The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-28
FOUGHT OVER ebIU.!US
THE STORY OF TWO STUDENTS
TOLD BY THE LONELY
OLD COY
"a QUARREL ABOUT A GIRL
1T Lasted Two Years Over Half q
Century-A Fragile
Man and
Giant.

said the lonely old boy suddenly, IS
that you never know how long II VIII
last"
There was movement of surprise II the
lonely old boys neighborhood, because
no one had suspected that he was inter
ested in bellicose subjects, says the &ew
York Sun
For instance" continued the lo2el cd
boy, there was a strapping big 2th-ete
once who picked quarrel with fr 81 e.,
studious chap he could have bro--en Ill
two. Yet it took him sight longer to
finish that fight than he had any iGel it
would The fight lasted just two Y, ais
over half a century. The principa wsre
in my class when I was in coils Sc, and
that was rather a long time ago.
No one asked how long, because t 9
lonely old boys audience was not N err
ested in ancient history. Some said tne
lonely old boy was only eighty-four. but
others. placed him at 100.
1.-The fragile, studious chap was in his
study one afternoon in his senior year
pretending to search out the beauties of
a Latin poet, but in reality thinking as
~ hard as he knew how of a girl he la
danced with at a party the night he o e.:
In the midst of this occupation thele
came a knock at his door. " hen he
opened it he was surprised, because a
great man stood outside-none otaer than
the captain of the varsity crew. BIT all
the fragile chap said was
>'' Hello, Sterling, come in. Glad to see
you,
"And the varsity captain said: Hello
Norton. 1 was passing and thought I'd
look you up
Then he went in and sat down. At
first, the studous chap thought his Wis.,
3tor must have come on an errand, but
the captain merely sat and Chatted as
though 1t were customary thing for
him to be there. Then Norton, the stu
dious chap, couldn't help feeling the
least bit pleased, because a good fellow
likes to be found out.
q BY the way. said the captain, after
n while, 4 saw you at the party last
night. Have a good timer
g Bully, said Norton.
1.-THE captain laughed.
" You seemed to, he said. How many
times did you dance with Ethel Flush
ing?'
Norton opened his eyes a little, be-
cause it seemed to him that the captain
was growing intimate with a vengeance.
Then suddenly the smile on the captains
face faded, and Norton saw him grow
very red.
Look here Norton he said, Z saw
you come out Of the conservatory with
her and just before she came through
the door she was fixing her hair and
blushing.
Norton put down his pipe and got up.
" Don't get mad said Sterling. Pm
engaged to her. wasn't then. She-she
told me to ask you to tell me exactly
what happened. ard have it over with.
How many times did you kiss her?'
" She wants me to tell you exactly
what happened?' said Norton, looking
very grave.
" Yes said Sterling looking at Nor
tons left ear.
q" w ell kissed her-twice.'
Sterling swallowed once or twice
Well he said, did you-that is
why diG YOU kiss her.
understood you to say said Nor-
ton Slowly. that you're engaged to her?'
= Yes, answered Sterling
q Wei, said Norton, I kissed herlI
don't know why 1 kissed her
Sterling laughed. That's all right
he. said. BY the way, what were you
digging at when L came tn?'
Norton looked dazed.
I was reading Catullus,' he said
Find him Interestingly asked Sterling
geriaHy.
Oh. yes, very laughed Norton
You lie said Sterling. He's dead
slow
Norton looked at him for a moment
with his mouth open. Sterling WIS smil-
ing very little. Then Norton said
Oh, excuse ME. lit would be best
outside. L suppose
Sterling rose, and Norton put on his
oVercoat and hat. Then they went down.
stairs together. Ten minutes later Nor
ton and his second appeared behind the
gymnasium. Sterling and his were al
ready there. Norton's man looked indig-
nant.
Now. see here he said, as soon as he
got within speaking distance of Sterling.
Norton says this thing is perfectly
square ana has got to go on But 1
want to rem nd you. Sterling. that you've
thirty pounds to the good and
ou may save your BREATH said
Sterling, and Norton took hold of his
friends shoulder and led him back. In
another minute the two were stripped to
the waist
g 1t may he as WELL said Sterling look
ing his opponent in the eye, to make
clear exactly what this things about
les, said Norton. It's about a pas
sage from Catullus. I said it was coed
reading. Mr.. Sterling said I was liar
Inc two seconds laughed in spite of
themso Ives. Sterling knew as much
ABOUT CatGlus as about the dust of IN
discovered Ilanets.
PRECISELY said Sterling blackly, and
1sh" d mn
A smile flickered in the corners of
Norton's mouth as they faced one an
other. The Ciffe renee between them was
almost funny. Norton was tall. half a
head taller than his opponent. but thin
armed and fiat chested. Sterling had the
beautiful muscles of the seasoned cars
man and stood with the easy alertness of
the skilled boxer.
Sterling went to work not like a nrze-
fighter but like an artist In the first
round he closed both of Norton's ewes
me second he devoted to battering Nor.
tons nose out of shape with a careful
accuracy that spared his man otherwise
as much as possible. Then he cut Nor
toms lip and marked his face up various
~. Norton was a good canvas for his
opponents decorative effects because he
foundered up to his punishment with the
KIND OF grit that fighters are made Of
AT the beginning Of the fifth round Sterl-
ing suggested that he had enough. Nor.
ton thought otherwise, so Sterling pui
MIN out in three blows, as he might have
done at any moment since the fight he
gan
The next night Sterling was calling On
Miss Flushing, to whom he was enga ged
when the door bell rang and Norton was
ushered in. Miss Flushing looked anus.
ed when she saw his face
Good evening" said Norton. Il won,
keep you long. 1 came round 10 make ar
apology. Yesterday afternoon. Miss
Flushing, I told Mr. Sterling that 7 baG
kissed you at the party on Wednesday
night
Miss Flushing did not show any sur.
prise though round-eyed with indignation
Mr. Norton, she demanded how
could VO1I Il -Srrob rr,iol-o5