Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-06-21
Leaning In
The Fists
BY RICHARD MENKLEY

could lick me very easily.
When was about eighteen years old
a feller come round givin' boxin' les
sons. L went to see him give lesson
1T was in barn-and L was mighty
tlckled the way he polished off some
O the big fellers that he was teachin'.
He wasn't big himself, though he was
wiry; 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 loft on the
end o 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 blow on
the jaw.
persuaded dad to give me the mon
ey to take boxin' lessons, and after
dozen lessons l was the best boxer in
the county. What made me stuck on
1t was that was little feller with no
great muscle, and after I'd learned to
box was cock O. the walk. None O.
the big ones who took lessons could
down me. The reason for this was
that I was mighty spry, and 1 could
tell by watchin' the other feller's 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 a young woman
opened schule over to the crossroads;
you better larn somethin' about readin';
writin' and 'rithmetic."
thort was too old to go to schule,
but when got there l found the schol
ars was mighty mixed. There was
scholars all the way from twelve to
.wenty-four years old. The schulemarm
was young thing weighin' about a
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 dc
purity much as they pleased. When
teacher told 'em to stop talkin' to each
other durin' schule hours they'd stop
for awhile, but it wasn't long before
.!Aey were at it again.
John Whitaker began ticklin' Sam
Talifer with feather, Sam sittin' In
the desk in front of John. Teacher
told John to stop. He did, but in q
few minutes begun agin. This time
when teacher told him to stop he kept
right on.
held up my hand, lettin' ON want
cd to speak.
What is 1t, JoshY" asked teacher.
please, teacher, kin John Whitaker
and me take a recess?"
She looked at me, and John looked
ut me, and we all understood one an.
other
IF you wish to be 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 l says, says l: Reckon do.
want you to agree to behave yourself
in schule. What d We mean, a great
hulk like you settin' yourself up agin
a little gal like that?" Its none o
your business" he says. ''I'll make II
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
mad bull. But what could he do? I
was never where he struck at, and
when l aimed blow at him he was
always there. The second punch I
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
I was obliged to take him under the
jaw with all my might to put him out
O. the fight.
While We was at it caught sight o
the winders Of the schulehouse, and
they was full O. the scholars. I reckon
ed teacher couldn't keep 'em at their
lessons while there was somethin' so
much more interestin' goin' on outside.
Some O. the older scholars came out
to watch the proceedin's and stood
around wonderin' how such a little
shaver could knock about a great hulk
Of feller jist as if he was a 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 10 his cheek, he went off
to doctor to get it put in place ag'in.
The resr of us went back to our
schulz work. Nobody made any dis
turbance. Oncet two fellers started to
whisper. but l jist throwed a glance
their way. and it had the same effect
as If I'd throwed a stone. They stop
ped right away.
When schule let cut teacher she beck.
oned me to lag behind, and I did. She
TUX my hand and squeezed it, but she
didn't say nothin'. l reckon she feel