Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-12-07
WHY THE FIGHTER REFORMED.
| Discovered That the Strangers Spurs Were
i SharIa MINT "a GuuId ~

Discovered That the Strangers Spurs Were
Sharp and That He Could Use Them.
Everybody, and 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 a celebrity
all the way down Butte creek from
TIupp's Mill to Chico. There was hard
ly a 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 a shining success as rough |
and tumble fighter, depending more on |
strength and agility than science, and |
his invariably successful experiences |
in this line persuaded him that he had |
a 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 unmistakable. 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 small
broncho. The traveller hitched his horse
to post in front of the hotel and walked
into the barroom to get drink. He 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 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 man
with legs as long as those in the pos
session of the traveller, should squander
, !, valuable time in riding broken-down
, 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
s to whom he was addressing his CONVEX
e sation.
This nettled the stranger somewhat,
and he threw out hint in the direction
of how much more profitable it might
prove to attend to ones own affairs
;. than to worry about those of others
Such holiness was not calculated to in
r duce the conversation to languish. Bill
! | was unaccustomed to what he char
n acterized as back talk, and the traveller
was promptly challenged to fight. He
failed to see the necessity for this, and
tried to excuse himself on the ground
! of suffering with chills and in no con-
+ dition to fight. Bill declined to recog-
e nize this as valid, and the stranger,
. with much reluctance, prepared to
e meet as best he could Bills onslaught.
o No time was wasted in scientific dis
play. Bill closed at once and down they
both went on the floor, Bill, as usual,
on top. But the stranger knew his bust
ness No one had noticed that the tall,
slim man had on large pair of Spanish
spurs, which, contrary to custom, were
sharp. Bill was the first one to make the
discovery, for the stranger, instead of
struggling, as he ought to have done,
clasped Bill firmly with his arms, while
he doubled up his legs and, planting the
spurs on Bills back near the shoulders,
he shot first one leg and then the other
down Bills back. He then reversed and
brought the legs alternately up Bills
back, exerting all the time violent
downward pressure. The spurs being
sharp, and Bill having on no coat, the
points penetrated the flesh, causing
great pain. Bill howled and struggled.
but to no purpose. The stranger worked
his legs rapidly, and with the regularity
of pistons, literally ripping him up the
back"
Bill informed the audience in Ian
guage which admitted of no misunder-
Il standing that he had all he wanted,
and he and the stranger were untangled
| ne traveller set Gil up dus,
his broncho, resumed his journey. Bill
i went back to Dogtown reformed man
He rarely addresses a stranger, and
when he does it is with great civility
If you doubt the truth of this story
stop at Centerville, on Butte creek. and
ask Bill Hooper about it.-Washington
Post.
Fooled After All.
During the Peninsular war number