Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-01-04
( A New Kind OF Du6I.
By DAVID KER.

EVERYONE said - although they
took care to say It only when he
could not hear them-that Squire Fitz-
gerald, popularity known as Fighting
Tom" was born TO be the plague OF all
mis- neighbors. If SO, he certainly full
filed the purpose of his birth better
than most men do.
lie seemed to have NO other object in
life except finding quarrel to fight OUT
or else fighting out quarrel that he
had found. When no pretext for row
was to be had, Fighting Tom was the
quickest man alive at inventing one;
and, indeed, it seemed to be all one to
him, provided the affair ended In a
fyht. whether the man with whom he
fought had done anything to him or
not.
What with horsewhipping, knocking
down, shooting or "pinlIing" with q
small sword, every man who could be
brought to give him the chance, our
worthy Mr.. 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 1t was
favorite joke with the ways OF the
neighborhood that the fighting squire
could not sleep at night II he had hap
pened to go through whole day with
out killing or hurting some one, which
did not happen often, as you may sup
pose, in times when gentlemen fought
with their best friends for a chance dis
pute about the speed of horse or the
color of dog.
II was a sight to see this terrible fell
low galloping into the little town on
market day upon his great black horse
which no one could ride but himself
with his hat cooked fiercely 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 1t was sci.
dom enough that he had a chance OF
using It. for the moment he was seen
coming down the road everybody took
to their heels as il he had been a mad
dog.
And then be would swagger 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 whole company, watching all the
while to see If anyone would dare to
contradict or oppose him.
But it was very rarely that anyone did
so; for he was a 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 q man within ten miles OF his
house whom he couldn't thrash easily
We have said that this amiable gem
tleman was popularity believed to have
quarreled with every man in the parish
of Bullocksham. But this belief, though
correct enough in the main, was not en-
tirely 80. 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 Jabez Goodharte, the
Quaker.
For threats, ebuse or loud talk Of
every kind, "friend Jabez" had but on'
answer, and that was to smile his owl
pleasant, kindly smile and say In hi
chirping little voice, which sounded JUS
like the chirrup Of a canary: Men say
that II taketh two to make quarrel
friend and I will not be one"
And Jabez certainly acted up to hi
words; for whereas Tom Fitzgerald car
ried with him wherever he went an at
mosphere OF strife and brawling, thu
kindly old Quaker seemed to put every
body in good humor with the mere sigh
of his compact little figure and bright
CHEEKY face.
Sulky old Grimes, the tollman, WHIT