The St. Johns herald., 1900-06-02
h New Kind Of Duel.
By DAVID XRR.
A~~~~~A~~~~~A~

could not hear them-that Squire Fitz-
 gerald. popularly known as Fighting
 Tom." was born to be the plague of all
 his neighbors. If 20, he certainly full
 filled the purpose of his birth better
 than most men do.
 He seemed to have 10 other object in
 life except finding quarrel to fight out.
 or else fighting out quarrel that he had found. When DO pretext for row was 10 be had. Fighting Tom was the
 quickest man alive at inrenting one;
 and. indeed. il seemed to be all one to him, provided the affair ended in a
 light. whether the man with whom he
 fought had done anything to him or
 not.
 What with horsewhipping. knocking down. shooting or "pinking" with a small sword. every man who could be
 brought to give him the chance. our worthy MT. Fitzgerald had made such good use of his opportunities that there
 was not a man in the parish to whom he had not done something, and it was a
 favorite joke with the wags of the
 ncighborhood that the fighting squire could not sleep at night if he had hap pened 10 go through whole day with out killing or hurting some one. which did not happen often. as you may sup pose. in times when gen tlemen fought with their best friends for chance dis pute about the speed of a horse or the color of dog.
 It was a sight to see this terrible fei- tow galloping into the little town on market day upon his great black horse. which no one could ride but himself, with his hat cooked fercely over one eye and his heavy whip in his hand. ready for a good cut at anybody who might dare to get in his way: but il was sell dom enough that he had g chance of using it. for the moment he was seen coming down the road everybody took 10 their heels as i! he had been a mad dog.
 And then he would swsgger into the coffee room of the King George, where the farmers used to dine. and take the best seat at table and lay down the law to the whcle company, watching all the while 10 see if anyone would dare to COHtEdUlct OE OppOec niM.
 But it was very rarely that anyone did so: for he was great, brawny fellow, six feet high and quite as ready with his fists as with his sword or pistol. and it was his favorite boast that there wasn't a man within ten miles of his house whom he couldn't thrash easily"
 We have said that this amiable gen Sl ~1~ Aafs A0A quarreled with every man in the parish of Bullocksham. But this belief. though correct enough in the main. was not en- tirely so. There was one man with whom he had never quarreled. for the simple reason that the most quarrel some man alive could scarcely have managed to get any cause of dispute out of dear old Jabex Goodharte. the Quaker.
 For threats. abuse or loud talk of every kind. friend Jabez" had but one answer. and that was to smile his own pleasant. kindly smile and say in his chirping little voice. which sounded just like the chirrup of canary: "Men say that ii taketh two to make a quarrel, friend. and will not be one"
 And Jabez certainly acted up to his words; for whereas Tom Fitzgerald car ried with him wherever he went an at. moEphere of strife and brawling. the kindly old Quaker seemed to put every body in good humor with the mere sight of his compact little figure and bright, cheery face.
 Sulky old Grimes. the tollman. who grumbled al everyone else, twisted his grabbed visage into kind of wintry smile as Mir. Goodharte passed. and had even been known to wish him merry ChriStmas-s most unheard-of stretch of cordiality for him.
 Two hulking wagoners fighting in tbe market place had been stopped by Jabez stepping fearlessly ia between them and joining their huge brown hands in hi. with a few words of kindly re- proof.
 Even stiff old Lord Iyytower. the Protidexi man in the whole county. had rOndeScended to shake hands cordially with MT. Goodharte and to give him five pounds for 'his poor" for Jabez seemed 10 consider all the poor of Bull as his own especial property. and was always trotfing about with baskets of food and bundles of flannel. now sitting up all night with a sick child. now reading 10 blind old woms an. and now putting an unemployed man in ihe way of getting job.
 Hitherto Fitzgerald had lei his quiet little nPighbor contemptuously alone. as not being fighting man: but at length something occurred 10 make him change his mind. News reached him through one of those countless indiyid- nals who attend io everybody's affairs but their own that Jabez Goodharie had been heard to say. in answer to neigh. Dor who was warning him against Fighting Tom:
 Fear not. friend; if Thomas Fitz- gerald seeke;h to harm me. am we'll able to overcome him."
 Half an hour later the man of war stood in the little garden of the man of peace.
 "Mr. GOodharte." said he. in tone of stern politeness. as the Quaker came forward from among his flowers with bis usual smile of welcome. my name is Thomas Fitzgerald. and l dare say Tou will be at no loss to guess my er- and"
 "I shall guess it more easily. friend Thomas. when thou hast stated it thy self" answered Jabez. quietly.
 "WeH," said Fitzgerald. rather taken ,back by this cool reception. after hav- ng so long made the whole neighbor- hood tremble at his very name. ''I hear hat you. sir. have thought fit to say hat you were able to beatme If should