Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1879 — How He “Set 'Em Up.” [ARTICLE]

How He “Set 'Em Up.”

Simply because the man who stands behind the bar of a certain saloon on Gratiot avenue is a pleasant-faced smiling old man, certain parties came to the conclusion that there was no fight in him. They therefore cooked up a plan to play upon his fears and make him “set ’em up” for the crowd. Three red-nosed men called upon the old wm-u in a body yesterday, and business was opened by one of them saying: “ When I was here last night you handed me a glass of beer with a fly in it. No gentleman would do that. You meant it as an insult, and now I demand satisfaction. You must meet me on the field of honor.” “Ish dot bossible! Vhat field ish dot?” exclaimed the astonished bartender. “ Yon must go out with me and fight a duel!” “ Good graoious! Ish dot true?” “ Yes, it is. Til go out and leave my two friends here to settle the detail! with you. I must either have blood or an ample apology!” When the belligerent had retired one of the others 9*iq;

“See here, old man, Fm afraid you’ve got yourself into' a bad box. That chap is a sure shot, and he’ll wing yon.” “How vhiil he put some wings on me?” innocently inquired the oeerjerker. “ Now, listen. You insulted him.” “Yaw.” “He demands the satisfaction of a gentleman.” “Taw.” “ You most fight a duel with him or apologize and set up the beer.” “ Vnat ish a duel?” “Why,yon will go outside the city and pace off ten paces and shoot at each other. Now, then, will yon do that or set np the beer and beg his pardon.” “ VheU, I dells you,” replied the old man as he lifted a big navy, revolver mto sight-. “If I sets up aer beer I loses fifteen cents; if I go oudt und fights some duels I kills him stone det!” r “ And you’ll fight?” “Yaw, I vhiil—it is sheaper.” “Don’t you know,” said the man, after a blank silence, “that you’ll have to fight all three of us?” “ Yawjl ’spose I vhiil. I shall now fight mit you two and dake der odder one to-morrow!” He thereupon changed his pistol for a club, danced around the bar, and the way he rushed ’em out was painful to see. The belligerent was waiting on the corner, and as the pair came austout he called: “Did he set ’em upP” “Set’em up?” shrieked one of the limpers, as he came to a halt—“ is knocking a man over two beer-kegs and a table setting ’em upP” — r Detroit Free Press.