The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-11-20
Athletics Versus
Learning
Story Of a 'Twirler and Tackler
BY HUDSON c. EASTON
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.


college. II want you to study your
larnin' hard and don't give too much
Of your time 10 those games the boys
play at college. Out here when an
eddecated young man onct gets start
he can top those who haven't the ed
location. Now study hard and let the
other things 60"
When johnny returned four years
later his father was very much dis
appointed IN his record. He had taken
no honors, stood near the foot Of his
class, but was the athletic hero Of the
Nseason. As twirler he could send
fafi that few could hit; as a tackleri
no man could get past him. Johnny's
father was owner and editor of the
Rocky Mountain Globe. But the paper
during Johnny's sojourn at college had
been running down. A rough element
had come into the town, which had
started with fine prospects. and so dis
turbed the condition Of things that the
better people were leaving, while no
new respectable settlers were coming
in.
Father" said Johnny, 1T seems to
me that it's the duty Of an editor to
make it hot for evil wherever his paper
is located"
| "And get shot for doing it,
! "Better be shot than let the other fell
low take the bread and butter away
from you. If the town dies our paper
dies"
Peter Weatherbee consented that his
son should write articles against the
evil disposed, thus awakening the bet
ter class of citizens against them.
Johnny began by inveighing against
the indiscriminate carrying Of weap-
ons. Then he attacked certain men
who ran gambling houses, with others
who made offices OF the said resorts
Johnny" said his father, seems to
me you've weakened yourself. You
can't carry a revolver since you've
come down on the practice, and these
men you've been larrupin' IL shoot you
down like dog"
"They won't go for me. father. I'm
only an understrapper. They'll 60 for
you, at least till they find out that I'm
the man that's after them"
The next morning Johnny put his
2 desk iii room through which all must
20 to his fathers office. He had hard
ly got settled when one Of the parties
attacked In that days issue Of the
paper came up the stairs.
where's old Weatherbeer' he ask
ed. "Tm goin' to kill the
ain there interrupted Johnny.
The man was opening the door when
Johnny tackled him from behind, pull
ed him to the landing and threw him
down to the FIRST floor, two flights be.
low. He was not killed outright, but
died in a hospital the next day.
$50 much for my football training,
father said Johnny. "By and by III
try some other athletic features !
learned at college"
Johnny sat down to write some more
articles attacking other rascals. Over
his desk was a rosewood baseball in
laid with gold which Johnny had won
in college as trophy. When he was
rallied on his defenselessness he said
he could use that far better than a
revolver. During the morning he
heard quick footstep at the other
end of the hall. There's lots in step.
Johnny knew at once what this one
meant. Selling his wooden ball, he
went to the door, Some fifty feet
away man he recognized as a pal
of the one he had thrown downstairs
was coming with blood in his eyes as
well as his step. JohnAy twirled his
trophy ball, landing 1t In the right
eye Of the conner and relieving 1t OF
all the blood there was In 1t.
The man didn't come any farther
Indeed, be was taken to his home
where a doctor pronounced his case
a fracture of the frontal bone. HI
died in few days
; These two novel encounters encour
aged the good citizens and somewhat
shamed the bad ones. An athletic
gambler vowed he would take Johnny
on his own ground. Meeting Johnny
7 on the street, he suddenly tackled hin
with his right arm and began to rair
{ blows on his face with his left fist
, But Johnny had been thus held Otter
:. before. He wriggled out like an ee
and landed a blow on his opponents
mug that capsized him. The mar
started to run. Johnny followed him
! every now and then getting in kick
AT last, after having several time'
served as Johnny's football. the mai
gave out and could go no farther.
Those who saw the last kick TIL
gambler received differed as to tn
distance Johnny sent him. Some SAT-
1t was ten feet, some fifteen, and on
man, who claimed to have measures
the distance with tape line, declared
that 1t was just nineteen feet an
four inches.
The man suffered from bro. en- COO
Jyx. which Is the end Of the backbone
This being the third man that Johr
ny had put "out Of the fight" a nun
Der of citizens called on him and tol
him that they would see him throug
what else might be in store for hin
Johnny said to them:
"While at college prepared m,
self for my beginning here. But