Chapter XXVI: The Battle

Some time after the opening it was announced from Washington that the Land Office, which was located in one of the larger towns of the state, about one hundred and fifty miles from the Little Crow, would be moved to one of the towns in the new territory. The Land Office is something like a County Seat in bringing business to a town, and immediately every town in Megory County began a contest for the office. However, it was soon seen that it was the intention of the Interior Department to locate it in either Megory or Calias. So the two familiar rivals engaged in another battle. But in this Megory held the high card.

That was about the time the insurgents and stalwarts were in a struggle to get control of the State's political machinery. It had waxed bitter in the June primaries of that year and the insurgents had won. Calias had supported the losing candidate, who had been overwhelmingly defeated, and both senators and one representative in Congress from the state were red-hot insurgents. The Nicholson Brothers, bowing to tradition, were stand pats. Their father had been a stalwart before them in Iowa, where Cummins had created so much commotion with his insurgency.

Ernest, with his wife, had left for the Orient to spend the winter. After leaving, the announcement came that the land office would be moved. Even had he been in Calias the result would likely have been the same, but I had a creepy feeling that had he been on the ground Megory would have had to worked considerably harder at least.

After sending many men from each town down to the National Capital, the towns fought it out. With, as I have stated, and which was to be expected, with both Senators recommending Megory as having advantages over Calias in the way of an abundant supply of water and a National Bank with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, the Interior Department decided in favor of Megory, and Calias lost.

Ernest, on hearing of the fight, hurriedly returned, went in to Washington, secured an appointment with the Secretary and is said to have made a worthy plea for Calias; but to no avail and the Megoryites returned home the heroes of the day.

I was away at the time, but was told a good share of the men of Megory were drunk the greater part of the week.

Some evidence of the rejoicing was visible on my return, in the loss of an eye, by a little gambler who became too enthusiastic and run up against a "snag." What amused me most however, was an article written especially for one of the Megory papers by a keeper of a racket store and a known shouter for the town. The article represented the contest as being a big prize fight on the Little Crow and read something like this.

BIG PRIZE FIGHT ON THE LITTLE CROW

PRINCIPALS

MEGORY, THE METROPOLIS OF THE LITTLE CROW
REPUTATION, THE SQUARE DEAL

CALIAS BOASTER
REPUTATION GRAFTING

SCENE.--Little Crow Reservation.

TIME.--A.D. 190-- Referee--Washington, D.C.

SECONDS FOR MEGORY.--Flackler, of the Megory National.

FRED CROFTON, POSTMASTER.

FOR CALIAS, MAYOR ROSIE AND A HAS-BEEN, FORMERLY OF WASHINGTON.

Round one. September. Principals enter the ring and refuse to shake
hands, referee Washington, D.C. announces fight to be straight
Marquis of Queensbury. No hitting in the clinches, and a clean
break; a fight to the finish. They are off. Calias leads with a
left to the face, Megory countering with a right to the ribs, they
clinch. Referee breaks them, then they spar and as the gong sounded
appeared evenly matched.

Round two. October. They rush to the center of the ring and clinch,
referee tells them to break. Just as this is done Calias lands a
terrific left to Megory's jaw following with a right to the body,
and Megory goes down for the count of nine, getting up with much
confusion, only to be floored again with a right to the temple.
Megory rises very groggy, when Calias lands a vicious left to the
mouth, a right to the ear just as the gong sounded, saving her
from a knock-out. They go to their corners with betting three to
one on Calias and no takers. During the one minute's rest the crowd
whooped it up for Calias, thousands coming her way. Megory looked
serious, sitting in the corner thinking how she had fallen down on
some well-laid plans.

Round three. November. They rush to a clinch and spar. Referee
cautions Calias for butting. They do some more sparring, and both
seem cautious, with honors even at the end of the third round.

Round four. December. They rush to the center of the ring and begin
to spar, then like a flash, Megory lands a terrific swing on
Calias' jaw, following it up with a right to the heart. Calias
cries foul, but referee orders her to proceed, while Megory, with
eyes flashing and distended nostrils, feints and then like the kick
of a mule, lands a hard left to the mouth, following in quick
succession with jolts, swings, jabs and upper cuts. Mayor Rosie
wants to throw up the sponge, but the referee says fight. Megory,
with a left to the face and right to the stomach, then rushing both
hands in a blow to the solar plexus, Calias falls and is counted
out with Megory winning the prize,--Great Land Office.