St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-08-25

he was sure that it would make an i'm
| preston.
Then for a space Of two minute:
things happened swiftly. The big man
was assstrong as a buffalo, and he un.
| doubtedly knew what boxing glove
was. But also, undoubtedly, he was a
good liver, and Tommy hammered his
waist line faithfully. Tommy had also
found the big mans other eye, and his
upper lip, which needed a stitch, and
his nose, which called aloud for the at
tention of 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 thai they were getting a choice
sample Of the fistic art at Bargain
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 a
promptly inside-right-eountered 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, 'the is not
the one atsall. 1t was tall man with
a beard" 81
"The man wot spoke to the young
lady cut down that there alley" said
a cabman whose cab stood across the
street. 'SThis young feller was lis
comm roun' tle corner wen it hap
pened."
The big man regarded the two young
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,
of6cer? asked the bigman.
"Just a moment" said the police
man. You assaulted this young man,
didn't you?"
II did," said the big man, tenderly
testing the bony structure of his nose
with his pocket handkerchief.
"Do you want to make complaint?''
asked the4 4policeman of Tommy.
Not at H." said Tommy, with great
geniality.f I
Then thty called cab for the big
man and his party, and Tommy went to
his hotel md to bed.
The nexb morning when Tommy con-
suited mirror his eye resembled a
Turner suaset. 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 sign of 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 skeptieally when Tommy
told him his business. Then he in
formed Tommy. that the president had
been called out of town that day, and
would have to be made
on the day following.
Tommy breathed sighzof relief, and
went back to his hotel. The rest of
that day and night he wore beef
steak poultice over his eye. This was
beneficial from medical point of view,
but as far as appearances went, the
eye was more glaringly impressionistie
the next morning than before. Tommy
felt depressed as he started for the
Cold Storage Office. There were four
Or five applicants in the outer Office,
who looked as though they had been
brought up in self-respecting Chris
:ian homes. Tommy sat in one corner
Ind glared at anyone he caught look
ng at his eye. He sat there two hours
before his turn came. Then the clerk |
said the president would see him, and
smiled again pebsimistically. But by
his time Tommy felt too much like a |
Iocial outcast to resent it.
The president sat at a handsome
berry desk. He was large man, but
le was pale, and looked ill His upper
ip was gloriously decorated with
His right eye was COW
red by a patch, and his left eye was
artly closed and Of color scheme
hat riyalled Tommy's own. Tommy's
ried to get through the floor. The
ext moment he found himself sitting
n chair at the right of the presidents
esk- He sat there and regarded the
residents intirmities dumbly.
You are applying for this position ?"
sked the great man harshly.
Tommy admitted that he was. Rec
lamentations Tommy explained hol-
owly about honors in electrical en-
ineering, and the fact of Prof. Chal-
lers and Superintendent Kendall, of
he General Electric, being out of town.
he president snorted. Then he turned
to Tommy's eye.
do you drink?" he asked.
"No, SIR" said Tommy.
'Fight?"
"Oh, ne. sir. answered Tommy.
Where did you get that eye?" asked
he president.
Tommy regarded the president out
the other one.
Il was riding bicycle" said Tom
y. "and ran into an electric car"
The president sat IN silence for sew
raj moments. Tommy began TO feel
ylyr s
What we want for this place" said
le president finally. sis pushing.
resourceful man-one who