Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-11-11
The Initiation Of
An e. ~yo General
Jriginal.1

men, and now John Hunkins, the son
Of a retired brewer, had been appoint
ed. There was babel of voices at the
Junior mess, all raised in protest
against this invasion Of a prerogative
of the peerage. One man sat quietly
listening without word, but he was a
younger son Of a baronet who had
made money in trade and had been adj
mitted to the sacred circle of titled
people because he had given his for
tune to the poor. George Trotter had
no reason to feel aggrieved at the new
appointment and vouchsafed no re-
mark either Of agreement or dissent.
"It's very easy to get wild of these
common intwuders," said Lord Hart
ley. Gail we have to do Is to fweeze
'em out"
"Just So" assented the Hon. Mr..
Maxcey.
"But suppose their beggarly natures
are too obtuse to see what's meant by
the tweatment we give 'em?' put in
the Earl of Harrowby
''In that case" Hartley explained,
well appoint a committee to visit
their rooms and smash their furniture"
"a very effective measure" remark
ed the Hon. Maxcey.
"Twotter," said Hartley, "you don't
seem intewested in the matter at ALL"
''I'm not"
ooh, Twotter's not been one Of our
kind long enough to be intewestedv'
sneered Harrowby.
''That's just it," replied Trotter COM
posedly. my great-grandmother didn't
happen to be kings Mistress"
narrowly, whose title had originated
in the manner referred to, did not ap-
pear at all distressed at the allusion.
Indeed, he was quite proud of the rela-
tion the founder Of the family bore to
the sovereign.
At this point who should walk into
the messroom but the subject Of the
discussion, we'll built young English
man, with flaxen hair and blue eyes.
Good evening, gentlemen" he said,
taking seat and helping himself. "Pm
glad to be one Of YOU"
The Hon. Mr.. Maxcey, turning,
brought his monocle on the newcomer.
II say, isn't your father a brewerY
"He was," replied Hunkins.
swell, then, why didn't he bring you
up to the business?'
isn't your father Lord BungleriedY'
eyes"
''Well, why didn't he bring you up
to be a gentlemanW
Some of the mess smiled, but those
who had been most active with their
tongues then and there resolved that
the brewers son must be frozen out
But Hunzins appeared to be too OBJ
fuse to see their intentions or too good
natured to notice them, and they re-
solved upon more strenuous means. A
committee went to his quarters and
smashed some chinaware which he
greatly priced The next evening he
visited the quarters of three men he
suspected and smashed whatever he
could find that was easily breakable.
When the officers of the Junior mess
assembled for dinner that evening
they had discussed the new appoint
ment. In the midst of it in walked
Hunkins.
Gentlemen" he said, give been
obliged to retaliate for the breaking Of
my china without being sure Of the
men who did it. If / have made any
mistake I'm ready to apologize and
replace what / have damaged. If not
I'm ready to give satisfaction after
dinner on the tanbark in the riding
hail."
1t appeared that he had made no
mistake, for Hartley, narrowly and
Maxcey, whose articles he had broken,
all claimed the privilege of knocking
him out Hunkins undertook to salts
fly these gentlemen in the order nam
ed. He had good muscle and was a
fine boxer. Hartley was soon put out
of the fight, but Harrowby was not SO
easily disposed Of Hunkins had need
for all his skill and endurance. He
finally knocked out the noble lord, but
when he had done so he was next to
knocked out himself The best man
Of his three enemies still remained.
To him the defeated men looked to re-
yenge them.
'Beg pardon" said Trotter, stepping
forward. "It wouldn't be becoming of
us as gentlemen to permit newcomer
among us to fight three men on the
same evening. I'll take Mr.. Hunkins
place with Mr.. Maxcey."
There's no quarwel with you, Twot-
ter" Hartley protested
"Cewtainly not" narrowly chimed
in.
But Englishmen respect courage, and
the others present thought that Hun
kins in fighting two men had done all
that could be expected of him. Max
cey proved that he was not disposed
to take advantage of a winded adver
sary and consented to meet the sub
stitute. The fight that followed was
long one. The disputants were evenly
matched, and neither could get the adj
vantage of the other When it was
L 4,