The Tomahawk., 1916-12-07


was for some months stationed a
South Bend, a thriving little city O
northern Indiana. Its population il
mainly on the one side Of the st. 10
seph river, but quite a respectable
fraction thereof takes it's industrial
way to the opposite shore, and there
gains an audience and hearing in the
rather imposing growth and hurly-bur
~ Of it's big manufactures, and the
consequent rapid appearance Of multi
tudinOus neat cottages, tenement
houses and business blocks. A stranger
entering South Bend proper on any
ordinary day, will be at some loss tC
account for it's prosperous appearance
its tagged and powdered streets
Its handsome mercantile blocks banks
and business houses generally. Rea.
scning from cause to effect, and seeing
but a meager sprinkling of people on
the streets throughout the day, and
these seeming, for the most part, mere
ly idlers, and in nOwise accessory to
the evident thrift and opulence Of their
surroundings, the observant stranger
will be puzzled at the situation. But
when evening comes, and the outlying
fOundries, sewing-machine, wagon,
pillow, and other "works," together with
the paper mills and all the nameless
industries-when the operations Of all
these are suspended for the day, and
the wOrkmen and workwOmen lOOsed
from labOr-then, as this vast army
suddenly invades and overfows bridge,
roadway, street and lane, the startled
stranger will fully comprehend the why
and wherefore Of the city's high pros
perity. And, once acquainted with the
people there, the fortunate sOjourner
will find no ordinary culture and intel
ligence, and, as certainly, he will meet
with social spirit and Il whole sOuled
heartiness that will make the place n
lasting memory. The town, too, is the
home Of many-world-known people, and
host of local celebrities, the chief of
which latter class found, during my
stay there, in the person of Tommy
Stafford, or 1.-THE Wild Irishman," as
everybody called him.
"Talk Of odd fellows and eccentric
characters" said Major Blowney, my
employer, one afternoon, "you must see
our Wild Irishman' here before you
say you've yet found the queerest,
brightest, cleverest chap in all your
travels. What dye say, Stockford?"
And the Major paused in his work Of
charging cartridges for his new breech-
loading shotgun, and turned to await
his partners response.
Stockford, thus addressed, paused
above the shield-sign he was lettering,
slowly smiling as he dipped and trailed
his pencil through the ivory black upon
b bit of broken glass and said, in his
deliberate, half absent-minded way:
SIS it Tommy you're telling him
about?" and then, with a gradual |
"Well, I should say so. Tommy |
What's come Of the fellow, anyway? I |
haven't seen him since his last bout |
with heamayor, on his trial for shakin' |
up that fast-horse man."
The fast-horse man got just ex-
actly what he needed, too," said the ge-
nial Major, laughing, and hopping his
brow. "The fellow was
barkin' up the wrong stump when he
tackled Tommy! Got beat in the trade,
at his own game, you know, and wound
up by an insult that no Irishman would
take; and Tommy just naturally wore
out the hall carpet of the old hotel
with hint"
"And then collared and led him to
The mayors office himself, they say"
ooh, he did!' said the Major, with
dash of pride in the confirmation;
'that's Tommy all overt"
Funny trial, wasn't it?' continued
the Eliminating Stockford.
"Wasn't it thought laughed the Ma
|or. 'The porter's testimony: You see,
he was for Tommy, of course, and on
testified that the horse
nan struck Tommy first. And here
Tommy broke in with He's a-meanin'
we'll, yer honor, but he's lynn to ye-
he's lynn to We. No Twin man liver
struck me first-nor last, nayther, for
he matter o. that! And thought
he - court - would-die!" continued
he Major, in like imminent state of ;
nerrimeut.
Eyes, and he said If he struck him
irst," supplemented Stockford, he'd {
ike to know why the horseman was c
wearin' all the black eyes, and the '
flood, and the boomps on that head Of {
lm!' Ard it's that talk that got him t
IF with so light fine!"
'As it always does" said the Major,
coming to himself abruptly and look c
ng at his watch. "Stock, you say
rou're rn: going along with our duck Il
shooting party this time? The old t
xankakee is just lousy with 'em this l
eason!"
"Calst go possibly" said Stockford, 7
not OH account Of the work at all, but II
he folks amt just as we'll as I'd like e
o see them, and I'll stay here till ?
hey.l:. better. Next time I'll try and n
~ ready for Y OIL Going tO take Tom |