The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-09-12
THE BARRIERS MISTAKE.
He Ran Into a Cyclone When Expect
ing to Meet Only a Gentle
Zephyr.

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There is a barber in the north CEN
trail part of the city who used to be
full Of gossip about prize fighters. He
could tell you who anyone fought in
1878, their weights, the number Of
rounds, and how the Knockout blow
was landed. In fact, he was some
thing Of a handy man with the mitts
himself, he admitted under pressure,
says the Detroit Free Press. He had
a back room that was kept clear, SO
that he could retire with a few friends
once in awhile to give an exhibition
Of the manly art. His chief stock in
trade, when 1t came to an encounter,
was his reputation and his ability to
initiate a windmill in motion. How he
got his fame, unless, like many other
lighters, by his ability as a talker, was
a hard thing for the boys to under
stand, after It "a all over, because,
like all fighters, Mr.. Barber one day
met more than his match.
A minister was in the habit Of call
ing at the shop for a shave, and, al
though the boys usually let up on the
fight talk when the clergyman was
present, they were sometimes so inter-
ested and the barber so talkative that
the conversation went along and the
minister got in on the grand wind-up
Of some Of the gossip. He even dipped
in occasionally, while the barber was
putting on the talcum powder, and he
expressed an interest in the art,
One day, during the dull afternoon,
just after the clergyman had been
given his scrape and was reaching for
his hat, the barber winked to the
other men and casually asked the min
lister if he would like to put on the
gloves for a few minutes and get some
idea Of how the thing went.
He hesitated a little, saying that he
feared he would not be able to make
It eve interesting for them, but thA
crowd, seeming fun, Joined in the p
suasion, and the barber was soon ID
fully putting on the mitts and ii
crowd took good seats, where thes
would not miss any details.
The banber was evidently as at as
a cello. He danced around the ring
to warm up a bit, and when the man
with the watch called: "Ready-go,'
the barber was ready with a swing
that would almost take the roof Of a
church. But the church was not there;
and the minister was untouched, for
he had ducked. This was a surprise
for Mr.. Barber. He felt that to sus-
tain his reputation he would have to
put the minister out with n blow, so
he got ready again for a stinger.
1t was q stinger, all right, and it
landed right on the tip Of the barber's
nose. The minister saw what he was
up against, and he determined to get
there first. The clergyman took ad-
vantage of the moment, and while the
barber was yet wondering whether Il
was an accident, there came another
blow that closed the shop for nearly
C week. His strong right landed on
the BARRIERS jaw, and for once the
talking machine refused to work. The
barber lay in a heap IN n corner.
The minister took off his gloves calm
Iy, with the remark that it was warm
work, and that the manly art Of self
defense is n that pays well for all
the little trouble it occasions.
In an hour or two they got the bar
Der on his feet and he looked anxious
ly about him. The minister had gone.
Did You see me hit him?" he asked.
you meant well" was the reply,
bat he got there first"
Since then the barber has cut oil
his supply Of weekly sporting papers
and now he talks about ping-pong ane
croquet The minister, he learned
later, was n Of the best amateurs in.
the city, and could make a good Hv-
ing in the ring. II he ever LEFT ths
pulpit