Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-02-21

ioI the next meetlng W NC hSlu tncIc.
Several members called for the
reading Of the letter and "Gusta"
granted it.:
NCook's Corners, November, 1862.
To the Hardscrabble Debating Club,
Hearing that you people have a
society already organized / wish to
congratulate you on the good reports
we hear regarding the excellent
meeting held at Kiddville and its
outcome in every way, and the good
spoilers produced. We think we
have some spoilers in this neck of
the woods, including the Cooley
school and / wish at this time to in
vite you to meet us here. If the
schoolhouse is not large enough we
can engage Cooks hotel hall and have
a dance at the close of the spelling
school. Yours truly,
4 Jasper Hopkins.
! Miss Gladstone asked what would
I be done with the letter. Ike Douglas
moved to accept the invitation, but
| Barney Aultman arose and said we
had best go little slow about get
ting over into that neighborhood
with a debating club, spelling school
and dance. That is over in the re-
gion of Grattan and lot of Irish
men live there who would rather
fight than eat and ten chances to one
but there would be trouble on our
hands at once. We have had taste
of that already.
Jimmy McFadden was quickly on
his feet and said with a snap in his
speech che would be there" "That
settles it," said "Gusta" and the vote
to accept was unanimous.
IsVxa lx.1~ 10. L..&
Timothy Qualey, one of the tough
a Swapping fellow, an Irishman with
brogue, gazed at McFadden as
much as to say, "Begorra, young
chap, We must consider ye'rself a
pretty good man for a little sawed
off, yen have to git the starch taken
out of ye." Jimmy caught the gaze.
After the whole company arose and
sang the, "Star SpangledBanner" with
spirit, "Oh long may it wave Ger the
land of the free and the home of the
brave" Jude Pollock entertained onl
the jews harp, giving many unique
selections, and Wellington Hart sang.
"The Wearing of the Green" with ac-
cordeon accompaniment by himself.
The last on the program before the
debate was a very exhaustive paper
on "Women's Rights" by Rebekah
Barker, a tall spinster with the old
fashioned bowcatcher ringlets about
her ears. She showed very plainly
from her point of view that man had
no rights whatever which women
were bound to respect"
Timothy Qualey evidently got rest
less and considerably peeved during
the reading for he slapped his fist and
stamped on the floor and made be-
lieve he was cheering her when he
was only guying. The president said
"there must be no disturbance when
speakers were occupying the floor"
casting a glance at Mr.. Qualey, and
said "she hoped he had not come to
make trouble" An intermission of
ten minutes was taken.
During the time Qualey got consid-
erably boisterous and although Jim |
Bludsoe. who was a friend of Tins, |
and who had had experience along |
that line, told him he believed it |
quiet Timothy, however, maintain
ed "that there was no one around the |
diggins' or any other place who could |
close his mouth, much less that Nc
Fadden, the measly little runt."
After intermission the question,
Resolved, that intemperance kills |
more men than the sword, and that |
whiskey should be abolished" was
discussed. There were two on the af
firmative and two on the negative |
with volunteers from the crowd.
Francis Billings said "intemperance
was an awful curse and millions went
into drunkard's graves every year"
One volunteer said ''holy writ was
against it because it was written
wine is a mocker of strong drink is
raging and whoever is deceived there
by is not wise" Jimmy McFadden ar
gued "that the man who drank whis-
key made beast Of himself and the
stuff should be abolished" This re-
marked touched off Timothy Qualey,
who liked a nip now an then, some
times oftener. He said he read in his
Bible Timothy take little wine for
thy stomach's sake and thine other
infirmities." and he wouldn't stand
for any man calling him "baste."
An uproar soon followed. Timothy
became boisterous and Jim Bludsoe
and others prevailed upon him to go
out doors.
After "Gusta'' had raped long
and hard for order one verse of "Auld
Lang Syne" was sung, "Should old
be forgot and never
brought to mind" Just as the last
line was being sung Mr.. Qualey's
voice in high pitch was heard out 4
side "give me a chance to get at the
man who called me a baste." "Be-
CORA III take the starch out of him
in the jerk Of lambs tail"
Miss Gladstone said Jimmy Nc
Fadden you are wanted outside and
you have my permission to CO." He
Was Johnny ont e-spot," and one
leap from the door brought him face
to face with the foe and before Tim
could double up his fists McFadden
sprang two feet in the air and plant
ed a right handler straight from the