Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-05-11

he'll break my neck il show my face
before daylight"
"Do you think he would?'
81 haven't the slightest doubt of 1t,
SIR"
II have. Come right up now and let's
sce."
"Oh. no, indeed. sir! don't dare"
IF you don't, I'll spank you myself.
The idea of your being turned out at the
whim of drunken bully! Come OH! I'll
see that he doesn't harm you"
Billy obeyed tremblingly.
Jcm walked the instant they crossed
the threshold of the room and swore a
mighty oath to do Billy IL he did not
instantly vanish.
NO. said John, Selling the little
mans collar as he turned to flee. this Is
no night for man with cough like his
to be out, and he IL going to bed"
'IIcxcuse me-" responded Jem. with
hooking affectation Of courtesy, but. Hi
suppose you 'av'n't been Uniformed has
Iii said has 'ow e was to git hout."
"Oh. yes. But that don't make any
difference"
Jcm was for q few moments literally
| pnralyzed with establishment, and the
other two men In their beds sat up and
| stared In silence. nghast at such audacity.
Dye know who Iii amY' roared Jem,
| when he recovered his breath.
mo! And don't care"
| soho! You don't! Well, Him the Liv-
erpoOl Terror-Hi am; hand Hill make
! you care"
| AS he spoke he sprang out Of bed and
made rush for the audaciOus American.
Had the ensuing fight been conducted nc.
corling TO the rules Of the London
prize ring" In which Jcm had won some
laurels, he would have been very ugly
antagonist for the unframed young farm
or. with all the latter's quickness.
strength and courage. But In a "rough-
and.tumble." John could hit twice to his
once, and Jem soon had a lively expert
ence Of what has come to be technically
known In latter days as "cyclOne fight
Ing"
His room mates, highly delighted with
this unexpected nocturnal entertainment,
conducted themselves rs critical specta-
| tors, encouraging and criticising the com.
batants as occasion seemed to invite.
"'E's bcstin thee, lad" said one of
them.
"lIi'll break i'm In two" howled Jcm,
only to be on the instant himself iloorctl.
Hast no license TO break yon chap In
two" commented one OF his friends, dry.
~.
Looks like thou'd get broke thyssr."
added the other.
Jcni had no spare breath for further
idle speech. Billy made nimsclf as small
as possible In IN angle Of the wall and
stared In anxious terror. 1t was not long
| until Jcm wis caught In wrestling
lock" Of his own seeking and thrown
| with such violence that for a moment he
was stunned. When he regained his
senses he found his nose tlattened ON the
floor, Johns knee upon his neck, anj one
OF his arms twisted up on his back, In
johns grasp, 80 that a very little tug
upon It gave him excruciating pain.
"Can Billy 20 to bed now and stay
there undisturbedY' John asked.
Jcm was sullenly silent until his arm
was twitchcd. Then. with profane en-
phasis, he replied that Billy might. md
20. far as he was concerned, stay there
until the judgment day. Thcreupon John
let him up. ana peace rcigncd again.
BLOW me hif you hnin't In good un.
young fcller," growled the defeated
Liverpool Terror" In the surly but sin.
ccre recognition Of genius that his own
professional standing among "the fan.
cy" demanded.
From that time on. Billy never needed
a protector again, but his gratitude SEEM
cd to inspire In him IN almost dog-like
affection for ana attachment to the
strong young American who had come so
opportuncly to hfs aid. And John took
the interest In him that men almost al.
ways get to feel In the weaker things
they help and shield.
"Of course" said Billy, II can never
do anything to return your kindness. I'm
no good any more. hut wasn't always
~. Glass blowing has done me up, as 1t
did my father before me. 1t just takes
the lungs out OF us. especially such as
work on window glass, ana that's my
line. When It first caught me, about five
years ago, l couldn't believe It, ! had
always been 50 well. But my children
were always sickly. | thought 1t was
the damp climate Of England that allied
me, SO l came here. Maybe it would
have helped me IL | had come sooner;
but had waited too long. kept get.
ting worse. The doctor said II ] went
on glass blowing 1t would soon kill me-.
Still ! stuck to II, for ! could earn good
wages when ! was able to work, aud |
| Nuutcu 10 yet eHousu tOEetHcT 10 DTiuk
over my wife aud children-Only two left.
the last of five. At last, had to give
up; but l knew nothing else to do, and
wasn't strong enough for much. ! went
to peddling books-religious books-but
could scarcely live ut 1t, to say nothing
of sending money home. SO every time
got u little better, ont on the road In the
open air. ! would 20 back to the glass
works. ana when they had used me up,
took to the road again. 1t was all ups
and downs, but each up was less high
than the one before, and each down was
lower. Still ! hung on to my hope aud
earned wages every time ! was strong
enough to stand on the plank until about
eight months ago, when | got n letter
that told me my wife was dead Of typhoid
and my children-little Mabel. only three
years old, and the baby--were taken by
the parish. Oh how | did pray for
strength to earn money to bring them To
me. felt rs II ! could steal, almost kill.
for that. But praying did no good. My
lungs were never worse than shen. The
next ! heard, the children were dead,
the baby first aud then my sweet little
Mabel. Well, they're better of, and n0
farther from me now than they were be.
fore. maybe ucarer; but-O God. how
lonely ! feel"
Such condolences naturally provoked q
return from John, and he told the story
of how he came to be In Temperanceville.
beginning with his falling In love with
/ InNt NG,,l, tb.N nns,tl A,