The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-06-26
WHY THE FIGHTER REFORMED.
Discovered That the Strangers Spurs Wer
Sharp and That He Could Use Them.

Discovered That the Strangers Spurs Were
Sharp and That He Could Use Them.
Everybody, and a great many other
people, who ever put in any time around
Dogtown either knows or knows of Bill
Morris. There used to be great deal
of mining going on around Dogtown-
placer mining, and Bill was celebrity
all the way down Butte creek from
Hupp's Mill to Chico. There was hard
ly Il man of any fighting proclivities in
that part of California who had not in
the course of his career tried Bill on to
his sorrow.
Bill was shining success as arough
and tumble fighter, depending more on
strength and agility than science, and
his invariably successful experiences
in this line persuaded him that he had
dead cinch on anyone who was fool
ish enough to engage with him in dis
cussion as to who was the best man.
This feeling of security tended to make
Bill arrogant, not to say naughty, and
his manner to strangers was tinged
with an offensiveness as pronounced as
it was unmistakabe. He became fully
persuaded that it was his bounden duty
to harass and annoy every stranger who
came along until the victim was left no
resource but to resent the provocation
given him and join issues there and
then.
/ Bill went up to Nimshew one day on
some business, and while he was in the
barroom of the hotel talking to some of
his mining friends tall, slim man came
riding down the mountains on a small
broncho. The traveller hitched his horse
to post in front of the hotel and walked
into the barroom to get drink. lie at
! tracted no particular attention except
that it was observed by some present
that he had particularly long legs. Bill
noticed this fact also, and it occurred
to him that it would be a source of great
amusement to show his friends what a
/ stride the traveller had and to illustrate
it by making him get out Of the room at
full speed.
With this laudable object in view, he
responded affably to the strangers
pleasant salutation, which was accom-
panied by an invitation to drink. In
the conversation that ensued Bill made
an observation to the effect that it
struck him as rather absurd that a man
with legs as long as those in the pos.
session of the traveller, should squander
valuable time in riding broken-dowr
broncho when so much more ground
could be covered by walking, closing his
remark by stating that an ordinary
jack rabbit wasn't in it with the man
to whom he was addressing his CONVEX
sation.
This nettled the stranger somewhat
} and he threw out hint in the direction
of how much more profitable it nigh
prove to attend to ones own affairs
than to worry about those of others
Such holiness was not calculated to in
duce the conversation to languish. Bill
was unaccustomed to what he char
acterized as back talk, and the travele
was promptly challenged to fight. II,
failed to see the necessity for this, ant
, tried to excuse himself on the grount
of suffering with chills and in no con
dition to fight. Bill declined to recog
nize this as valid, and the stranger
with much reluctance, prepared t.
meet as best he could Bil's onslaught
: No time was wasted in scientific dis
play. Bill closed at once and down the,
both went On the floor, Bill, as usua
on top. But the stranger knew his bust
| ness. No one had noticed that the tai
slim man had on a large pair of Spanisl
l spurs, which, contrary to custom, wer
sharp. Bill was the first one to make tn
discovery, for the stranger instead o
: struggling, as he ought to have done
clasped Bill firmly with his arms, Will
he doubled up his legs and, planting tn
spurs on Bills back near the shoulders
' he shot first one leg and then the othe
e down Bills back. He then reversed an
e brought the legs alternately up Bill
b back, exerting all the time a violen
downward pressure. The spurs bein
!. sharp, and Bill having on no coat, tn
: points penetrated the flesh, causin
great pain. Bill howled and struggled
l but to no purpose. The stranger worke
r his legs rapidly, and with the regularit
Of pistons, literally ripping him up tn
c back"
i Bill informed the audience in lar
h guage which admitted Of no misundel
standing that he had all he wantet
d and he and the stranger were untanglet
S The traveller set 'em up and, mountin
his broncho, resumed his journey. Bi
e went back to Dogtown reformed mai
e He rarely addresses a stranger, an
n when he does it is with great ciyilit,
e If you doubt the truth of this stor
stop at Centerville, on Butte creek, an
ask Bill Hooper about it.-Washingto
,. rost.