The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-03-23

Wesley broke from them and backed
away, swinging his strapped books in
dangerous circle. You keep of! !"
he warned them. 81 got as much
right to my pers'nal appearance as
anyhodym
This richly fed their humor, and
they rioted round him, keeping outside
the swinging books at the end OF the
strap. 'Pers'nal appearance !" =.
Vow Ole dirty Yves. he's got per
Snal appearance !" "Who went
and bought 1t for you. Wes?' =.
Nobody bought IL for him. Dora
Iocum took and give him one !"
You leave ladies' names alone !
cried the chivarous wesley. "You
ought to know better, on the public
street, you-pups"
Here was serious affront. at least
to Ramsey Milholland's way Of think
ing; for Ramsey, also now proved
sensitive He quieted his friends
shut upland advanced toward
Wesley. "You look here! Who you
calm 'pups'?'-
Everybody" Wesley holly re-
turned. Everybody chat goes around
mentioning ladies' names on the pub
lie streets are pups!"
They are are they?" Ramsey as
holly demanded. "Well, you just look
here minute; my own father men
tions my mothers name on the public
streets whenever he wants to, and you
just Try calm my father a pup, and
You won't know what happened to
you !" -
"Whatll you do about it?'
I'll put a new head on YOU" said
Ramsey. That's what I'll do, because
anybody that calls my father or moth
er a pup"
"Oh, shut up! wasn't talkin' about
your ole father and mother. / said
everybody that mentioned Dora Yo-
GUMS name on the public streets WIS
a pup, and mean IT. Everybody that
mentions Dora Yoculn's name on the
pub"
Dora Yocum," said Ramsey. 81 got
Il perfect right to say 1t anywhere
want to- Dora Yocum, Dora Yocum,
Dora Y0cum -"
"All right then, you're a pup"
Ramsey charged upon him and re-
celved Il suffOeatlng hlow full in the
face. not from Mr.. Bender's fist but
from the solid bundle of books ut the
end OF the strap. Ramsey SAW eight
or ten detectives instantly there were
Wesley Benders standing full length In
the air on top of other Wesley Ben
'lers, and more Wesley Benders zig
! Jagged out sidewise from still other
Wesley Benders; nevertheless. he
found one Of these and II proved to be
flesh. He engaged 1t wildly ut fstl
cuffs; pounded 1t upon the countenance
and drove II away. Then he sat down
! upon the curbstone and, with his dizzy
eyes shut, leaned forward for the bet
ter accommodation of his ensangulned
nose.
Wesley had retreated to the other
side Of the street, holding grmy
handkerchief to the midmost parts Of
his pallid face. There, YOU ole d--n
! pup" he shouted, in voice which
threatened sob. 81 guess that'n
teach you to he careful how you men
tlon Dora Yocum's mime on the public
streets"
At this, Ramsey made n motion rs
II to rise, and pursue. whernupon Wes-
Icy fed, whilng back over hls shoulder
rs he, ran, you wait till ketch you
al ~ ~ ,uIt - nd
H."
His voice was lost in an outburst of
hootlng from his former friends, who
sympathetlcally surrounded the
Wounded Ramsey. Rut.in n measure.
at least, the clivalrbus fugitive had
woh his point, He Wis routed and
outdone, yet What survived the day
was a rumor, which became II sort Of
tenuous legend among those interest.
ed. There had been fight over Dora
/ iocum, II appeared and Ramsey Mil
| holland had attempted 10 maintain
something deroLatory to the lady,
while Wesley defended her as a
knightly youth should.
The boys. unmindful of proper gal
lantry, supported Ramsey on account
of the way he had persisted in lickin'
the stuffn' out of Wesley Bender after
receiving that preliminary wallop from
Wesleys black Jack bundle of books.
The girls petted and championed IVES.
ley; they talked outragcously Of his
conqueror; hercely declaring thai he
ought to be arrested and for weeks
they maintained new manner toward
him. They kept their facial express.
sions hostile, but perhaps this WAS
more for one another's benefit than
, for Ramsey's; and several of them
went so far out of their way to find
even private opportunities for reprov.
ing him that an Alert observer might
have suspected them tn have been less
indignant than they seemed-bu' not
Ramsey. He thought they all hated
him. and said he vas glad Of II.
Dora was hon-partsan. The little
prig was so dlllgpnt at her books she
gave never the slightest sign Of com
Z r,pabon,1it,n~ that thnrn bnJ I,,ai a fiuIt