Tho
prcliminarics were quickly nrrang
ed, and tho Fl ght began. Tho beast
seemed to take in the situation at G
glance, and, laying back his ears, he
watched his wary opponent witt
angry eyes. Suddenly Tom leape(
forward and landed a terrific kick
squarely Oil the junction of the necl
and head
Tho brute rceled before tho force
of the blow, hut recovering on the
instant he wheeled and launched
both heels at his antagonist. Tho
man leapod aside, and as quick as
lightning responded with another
fearful kick on the buTrO'S neck
And so the conflict ragged. Some
times tho jack would get in say
age blow on his opponent, but often
er the man had the best of it, ant
at last, putting forth all of his won
derful strength, he landed a kicl
with tho fury and Irresistible force
of pile driver on tho jack $ neck
which had boon his objective point
from the beginning. Tho beast reel
cd back, and with a convulsivo quiv
CT fell over. Tom was terribly
bruised, but no bones were broken
and in u few days he was as spry as
ever.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat.