Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-11-04
THE DAILY TIMES
A specimen Of Mr.. Thaekerays ne,U book called
''Men's Wires"
Mr.. AND MRS. FRANK BERRY.


Mr.. AND MRS. FRANK BERRY,
THE FIGHT AT SLAUGHTER HOUSE.
AM every fond Of reading about battles and
have most of Marborough's and Wellington s at
my fingers end, but the most tremendous com
bat | ever saw, and one that interests me to think
of more than Malpaquet of Waterloo (which by
the way, has grown to be downright nuisance,
SO much do men talk of it after dinner, prating
most disgustingly about "the Prussians coming
up, aud what notl, | say the most tremendous
combat ever known was that between Berry and
Bggs, the cowboy, which commenced in
certain place called Middle Briars, which is stu.
atcd in the midst of the cloisterS that run along
the side of the play ground at Slaughter-house
School, near Smithfeld, London. 1t was there,
madam, that your humble servant had the honor
OF acquiring, after six years labor, that immense
fund of classical knowledge which in after life
has been so exceedingly useful to him.
The circumstances Of the quarrel were these ::
Bggs, the gown-boy IA man that, in those days,
| thought was at least seven feet high, and was
quite thunder struck to find in after life that he
measured no more than five feet four), was what
we called "second cock" of the school; the first
cock was great, big, good -humored, lazy, fair
haired fellow, Old Hawkins by name, who, be-
cause he was large and good-humored, hurt no.
body. Biggs, on the contrary, was sad bully;
he had half-a-dozen Tags, and beat them all un.
mercifully. Moreover, he had little brother, a
boarder in Potky's house, whom, as matter of
course, he hated and maltreated worse than any
one else.
Well, one day, because young Biggs had not
brought his brother his hoops, or had not caught
a ball at cricket or for some other equally go cd
reason, Bggs the elder so belabored the poor lit
tie fellow, that Berry, who was sauatering by,
and saw the dreadful blows which the elder
brother was dealing to the younger with his
hooJr Al. Al.
low (perhaps he had jealousy against Biggs
and wanted to try few rounds with him, but
that can't vouch for); however, Berry passing
by stopped and said, Don't you think you have
thrashed the boy enough, Biggs?' lie spoke
this in very civil tone for he never would have
thought of interfering rudely with the sacred pri.
vilege than an upper boy at a public school al
ways has of beating junior, especially when
they happen to be brothers.
to hit young Biggs with the hocky-stick twice as
hard as before, until the little wretch howled
with pain. Il suppose it's 20 business Of
yours, Berry," said Biggs, humping away
all the while, and laid on worse and worse,
until Berry land, indeed, little Bggs) could
bear it no longer, and the former, bouncing for
wards, wrenched the stick out of old Biggs'
hands, and sent it whirling out of the cloister
window, to the great wonder of crowd of us
small boys, who were looking On. Little boys
always like to see little champion of their
soundly beaten.
.sThere ~ said Berry, looking into Biggs' face,
as much as to say, 1--WE gone and done it," and
he added to the brother, "Scud away, you little
thief I've saved you this time.'
"Stop, young Biggs! !" roared out his brother,
after pause; land iii break every bone in your
Internal, scoundrelly skin !2'
Young Blggs looked at Berry, then at his
brother, then came at his brothers order, as if
back to be beaten again, but lost heart and ran
away as fast as his legs could carry him.
'l'll do for him another time" said Biggs.--
.'Here, under boy, take my coat" and we all
began to gather round and formed a ring
ave had better wait till after school, Biggs,"
cried Berry, quite cool, but looking little pale.
''There are only five minutes now, and it will
take you more than that to thrash me-
Bggs upon this committed great error, for
he struck Berry slightly across the face with the
back of his hand, saying You are in a fright"
But this was feeling which Frank Berry did not
in the least entertain, for in reply to Bggs' back
handler, and as quick as thought, and with all
his might and main-pong he delivered blow
upon old Biggs' nose that made the claret squirt,
and sent the second cock down to the ground
as ii he had been shot.
lie was up again, however, in a minute, his
face white and gashed with blood, his eyes glar-
ing CHASTITY spectacle; and Berry, meanwhile,
had taken his coat off, and by this time there
were gathered in the cloisters, on all the windows
and upon each others shoulders, one hundred
and twenty young gentlemen at the very least,
for the news had gone to the playground of ga
fight between Berry and Biggs.'
But Berry was right in his remark about the
propriety of deferring the business, for at this
minute Mr.. Chip, the second master, came down
the cloisters going into school, and grinned in
his queer way as he saw the state of Biggs' face.
oil M !
have run against finger post" That was the
regular joke with us at school, and you may be
snre we all laughed heartily, as we always did
when Mr.. Chip made a joke, Or anything like a
joke. ''You had better 60 to the pump. sir, and
get yourself wa she'd and not let DR.. Muzzle see
you in that condition" So saying, Mr.. Chip
disappeared to his duties in the under school,
whittier all we little boys followed him.
1t was Wednesday, a half holiday, as evory
body knows, and boiled beef day at Slaughter
house. was in the same boarding house as
Berry, and we all looked to see whether he ate
good dinner, Just as one would examine a man
who was going to be hanged. recollect, in af-
ter life, In Germany, seeing friend who was go
ing to fight duel eat five larks for his breakfast
and thought | had seldom witnessed greater cour-
age. Berry eat moderately of the boiled beef
doited chlld we used to call it at school, in our
elegant, Jocular way; he knew great deal bet
ter than to load his stomach upon the eve of such
contest as was going to take place"
Dinner was very soon over and NIX Chip, who
had been all the while joking Berry, AID pressing
him to eat, called him up into his study, to the
great disappointment of us all, for we thought he
was going to prevent the fight, but no such
thing. The Rev. Edward Chip took Berry into
his study, and poured him out two glasses of
port wine, which he made him take with bis
cult, and patted him the back, and went
off, | have no doubt he was longing, like all of
u.s. to see the battle but etiquette, you know,
forbade.
When we went out into the green, old lIaw
klns was there-the great Hawkins, the cock of
the school. | have never seen the man since, but
still think of him as of something awful, gigan-
tic mysterious; he who could thrash every body,