The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-05-13
FUNSTON TIE FIGHTER

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But he did not worry. In fact, he never
Goes. He went his way with the same
quiet, modest manner which alwevs
marked 9tm. But If any boy or bows be-
came anxious for row, he would mingle
and swarm all over them, He never
asked for a fight, but he lost Few. -
In dme Fred went to Lawrence to be-
come student Of the state university.
There be entered into at the sports with
= ze0t, but was lax in his studies. He al.
ways had q faculty OF taking up what
1seereseed him and ooolW passing by
the rest. He was content that the other
students Should yell the college yell, but
ne stood ready to back up "Old Jayhawk''
at the drop of the hat This readiness
first brought him into public notice and
also nearly wound up his college career
His pistol was the melting cause for the
deliberations Of the faculty. -'
Lawrence, like all college towns, is
city divided between two opinions. One
side is held by the students and the other
by the resident populace. Funston. of
course was with the students. One night,
In company with a fellow student, the
youth was promenading the main thor
oughfare of the historical town which
Quantrell burned. The two young men
encountered bad Bill" a huge and dan
gerous negro, noted as razor fighter and
alltaround rufRer. The man was remark
able for his physical prowess and de-
termination to rid the streets of all
astugents,' as he called them. With
hourlsh of his big and knotted arms he
ordered the boys to scamper back to the
hill or he: would presently exterminate
| both.
"Funston's companion promptly put
space between himself and Bill. Fred
calmly looked at the negro with his blue
| eyes" growing black. He waved the man
aside and started forward Bill whipped
md until
down on the youth. Young Funston as
promptly whipped out bright new pis-
ual, leVeled 1t at the man and said: IT
don't want to hurt you, but if you don't
drop that razor III shoot you."
Bill hesitated FOR short time, then
| seeing the hoy meant business, dropped
the weapon and commenced to back away
."Stop!,', commanded the boy "Pick UP
that razor and put it in your pocket. Now
| turn about and march straight to the
calaboose. Mind, I've got you covered,
| and if you bat ian eye off goes the TOP
of your head. March" ~..::
| That settled it, Bill was locked up and
nned the next day. He never waited
afterward to get within range of the
youngster who had taken his measure
SO easil y" But the faculty thought stu
dents should not carry weapons and the
boy was compelled TO dance on the car
pet. He .sweetly and resolutely declined
to pay any attention to the orders of the
rulers. But he was the congressman S
son and this saved him from expulsion.
About the time Funston graduated the
Santa Fe road decided that a conductor
needed a check. So collectors were put
on trains to take up the tickets of pas
-sengers, while the conductors swung Ian
terms or arms to send the train on Fun
ston wanted a job and had no trouble
In getting one on the road as collector.
He ran from Emporia to Nickerson. This
in ha ot~Hy 1n
went through the town adjacent to many
of the biggest ranches in Kansas. One
day a cowboy got on the train at EN-
poria to go to Florence, a few miles
away. The man was feeling morose and
wanted row.
The cowboy rsached Emporia not very
"tstrong,' as they say when they go out
for a good time, so he had not filled up
on bad whisky to his usual extent. He
felt ugly in consequence, and, took his
place in tile smoker with the determina-
ton of beating his way. y He had the
usual supply OF guns, the usual long hair
and high-heeled boots and a reputation
for being quick the trigger. Fred
started to make his train, when he en-
countered the ranchman, who scoWled at
his demand for ticket. Funston repeat
ed the demand.
''Ticket, help roared the cowboy II
amt got no ticket, which I ain't none
kin ride on this yere outfit without none"
mo, that's a mistake, my man." was
the quiet reply "You can't ride on this
outfit unless you pay your fare, and be
quick about it, too, for am in hurry"
Hurry, be We? Well, just uncinch a
I'm skeered of you, you shore slips a
strap" 49,. p.
Come come, I have no time to fool
with you. You pay or get off, and mighty
quick, too.''
The cowboy yip-yipped a couple of
times, pulled gun with a flourish and
was dropping it down on the boy. Fred
leaped like catamount inside the aim,
seized the fellow by the throat, took away
his gun and smote him over the head
with it. Then he pulled the air brakes,
stopped the train, tossed the cowboy off,
tossed his gun after him and finished by
heaving hits of stone picked from beside
the roadbed at him. He kept this up till
the last coach drew nigh, then swung
carelessly on his train and about his busi-
ness ''r'''' .-'+ ~ . '.z"55"'' 3 ',Ea.l'
Railroadfng grew wearisome after this.
Cowboys refused to ride on his train and
the other passengers were peaceful, so
things palled. The young fellow must
have Romany blood In him anyway. for
he never would stay put long in any
place. So, growing tired of life on the
rail, he CIT it and joined his father in
Washington. There he was fitted with a
desk in a department, but his blood was
too hot for this. He heard of the geo.
graphical and geological survey in the
West. so he besought the paternal inf1l,-.
ence and went with the party. He put in
some eighteen months at this work and
after perils and hardships which few men
suffer these days, was back In Washing
ton again, out of job = j. ~ :-l5-4 Z.
Then Farmer Funston determined it was
time for the boy to buckle down to some
life business He could write and the
father used his influence to puts him On
the Kansas City paper. Fred lasted about
the usual time there. In fact, he quit
sooner than was. his WON'T for Kansas
City was a dull town, devoid of good
fighting. Its glory had passed with the
destruction of the once + famous James
gang. So before anybody knew what
was coming off the youth showed UP In
Washington again. He made money easily,
but Ethe cared little for IT as such. He
Travelled over the East, writing when he
felt like it. - ~ Esss ~ r ssa
Finally ssome five years ago he started
for Alaska He had no special notion in
making the trip, but; like every hing else
he has touched, he made 1T count. He
explored more OF that unknown region
than any predecessor had explored and
was able to correct some geograpfical
lines. His services were valuable to the
government and were suitably rewarded.
Fighting is bids forte In spite OF the.
ance. America was distressingly peaceful
No war could be had here, so this young
ster determined he would CO. where he
could find some fighting. s.,
+. Three yeats ago. he went to Cuba In
his travels he had e9me across the .juntasi
land soon became i1nbtled with q desire to
do battle under the lone star flag. I'd!
think n fO5 efsf r it,S E4r - .,