The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-27
HOW FAGIN, A FIGHTER,
GOT CHRISTMAS TURKEY
He Couldn't See the Missus and
Patsy, Jr., Go Without Or
thodox Feast.
HIS BAD AND GOOD LUCK
Failed to Find Any Duck, but He
Carried Home a Turkey and
Trimmings"


follow the fortunes of the prize ring as is
that of Jim Jeffries or Young COrbett,
but Patsy was a lightweight fighter of
some note and more promise not so very
long ago
Indeed, Patsy might have been the cham
pion of his class but for an accident. He
fell asleep going to school one day and
walked into a spiked wall which turned
one of his eyes so much ofrside that when
he became a knuckle buster he never could
hit straight enough to land.
Besides being poorly guided when he
went to school Patsy stumbled in after life
and married.
The firm of Mr. and Mrs. Patsy went
along with some ups and more downs. but
they always had two live assets, Mary and
little Patsy.
A year ago to-day Mary was FIVE and
Patsy, jr., three going on four" as Pat
sy. ST., said.
Now that you have been introduced to
the characters in this little story Patsy
will tell the rest.
1t was two days before Christmas, year
ago. We were living in Camden, n. J..
the missus, ana the two kids. There
wasn't much doing in the training line and
l was broke.
When L got up the missus gave me the
dropping eyelid. L knew what was coming
but L let her lead.
Patrick because she went to boarding
school and is loaded to the guards with
dignity guess we won't have any tur-
L liked the way she was making book on
1t, but | had 10 stall a bit.
How do you known" 1 asked.
We'll we haven't any money, nave WEI"
she said.
1 couldn't counter here and had to let
the lead land.
be sure l don't mind, but it's the children"
1 never pinched anything yet, but L
couldn't help thinking that If 1 was to
meet guy about that time with a turkey
strapped to his handle there'd be a mix-up
with the bird as the long end of the gate
receipts.
l winged the missus round the neck and
| fetching her to a clinch, whispered:
How would duck do, instead of turkey?"
Duck she said, lifting her lamp slides.
| they grow. Well have duck. and turkey,
too, and the 1xings. Leave it to me-"
TRUCKING DUCK WITH SAIL.
You know, old pal, 1 may be a bum
| jabber. but can sight a gun. II 1 haven't
any knockouts in the ring to put on my
tombstone, I've knocked over many a coot
and redhead.
The birds had been flying low in the
marsh behind Petty's island, and 1 was out
before daylight the next morning-the day
| before Christmas-and sailing up the cove
! in one of Rufe Wilkins's sixteen-foot cats.
Rufe and me had often done the sail
| trick on the birds, and IL you know how,
| it's as easy way to get them as any other.
| You can sail down on flock of duck while
| they are feeding, when you couldIt paddle
| TO them or push skif through the reeds
| without soaring EN- to d scatter. Then,
when you get near enough, it's you uh Ger
the boom and blaze away with both bar
| rels.
| killed so many with the right and left, that
| they tore holes in the side as they came
| down.
You see. my game was to get dozen
| or SO, chase myself over to Philadelphia,
| sell the birds-I knew just where could
and then the turkey and fixings.
reached Racehorse point as the night
was tin-canning before the day. The yell
| low showed to the BASTARD over Pensauken
| creek, and Ii gave me the blues. 1t looked
like fair day, with the sun doing business
not the kind of a morning for duck
I'd have given half my shells for a drizzle
of rain, but the yellow began turning red.
| blushing for the way II was behaving to a
| poor guy who was laying low to feed his
kids.
1 kept under way and sailed up the cove
| as far as the dyke, keeping my lamps
| skinned for a show of feathers but /
| might well have been cunning on Broad
| way. The sun was up by this time and
chasing my Christmas dinner further away
every minute.
| 1 hated to quit, and crossing the cove TO
| Pea shore came down along the reeds on
| that side. I'll bet there wasn't a duck on the
1 whole Delaware from Trenton to the capes.
My gun, a beaut, hammerless Greener.
| lay across the centerboard trunk. AS l
| looked at IL, thinking what / would do to a
bunch of anything that happened an idea
| jolted me in the think pan.
As the sun got high lively breeze came
up from the eastward, and squaring away
| i trimmed sheet fer the big town
About 10 o'clock l toed the front door of
my brick-my fins were busy-and when
| the missus opened it she nearly cracked
| her mug with the grin that took me and the
| bundles in.
had the turkey all right, and all the
side shows that so with it.
| Patrick she said, when / dumped the
| Get busy, sis" says L, land don't ask
| any questions just now"
She began wedding out the things, and
| then, suddenly turning To me, says:
Where did you get the gun, Patrick?
| Did you dump the shells? You know how
| curious little Patrick is, and
| THE gun wont hurt Patsy" / replied,
| 81 lost ii overheard"
| Lost 1t everboardr' cries the missus.
dropping apple which fell into Patsy S
| mitt. why. Patrick. that's too bad"
| Never mind, sis" says l. Il know where
| ii is, and when the tide falls 1 can get il.
| A little oil will fix IL all right"
| "Ch. I'm glad" she says, and went out
| for another round at the chuck
| / went up stairs, where there was a pic
| ture of George Washington hanging on the
| wall They say he never told a lie, but
| wasn't ashamed TO look him in the face
as / dropped something behind the picture.
| 1t was a pawn ticket, and read.