The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-17
A LOVELY BULLY.
BY GILBERT PARKER,
Author of Pierre and His People" Mrs ralehion etc.


Fort OfAnEei. al Hudsous Bay. an i'm
mense slip Of lad. very much in the
way, very fond of horses, a wonderful
hand at wrestling pretending a horri-
bic temper. threatening tragedies for all
who differed from him. making the Fort
quake with his rich roar and playing the
game Of bully with fine simplicity. In
winter he fattened. in summer hc sweat
ed, at all times he ate cloquenuy.
1t was a picture 10 see him with the
undercut Of a haunch Of deer or buffalo.
OF with whole prairie fowl on his plate.
his eyes measuring it shrewdly. his coat
and waisteoat open. ana a clear space
about him.
It came to be usual thing for no one
to sit very close 20 him. Perhaps this
syas because everybody who tried it
was SO dwarfcd beside him. perhaps be-
cause he really did need room to stretch
his mighty limbs. At any rate he gem
orally had a space to himself in which
he sat throned on his own ample quar-
ters, beaming. or gloriously scowling, on
those about him.
But scowl he ever so much, you fan
cied you could see a laugh idling in
his irregular bushy beard. which lifted
about his face in the wind like a name.
or made a kind of underbrush through
which his blunt fingers ran at hide-and-
seek.
He was Irish. and his name was Mac
avoy. In later days, when Fort O'Angel
was invaded by settlers, he had his time
Of great Importance.
He had been useful to the Chief Trader
at the fort. through his influence with the
BlacSfeet Indians. and having the run
of the traders quarters and the reach of
his knife, was as little likely to discontinue
his adherence. Al the same time ne
had made a very little money had got
some land from the company, and was
not nl-disposed to the settlers Cwhose
presence would enhance his values.
though they We're regarded coldIy by
the chief trader and his people Macavoy
Disseminated. That is, he ate and drank
with all parties, and abused all impair
Tally
Malcolm he said to the Trader
Malcolm, me glutton o. the H.B.C.
that wants fhe Far North for your foot
stool-Malcolm, You villain It's me grief
that l kno you, and me thumb to me
nose in tokenr'
Wiley and Hatchett. tho principal set
tiers, he abused right and left. and said
wasn't there land in the east and west
that you steal the country God made for
honest men2-you robbers o. the wide
world, Me tooth on the Book. and l ton
you what, it's only me charity that kapes
me from spoilin' We. For a wink of me
eye, an away you'd so, leaving your
tails behind you and mass
that shoulder of bear you pirates till 1
come to it sideways like hog to war;
But he was even less sympathetic with
Bareback, the chief of the Blackfeet. and
his braves. Sons o Anak y'are: here
oo-oay ana away tomorrow. like the
cloos Of the valley-and. that's your nor
ton Bareback. It's the word o. the
Pentytookin pieces you 20. like a potter's
vessel Bedad, don't shrug your Shout
ders at me, Bareback you pig, or you'u
think that Ball1eboob's loose on the matt
But take sup o this whisky as a token
I'm merciful. while YOU swear wild your
hand on your chest Amen 10 the words
o Tim Macavoyr
Beside Macavoy, Pierre, the notorious
halfbreed, was child in hight. JJp to
The time OF his coming the Irishman had
been the most notable man at Fort O'An-
gel, and was sure at least of a good-na-
tured homage, acknowledged by as iovial
tyranny.
Pierre put a flea in his ear. He was pen
siveIy Indifferent to him oven in his
most royal moments. He tried in vain to
attract Pierre's attention. pierre's eve
only wandered over him lazily. and occu-
pied itself with something else Yet the
halfbreed showed him no disrespect pub
licly, nor was he curious about him pri-
vately The fact is, he knew Macavoy's
o. f4nTs FFNr1fa Na...
understood his character better than ANY,
one else; for he had a. keen and wide
knowledge of life
He guessed the way TO bring down the
gusto and pride of this Goliath, but for
q purpose, he took his own time, nod
ding indolentlv to Nranavov when he mel
him. but avoiding talk with him He BE-.
came free OF the tort, anu was in FAVOR
with the chief trader, chiefly because he
was Of an ironical turn. and, besides ne
gave information which ended in secur-
ing Tor Fort O'Angel the years furs of
the Long Arm tribe from the Copper
mine river.
He became friendly with the settlers,
because understanding the Indians WELL
and the Hudson's bay people better. he
gave them good advice; and, moreover
acted as go-between for them with the
company. To the lodges of the Indians
he was everywhere welcome; because
however much he spoiled Others at euchre
or poker, he gave gifts to these.
Among the Indian maidens .Macavoy
was like a king or khan; tor they count
much on bulk and beauty, and he answered
10 their standards-especiauy to Wonta's
1t was a sight to see him of summer day
sitting in the shade of a pine, his shirt
open, showing his firm brawny chest his
arms bare, his face shining with perspira-
ton his big voice gurglng in his beard,
his eyes rolling amiably upon the maidens
as they passed or gathered demurely about
while he acclaimed i'll patois or Chinook
to the Indians, of his mighty deeds
Pierre's humor was of the duietest
most subterranean kind. H never laughed
He smiled, and then it was more with his
lips than with his eyes He was born with
a marvellous sense of invention; he loved
nothing more than the game of life He
enjoyed his own misfortunes land he had
had many in his time) on that basis Of
ten in his travels he had been the swivel
on which the tragedies and comedies OF
others had spun; because he had insight
was not shy of interesting himself, had an
unusual gift at deciding when things
should happen. and was quite without fear
He knew that Macavoy had not an evil
hair in his head; that vanity was his