A SALVATION SOLDIER'S FIGHT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2250, 11 October 1889, Page 2

A SALVATION SOLDIER'S FIGHT.

A very unusual phaie of Salvation Army wat U repotted from Obarters Towers, Qaoaufllaiid. On September 6th an open air service was la progress at Day- D«wn Grossing, abont 50 "soldiers" being prf sent, surrounded by a considerable crowd. Sonao «.f tbe outsiders pussiog forward ir^ve thoso nearest upon the " flag " and broaght about a collision with tbe lasses. The captain thereupon threatentd " It some of you don't behave we shall drop pretty heavily upon you 1 ' Thla led tu some oh-ff from the outer ring, and a soldier prom' sad to give some of i h^m an "Irish ohook oat If they did not keep qalet " The mi etlng tbs closed In dne t me and as tue army was moving off a yvUogstor cried ou 1 , "Oome on and give us an Irish oh nek oat 1 ' On this a soldier named Johnston Btraok one of the bystanders, a much smaller ma a than himself, and they had a tough and tumble, In whioh tbo soldier w»b getting mcoh ihe bost of It, using bit teeth to advantage on the enemy's ear. Another bystander cam 3d Marsden on aeolng this it torfere i, aud demanded fair play. Tbe Ci»p aln pushed him back, whereupon Mtraden t >ok ofi bis 'coat and challenged tbe Captain. Before the latter could say yea or no, a soldier rejoicing in the title of " Happy T,>m " struck Marsden from behind. In a moment the Salvationists ranged thejiaelvto on one Bide, and culled upon their comrade to "let him havo It." Happy T<m wanted no arglng. His blood wrs op and he icent business. "Moke orlntr " afconted the oipUln, " A ring 1 a ring 1 " howled tbe subordinates. A ring was made and Into it stepped Mursden and Happy Tom. In the first round Marsden, a mnoh lighter m»n than the soldier, rranaged to punish his opponent soverely. In the third round Happy Tom got bis thumb knocked up and he hesitated for a moment before resuming the attaok. This was the signal for a groat outburst of feeling on tbe part of the oaptain and his force. "Lord give him strength," "Dear Lord, help him," roared individual lads and lanes, and in went Happy Tom again. In the fifth round Marsden received a welldlreoted blow In the ohest, and shoots of " Lord be praised," « Hallelojoh," "'Bless Tom," fbated in tbe air When Mariden obtained an advantage his friends cheered Up to the twelfth round the fighting wan very fast, the falls numerous and the oheeriDg and th* counter-cheering de monstrative. Every time Hnppy Tom got a blow h mo tho oaptain and other soldiers would, sing ont 'Lord b* praised. "Keep our brother safe, Lird," "Give him strength," " Confound our enemies, *nd suoh like expressions. Baddenly a la»slo dropped upon her knees and orled aloud "0 Lord protect Tom, and give him strength," The words hid soaroely left her mouth when M»ruden gave the soldier a heavy whaok upon tho nose whioh almost stunned him. Front* this po'nt the heavier metal of the soldier began lo toll, and at the 18 h round Marsden declared that be had had enough for that night and offered to fight It ont in the morning. The otptaln would not listen to that. •» Fight It out, fight It ont" he yelled, but Manden's frienda protested. The oaptatn wooldu't llston to that on any account, and ho w&b supported in this by his subordinate*. " I won't have a draw," he declared. " Got done with It "and "Llok him Tom," were among hip utfcarnnpes, and Marsdon had to prepare for another round. The ring wss reformed end both men sparred tgaln. Happy Tom looking the stronger of the two, although severely punlnhod, Hound 10 vruß alow and dissstrona for Mareden, who wnnt drwn amid a ooeno of intenao jubilation, /foppy Tom" oomradoß jumping about nnd oatilng upon the Lord for rpoolal favors. "Thai'a It Lord," l« Glvo Tom strength," nnd " HRllelujJAh " renounded In the air when the fighters faced osoh other for the twentieth round. Tbe round oloaed with a knook flowD, and Mar/sden gave In. "I'll g!ve you beat, Tom," he qalotly observed, and thus ended the straggle. The Salvationists crowded round the victor, nnd a lively five minutes followed. Hand* ■hakingy praying »nd obeedng wore tho order of- the day,- and amid <c&le» of *• Glrry," '• Lord be praised;" etc,, Happy Tom tub escorted off the bottle field,