The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
A fighting EDITOR,
BY MARTIN v. ANDREWS.
Copyright, 1909. by American Press Asso.
ciation.J


Copyright, 1909. by American Press Asso.
ciation.I
Abner Church after serving an ap-
premiership at selling patent clothes
wringer to the farmers of New Eng
land was selected to open, one Of
number of agencies abroad for the sale
OF the same article. France was the
territory assigned him, with Paris for
his headquarters.
He had no sooner opened his sales
room than he was called upon by the
representative of Paris morning pa
per for an adj Abuer told him that
he was not yet ready The solicitor,
taking his reply for refusal. intimat-
ed that If the paper didn't get the ad.
lit would be to the disadvantage of the
enterprise. Abner replied that he came
from land where in journalism the
advertising and the newspapers opin-
ions were kept separate--in other
words, where newspaper blackmail
was unknown. The journal was well
come to sire away"
The next morning an article appear
ed In the home columns Of the paper
in question stating that all clothes
wringers tore the articles wrung in
them and the Eureka sold by Abner
Church simply reduced them to rib
bons. Other such notices appeared at
intervals and were copied by other pa
pers. Abner made up his mind that
he must stop the SANDER on his ma
chine OF shut up shop and 60 home.
He called at the Office Of the journal
that was Matchmaking him and pro-
tested. He was listened to politely by
the editor Of the home department and
when he had finished was referred to
NJ. Jules Chicolet, another editor, who
he was assured would take up the
case.
Abner found NJ. Chicolet sitting in
study furnished la Louis XVI. read
ing novel and smoking a cigarette.
He was fautlessly dressed in deep
black and wore the ribbon of the Le-
gion Of Honor In his buttonhole
Abner stated his case. to which the
gentleman listened attentively and at
the end asked:
do l understand monsieur. that
you accuse our journal Of matchmaking
you?"
''That's what it looks like
Then as representative of the pa
per have the honor to refer you to q
gentleman who will call upon you this
afternoon"
Abner said that all he wanted was to
be let alone but while he was talking
NJ. Chicolet passed out of q rear door
and left him standing alone. The
wringing machine agent went back to
| his store to think the matter over.
| While there genteelly dressed French
man entered and said he came to ar
range an affair between NJ. Church and
NJ. Chicolet.
II have no quarrel with NJ. Chicolet."
said Abner. who the dickens is NJ.
Chicolet anyway"
Pardon! Monsieur. being an Ameri-
can, does not understand. NJ. Chicolet
| IS the fighting editor of the paper"
Writes up duels. you mean"
! mo. monsieur; Al. Chicolet writes
nothing. 1t IS his duty to give salts
faction to those who think they have
been insulted by the Journal and to de-
fend it's honor. understand you have
accused it of matchmaking you. You
must retract or fight"
You tell the lighting editor that my
grandfather lost an arm on the south.
ern side at Gettysburg, and we Church.
es would rather die than lay down.
Tell him I'll fight him with rifles at
500 yards"
The visitor protested that such wcap.
ons were not used in Paris. to which
Abner replied that in America no one
fought with anything else, and he
would fight with the weapon he could
handle and none other.
When the fighting editor received the
news that be must stand up against
an American rifle it occurred to him
that for that occasion ut least he
would earn his salary. He was per
feet swordsman and dead shot with
q pistol at short range, but had never
fought with rifles. Abner who had al
the so called trickery of the Yankee as
well as the fighting proclivities Of the
Georgian. had sent him word that he'd
better make will. since he proposed
to aim straight at his heart and he had
never missed anything in his life with
a rifle.
Just after daylight one morning the
lighting editor drove up to secluded
spot In the Bots de Boulogne, alighted
with his attendants and waited for bis
antagonist. Presently an automobile
appeared. On the roof was something
Of black hue and oblong shape the
nature Of which could not in the dim
light be detected. Abner alighted, and
the porter of his store removed the ar
ticle from the roof and carried it on to
the field. NJ. Chicolet went up to it fot
look and saw coffin. on the lid of
which was q silver plate bearing the
name Jules Chicoiet. Died"-that very
day.
Al. Chicolet shuddered. This gro
tesque American way Of fighting threw
Thin Oft his halonoo A h,,or cto1<3 poo