Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-01-04

hut their own that Jabez Goodharte had
been heard to say. IL answer to neigh
Dor who was warning MIN agalns
Fighting Tom:
Fear not, friend; If Thomas Fitz
gerald seeketh TO harm me, am vel
able to overcome him."
Half an hour later the man of wal
stood in the little garden of the man OF
peace.
"Mr. Goodharte," said he, In tone Of
stern politeness, as the Quaker camt
forward from among his flowers with
his usual smile Of welcome, my Damt
is Thomas Fitzgerald, and dare sag
you will be at no loss to guess my err
rand"
II shall guess II more easily, friend
Thomas, when thou hast stated 1t thy
SELF" answered Jabez, quietly.
"Well,' said Fitzgerald. rather taken
aback by this cool reception, after hav'
Ing so long made the whole neighbor'
hood tremble at his very name. "IheaI
that you, sir, have thought fit to say
that you were able to beat me II / should
attack you, and, Of course, such an ex'
preston can have but one result among
men Of honor. You understand me, ]
presume"
Perfectly, friend; thou wishest me
to do what In the language of the world
is called fighting duel"
"Just So" said Fitzgerald, more and
more astonished both at the Quaker
unexpected readiness to fight and at
the GOODNESS with which he spoke Of 1t.
"Name your friend, and I'll send mine
to meet him..
Friends have 1 many, I thank
Heaven" quoth Jabez, "but none for
such a purpose. Hear my conditions;
We will meet at noon tomorrow on
Wantley common, without seconds, on
horseback, and with such weapons as
each may choose; and whichever is first
driven off the ground shall be consid
cred beaten"
Fighting Tom laughed in spite Of
himself.
"It's pretty plain that you haven
had much to do with affairs of honor,
said he; "but one can hardly expect
Quaker to be an authority on duel
ing. Well, siy, 1 accept your terms
such as they are; and the sooner yor
make your will, and take leave OF your
friends, the better, for you've got little
enough time left"
Long before noon on the following
day, Wantley Common was crowded
as IL either the king himself or mon
ster circus had been expected to pass
that way. 1t still wanted a few min
utes of 10 o'clock, when clatter Of
horse hoofs was heard from the direc'
ton Of the town, and up rode Tom Fitz
gerald on his famous black horse, with
a sword by his side and pistols in his
holsters, looking fercely round for an
enemy.
Suddenly hum ran through the ex
pectant crowd, and, just as the first
stroke of IL pealed from the old church
tower, Jabez Goodharte was seen jog
cling comfortably along on an ambline
pony, holding in his hand something
that looked like long pole, though tho
end of 1t was hidden under his Grim
son dressing-gown.
This dressing-gown, fluttering In the
wind like flag, was too much for thu
nerves of Fitzgerald's horse, which be
gan plunging and rearing SO violently
as almost to unseat its rider.
Several of the lookers-on burst ou
laughing, and the enraged bully, hurl
ing a storm of abuse at them, charged
at Goodharte with drawn sword, mean
ing to cut him down like thistle.
But Just then Jabez whisked out hi!
pole, with a bladder full Of dried pea
at the end Of it, the rattle OF which
scared the already frightened horse
almost out Of Its senses.
Round II wheeled, despite Fitzgerald
furious squirting, and tore off across
! the common at such rate that In les
than two minutes horse and rider were
out Of sight, the frantic yells OF TIT
squire being scarcely heard amid tho
deafening laughter of the crowd.
Then the food of popular enthusiasm
broke loose. The victorious Quaker
was seized and carried shoulder-higf
into the town, with an accompaniment
Of cheering that made the Windows
rattle again.
The local papers were full Of the due
for days after, and Jabez was so over
whelmed with visits and invitations L
dinner that he hardly knew which wa,
to turn.
AS for Fighting Tom Fitzgerald, tha'
days work was the last Of him. 30 IA
as Bullocksham was concerned, TO
from that morning he never showed hi
face there again. But, three or fou
years later, Mr.. Hartiboy, the retired
landlord of the King George, return
ing from a tour through southern Eu
rope, brought word that Fitzgerald ha'
died at Milan of fl of apo2lexy, cause'
by r'simpudent question wheth
err he was fond of dried peas.-Goldei
Days.