The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-30
fl New Kind OF Du6I.
Ey DAVID KER.

AOOk care ~ SdJ ~ oAig NANh ~
could not hear them-that Squire Fitz-
gerald, popularity known as Fighting
Tom" was born TO be the plague OF all
his neighbors. If so, he certainly full
filled the purpose of his birth better
Shan most men do.
lie seemed TO have no other object in
1ife except finding quarrel TO fight out.
or else fighting out quarrel that he
had found. When no pretext for a row
was 10 be had, Fighting Tom was the
quickest man alive at inventing one;
and, indeed, il seemed 10 be all one TO
him, provided the affair ended in a
fight. whether the man with whom he
fought had done anything TO him or
not.
What with horsewhipping, knocking
down. shooting or 'pinking" with a
small sword, every man who could be
brought to give him the chance, our
worthy Mr. Fitzgerald had made such
good use of his opportunities that there
was not a man in the parish to whom he
had not done something, and it was a
favorite joke with the wags of the
neighborhood that the fighting squire
could not sleep at night il he had hap
pened TO go through a whole day with
out killing or hurting some one, which
did not happen often, as you may sup
pose, in times when gentlemen fought
with their best friends for a chance dis
pute about the speed OF horse or the
color of dog.
IL was n sight TO see this terrible fell
low galloping into the little town on a
market day upon his great black horse,
which no one could ride but himself,
with his hat cooked fiercely over one eye
and his heavy whip in his hand, ready
for a good cut NJ anybody who might
dare 10 get in his way; but ii was sell
dom enough that he had a chance Of
using IL, for the moment he was seen
coming down the road everybody took
ITO their heels as II he had been mad
dog.
And then he would swagger INTO the
coffee room Of the King George, where
the farmers used TO dine, ard take the
best seat az table and lay down the law
TO the whole company, watching all the
while 10 see IL anyone would dare to
contradict or oppose him.
But il was very rarely that anyone did
so; for he was a great, brawny fellow,
six feet high and quite as ready with
his fists as with his sword or pistol, and
IL was his favorite boast that there
wasn't man within ten miles of his
house whom he couldn't thrash easily"
We have said that this amiable gem
tleman was popularity believed to have
quarreled with every man in the parish
of Bullocksham. But this belief, though
correct enough in the main, was not en-
tirely so. There was one man with
whom he had never quarreled, for the
simple reason that the most quarrel
some man alive could scarcely have
managed TO get any cause Of dispute
out OF dear old Jabez Goodharte, the
Quaker.
For threats, abuse or loud talk Of
every kind, "friend Jabez" had but one
answer, ana that was 10 smile his own
pleasant, kindly smile and say in his
chirping little voice, which sounded just
like the chirrup of canary: "Men say
that IL taleth two TO make a quarrel,
friend. and | will not be one"
Aud Jabez certainly acted up 10 his
words; for whereas Tom Fitzgerald car
ried with him wherever he went an at
mosphere OF strife and brawling, the
kindly old Quaker seemed TO put every
body in good humor with the mere sight
OF his compact little figure and bright,
CHEEKY face.
Sulky old Grimes, the tollman, who
grumbled at everyone else, twisted his
grabbed visage into n kind OF wintry
smile as Mr.. Goodharte passed, and had
even been known TO wish him a merry
Christmas most unheard-of stretch
OF cordiality for him.
Two hulking wagoners fighting in the
market place had been stopped by Jabe2
stepping fearlessly in between them
and joining their huge brown hands in
his with few words Of kindly re.
proof.
Even stiff old Lord Ivytower, the
prondest man In the whole county, had
condescended 10 shake hands cordially
with Mr.. Goodharte and TO give him
five pounds for ''his poor" for Jabes
seemed TO consider all the poor of Bull
lockshnm as his own especial property
mud was always trotting about with
baskets OF food and bundles Of flannel
now sitting up all night with a sicl
child. now reading 70 a blind old WON
an. and now putting an unemployed
an In the way Of getting job.
Hitherto Fitzgerald Ind let his qule
little nelghbor contcmptuously alone
ms not being q fighting man; but a
length something occurred to make hin
change his mind News reached hin
through one OF those countless individ
GALS who attend 10 everybody's affair
but their own that Jabez Goodharte ha,
been heard &c say, In answer TO a neigh