Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-06-06
From the Saturday Evening Post.l
The Prize Fighter,

IN lo49, we ind the sublolned incident:
"At one of the Monte-tables in a sa
loon on Kearney street, the game wa.
dealt by slender, pale young man, al
most STRIPPING, and with seemingly tht
delicate organization of a girl-his lips
soft, his eyes gentle, his hands small anc
fair, his hair fine, no beard save Sigh
moustache-his attire we'll fitting anC
scrupulously neat, his air pensive, bis
ways always quiet. One evening an ug-
ly brute, burly and clustering, his natu.
rally vicious temper heated to hideous
ferceness by rum, seated himself at this
young mans table and called for 'lay
out of the cards. His manner, provo>
king from the first, soon became intolera-
bly, insulting, and he assailed the dealer
with outrageous taunts and menaces, ac-
cusing him of cheating, and with abusive
oaths refusing to pay over the stakes the
bank had won.
'The dealer, patient and long-suffering,
and sof>spoken 10 the last, gently remon>
strated with the bully, as with one irresS
ponsibIe, and whose ugly manners were
his misfortune. At last the fellow, de-
ceived by the gracious demeanor Of his
reluctant antagonist, demanded the res
funding of his losses, which were of mean
amount-for he had been playing rather
for quarrel than for money-and threat
ened to cut the dealers heart out if he
did not instantly fork over To this the
young man replied by leaping nimbly
across the table, and dragging him by the
hair from his seat. In an instant the
bully drew formidable bowie; but before
he could make lunge, quick, sharp,
shot-like blow from the lady-like fist, de>
Iivered with scientific precision and force
sent him down, his knife flying from his
hand. And again, and again, as he
sprang, with remarkable agility and much
spunk, to his feet, he went down, and
down. Till at last, half stunned, blind
with blood, and quite bewildered and
helpless, he sat on the floor and fairly
cried: Enough! enough! you are too
much for me. Who the devil are you!'
"The young man, whose face was
scarcely flushed with the exercise, and
whose eye at once resumed its softness,
and his air its quiet, said: My friend, get
up'-at the same time assisting him; 'you
are great fool. My name is Well
never mind his name; there are but few
Americans to whom it is not familiar;
even transatlantic notoriety attaches to
it. 1t is the name of a blood stained hero
of the ring, who killed his man, some
years ago, in one of the most protracted
and cruel gladiatorial encounters recor>
ded in the shocking annals of pugilism.
That man was one Of the most exempla-
~ of Iaw-abiding San Franciscans in '49.
Those dreadful fists were never used save
to restore order
The persons alluded to in the above
anecdote is, we presume, Christopher
Lilly, the pugilist-popularly known as
Chris. Lilly. No doubt the description
of his personal appearance as above Civ
En-, would, if mentioned in novel in con-
nection with such q feat, or given as
portrait of a prize-fghter, be considered
unnatural, and violation of even posa-
oiIity. And yet, though it does not agree
entirely with a reminiscence we happen
o have Of the personal appearance of this
,ame Chris. Lilly, it is sufficiently accuS
ate, and making allowance for the differ
,nce of eyes, no doubt faithful descrip-
ion of the pugilist as he appeared to the
writer. It was in daguereotype room,
somewhere about the year 1916 or Al,
hat we came upon the notorious gladia~
or. He was small, slight, 1.-THE, and beau
fully formed; with an erect carriage,
ight and springing step, fine head borne |
omewhat haughtily, and general aPN |
of aristocratic high breeding,
vhich the French would call distingue.-
lis garb, which was that of the convens
ional gentleman, and very plain and
asteful, materially assisted this impress
ion. He wore black frock coat, but
Dned. which set off the small waist and
,ell rounded chest to advantage. The
ands were small and gloVed, the feet
lender and also small. He wore a cap
,hich, of course, prevented any observa-
on of his forehead, but did not conceal
head of dark, crisped curls-the true
lyacinth hair of the Greek. The face
yas oval in form. pale, selfspossessed and
aim; the eyes were dark, soft, yet quick
nd penetrant; the nostrils sensitive; the
ps thin, curved, and proud; the chin
ound and firm; a slight moustache was
ne only trace of beard. The whole face
nd figure were those Of a noticeably
andsome man, and singularly enough,
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