The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-08-30
'You lie!" said the big man, and hit

himself up from the sidewalk. Also the
big man had hold of his collar. The big
man evidently contemplated nothing
SO vulgar as a street fight. He merely
intended to shake most of Tommy's
teeth down his throat as lesson, and
then to proceed on his way. But Tom
my had another speciality besides elec-
trical engineer.ng-footI at tackle
1t was related of him that he had
| rubbed Yale tackles nose so contin-
uously in the dust during match game
that at the close the Yale tackle had
sat down in his tracks and wept. Also
Tommy had been fond of sparring. He
hooked his right arm into the big mans
eye and swung his left into his stom-
ach, where, from the big mans build,
he was sure that it would make an i'm
| preston.
Then for a space Of two minutes
things happened swiftly. The big man
was as strong as buffalo, and he un-
doubtedly knew what boxing glove
was. But also, undoubtedly, he was
good liver, and Tommy hammered his
waist line faithfully. Tommy had also
found the big mans other eye. and his
upper lip. which needed stitch, and
his nose, which called aloud for the at
tention of a surgeon. On the other
hand, Tommy's own eye was sealed like
a government envelope.
| A respectable-sized crowd had gath
cred, who evidently appreciated the
fact that they were getting choice
| avvon1o nf tho Ectso ~ OF 1,or
price. The three women who had ac-
companied the big man stood where
they could view proceedings, wringing
their hands. Suddenly the one whom
the vandyke- bearded man had accosted
uttered little cry of horror. This dis
tracted the big mans attention for
fraction of a second, and Tommy
promptly inside-right-countere him
on the jaw and brought him to his
knees. Then two policemen came up.
"Thith fellow inthulted a young
woman in my party" said the big man.
sternly. through his damaged lip.
"Oh. Henry!" gasped the young wom-
an who had been insulted. she is not
the one at all. 1t was tall man with
beard"
''The man wot spoke to the young
! lady cut down that there alley" said
. cabman whose cab stood across the
street. ''This young fe,ler was jis'
comm roun' the corner wen it hap
I pened."
The big man regarded the twoyoung
women ironically. Tommy smiled out
of his one eye, and the policeman and
the crowd smiled, too.
!, "Will you be so kind as to call cab,
officer?" asked the big man.
: "Just moment" said the police
man. You assaulted this young man,
didn't you?"
II II did, said the big man, tenderly
; testing the bony structure of his nose
with his pocket handkerchief.
"Do you want to make complaint o.
asked the policeman of Tommy.
;. "Not at ALL" said Tommy, with great
geniality.
Then they called q cab for the big
. man and his party. and Tommy went to
his hotel and to bed.
The next morning when Tommy con.
suited mirror his eye resembled a
Turner sunset. He was strongly tempt.
ed to go back to Boston on the morn
;, ing train. Within three hours he was
: to apply to a stranger for responsible
= place, without a sign of a recommend
alton and an eye that looked as though
he had spent the previous night on the
Bowery. Then for the first time Tommy
, = swore at the big man. But II O'Clock
; found him at the Office of the National
Cold Storage company. The man in
: charge smiled skeptically when Tommy
told him his business. Then he in
: formed Tommy that the president hat
been called out of town that day, an6
: applications would have to be made
on the day following.
Tommy breathed sigh of relief, ant
!. went back to his hotel. The rest O.
that day and night he wore beef
steak poultice over his eye. This wa'
beneficial from medical point of view
but as far as appearances went, thu
eye was more glaringly impressionisti'
the next morning than before. Tomm.
felt depressed as he started for th'
Cold Storage Office. There were foul
or five applicants in the outer office
who looked as though they had beel
brought up in self-respecting Chris
e tan homes. Tommy sat in one corne
n and glared at anyone he caught look
r ing at his eye. He sat there two hours
8 before his turn came. Then the clerl
l. said the president would see him, ant
smiled again pessimistically. But b.
n this time Tommy felt too much like
d social outcast to resentit.
g The president sat at handsom
e cherry desk. He was large man, bu
d he was pale, and looked i'll. His uppe
+ lip was gioriously decorated Will
o court-plaster. His right eye was Gov
t cred by patch, and his left eye wa
e partly closed and of color schem
D that rivalled Tommy's own. Tommy
e heart slid down into his boots an
1t tried to get through the floor. Th'
4 next moment he found himself sitting