Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-06-15

~ strong. | had the measles and
n the scarlet fever and all kinds
of childrens diseases. Any boy
of my age could lick me very easily.
When | was about eighteen years old
Teller come round givin' boxin' les
sons. | went to see him give lesson
it was in a barn-and | was mighty
tickled the way he polished off some
o the big fellers that he was teachin.
He wasn't big himself, though he was
why; there wasn't any knotty muscles
standin' out on his arms and legs: they
was Jist good ordinary arms and legs.
As for length. | reckon he measured
about five feet six in his stockin's.
1t was all in the way he done it, A
feller who could throw hundred
pounds o hay up into a loft on the
end o n pitchfork would make a lunge
at him that If it had hit him square
without gloves would "a made jelly of
him. But the little man wasn't there
to be hit. Before the big one could
git back into position he got a blow on
the jaw.
persuaded dad to give NE the mon
ely to take boxin' lessons. and after IA
Iozen lessons | was the best boxer in
the county. What made me stuck on
it was that l was little Teller with no
great muscle, and after I'd learned to
bCX | was cock O the walk. None O.
the big ones who took lessons could
down me. The reason for this was
that l was mighty spry, and | could
tell by Watchin the other fellers eye
jist what he was goin' to do next.
One day dad says to me. says he:
Josh, you've got lot of learnin' in
yer fists | reckon you'd better git some
in yer head. There's II young woman
opened schulz over to the crossroads:
you bette larn somethin' about readin',
writin' and rithmetic."
| thort 1 was too old to go to schulz.
but when l got there | found the schol-
ars was mighty mixed There was
scholars all the way from twelve to
twenty-four years old. The schulemarm
was Il young thing weighin' about
hundred pounds and not more'n eight
cen years old. The first few days
things went mighty quiet, but after the
novelty wore off some o the big fellers
begun to get tired o behavin' their
selves and showed disposition to do
purity much as they pleased. When
teacher told 'em to stop talkin' to each
other durin' schulz hours. they'd stop
for awhile, but it wasn't long before
they were at it again,
John Whitaker began tieklin' Sam
Talifer with feather. Sam sittin' in
the desk in front of John. Teacher
told John to stop. He did. but in a
few minutes begun ag'in. This time
when teacher told him to stop he kept
right ON.
/ held up my hand. lettin' on | want
ed to speak
what is it, Josh?' asked teacher.
please. teacher, kin John Whitaker
and me take Il recess
She looked ut me. and John looked
at me. and we all understood one an
other.
IF you wish to he excused you may
go OUT she said TO me-
How about me-" asked John.
You may be excused too
John and | went outside, and as soon
as we got there he says to me, says
he, "Reckon you want somep'n o me-
And | says. says l. Reckon | do.
want you to agree to behave yourself
in schulz. What d We mean, great
hulk like you settin' yourself up agin
a little gal like that ITS none o.
your business he says. "I'll make it
my business" l says. and before he
knew what had happened he was
sprawlin' on the ground.
He got up and come for me like a
mad bull. But what could he do?
was never where he struck at and
when | aimed blow at him he was
always there. The second punch l
give him was in the nose, and the
blood bothered him. The third was
in his left eye and closed it up. There
wasn't anything tender about him. and
| was obliged to take him under the
jaw with all my might to put him out
o the fight.
While we was at ii | caught sight o.
the winders OF the schulehouse, and
4 they was full o the scholars. | reckon
cd teacher couldn't keep 'em at their
!
much more interestin' goin on outside
Some o the older scholars came out
to watch the proceedin's and stood
around wonderful how such Il little
shaver could knock about great hulk
of Teller jist as IL he was bag O
sand. When | TUX John under the jaw
| knocked it out o plumb. He got up
slow, but he didn't come for me ag'in
Holdin' on TO his cheek, he went off
to a doctor to get it put In place ag'in.
The rest of us went back to our
schulz work. Nobody made any dis
turbance. Oncet two fellers started to
whisper, but | jist throwed a glance
their way, and it had the same effect
as if I'd throwed stone. They stop
ped right away.
When schulz let out teacher she beck