Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-05-12

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tending jocosities rather than violence,
but the victim proved sensitive. "You
take your ole hands off O. mel" he
| said f1ercely, as they began to push
| him about among them.
sole dirty Wes!" they hoarsely bel
| lowed and squawked, in their chang
| ing voices. washes his ears ~ +.
Washes his neck !" :. Dora Yocum
| told his mama to turn the hose on
| him!"
Wesley broke from them and backed
| away, swinging his strapped books in
a dangerous circle. You keep off I"
he warned them. IT got as much
right to my pers'nal appearance as
| anybody!'
This richly fed their humor, and
| they rioted round him, keeping outside
the swinging books at the end Of the
| strap. "Pers'na1 appearance =. :.
"Yow Ole dirty Yves, he's got per-
snail appearance! f. "Who went
and bought it for you, Wes? . !. :.
Nobody bought it for him. Dora
Yocum took and give him one!"
"You leave ladies' names alonel"
cried the chivalrous 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
J sensitive. He quieted his friends
"Shut up!''-and advanced toward
Wesley "You look here! Who you
calm 'pups'?"
Everybody" Wesley holly re-
turned. Everybody that goes around
mentioning ladies' names on the pub
lie streets are pupsl"
"They are, are theyT' Ramsey as
holly demanded. "Well, you just look
here minute; my own father men,
tons 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'll"
"What'll you do about itT'
"Ill 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 was
a pup, and I mean it! Everybody that
mentions Dora Yocum's name on the
pub"
Dora Yocum !" said Ramsey. II got
a perfect right to say 1t anywhere
want to. Dora Yocum, Dora Yocum,
Dora Yocum ="
"All right then, you're pup!"
Ramsey charged upon him and re-
ceived suffocating blow full In the
face, not from Mr.. Bender's fist but
| from the solid bundle Of books at 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
ders, and more Wesley Benders zig
Jagged out sidewise from still other
Wesley Benders; nevertheless, he
found one of these and 1t proved to be
flesh. He engaged 1t wildly at f1sti-
cuffs; pounded it upon the countenance
and drove it away. Then he sat down
upon the curbstone and, with his dizzy
eyes shut, leaned forward for the bet
ter accommodation Of his ensanguined
nose.
Wesley had retreated to the other
side of the street, holding a grimy
handkerchief to the midmost parts Of
his pallid face. There, you ole On
pup!" he shouted, In a voice which
threatened a sob. II guess that'll
teach you to be careful how you men,
/ ton Dora Yocum's name on the public
| streets ~
At this, Ramsey made motion as
| if to rise and pursue, whereupon Wes-
ley fled, wailing back over his shoulder
as he ran, "You wait till ketch you
out alone on the public streets and
PlF-"
His voice was lost in an outburst Of
| hoeting from his former friends, who
| sympathetically surrounded the
wounded Ramsey. But in measure
at least, the chivalrous fugitive had
won his point. He was routed and
outdone, yet what survived the day
was a rumor, which became sort Of
! tenuous legend among those interest
ed. There had been a fight over Dora
Yocum, it appeared, and Ramsey Mil
holland had attempted to maintain
!, something derogatory 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 stuffin' out of Wesley Bender after
receiving that preliminary wallop from
Wesley's blackjack bundle Of books.
| The girls petted and championed Wes-
ley; they talked outrageously of his
conQuerer; fiercely declaring that he
ought to be arrested; and for weeks
| they maintained a new manner toward
him. They kept their facial express
Il