The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-05-23
LOOKED MEEK, BUT WASN'T
How Old MIR. Graybeard Ssnished an IN
sulting Rufflan.

sulttnE human.
oray-bearded man who appeared to
be at least 65 years old stepped into an
untown Sixth avenue Il tram ~
Eighth street the other day. Taking a
scat near the door, he adjusted his eye
classes. unfolded a newspaper and be-
gan to read. The car was we'll hlled, the
majority of the passengers being
women.
SAY. wot der yer want-aIl er der
seats?"
II was a brawny fellow next to the
rray-bearded man who put this ques-
tion. and there wasn't one in the cur
who didn't hear it. Everyone looked.
Mr.. Graybeard smiled and replied good
naturedly:
MY friend, l beg your pardon. L
didn't mean to crowd YOU"
Then he went on reading his paper,
drawing his arms closer to his side. His
ueighbor. however, was not amiable.
He was tough" There was scrap
Nv" look in his eye as he turned and
looked his neighbor full in the face.
people like you dat wants de eart'
ought ter travel in a private car, he
sneered. Mr.. Graybeurd did not seem
to regard this as an allusion to himself,
for he did not interrupt his reading.
'Mebbe ye're der president o der
road"
Up jumped Mr.. Graybeard, not TO at
tack his tormentor but TO take seat
on the other side of the car. Now he
said, Il hope you've got plenty OF
ROOM"
The tough man made another insult
ing and threatening remark.
'Surely these men here will not allow
that brute to strike that inoffensiye old
man." said a motherly looking woman.
The men were all deeply interested in
their newspapers or closely studying
the signs to be seen through the car
windows, all except one athletic looking
young man, who held onto a strap not
many yards away from Mr.. Graybeard
and Mr.. Tough. He looked significantly
ut the woman and she returned glance
| that was full of gratitude.
Mr.. Tough leaned forward in his seat,
| shot out his arm, and, pointing huge
| index finger at Mr.. Graybeard, cried:
Say. I'm a-gittin' out at Twenty
third street an if yer want ter make
anything out er dis all yer got ter do is
git off wild me. I'll wipe de street wild
you if you git Off"
When the guard slammed back the
door and called out the station Mr..
| Tough arose, and, snatching the paper
| from Mr. Graybeard's hands, he said:
DID if don't lump yer now, you
| The rest of what he said was drowned
in a chorus of feminine shrieks. The
train was at a standstill and the ath-
letic looking young man, his cheeks
ablaze, was making his way toward
Mr.. Tough, when up popped Mr.. Gray
beard like a jack-in-the- box, out shot
| his right fist, it hit something and up
against the end of the car went Mr.
Tough. The guard grabbed him and
ydnked him out on the platform. Mr.
| Graybeard was after him in an instant
Biffi bangl biff! biff! The blows fell
fast and furious. Each one landed In a
| place and in manner that did not add
to Mr.. Tough's beauty. That terrible
person was so shocked by this sudden
display of ungentlemanly conduct that
he did not even raise his hands in pro
test. Behind was the athletic looking
fellow, dancing up and down and shout
ing:
Give it TO him, old man. That was a
dandy! Soak him againl"
And Mr.. Graybeatd never failed to fol-
low the young mans advice. Finally
two guards got between Mr.. Gray beard
and Mr. Tough.
The train is late" said one guard
alphabetically. IF you want to give
him some more, get off here"
81 guess he's got enough" said Mr.
Graybeard, walking back into the car.
Dir. Tough looked panied. His enor
nous hands were covered with blood he
wiped from his face, and his hat was in
the street. He offered no resistance as
the guards pushed him off the car.
Mr.. Graybeard sat down and resumed
the reading of his paper. The athletic
looking young man looked at him adj
miringly, and so did the woman. HI
folded his paper at Forty-second street
and left the train.-N. Y. Herald.