The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-01-08
NEW SEKIES-NO. 527

from all others. But it is presently evil
dent that the heraldings of Kings defeat
were premature, for above the heads of all
the bystanders the two gigantic naked
forms, urged forward by their seconds, are
again seen to approach each other, and
amid louder and more exultant cries the
contest is renewed with undated ferocity
and keenness. It is declared-with what
accuracy it is impossible at the moment to
discover-that King has with difficulty
been restored in time for the eighteenth
round, and that Heenan, counting now
upon an easy conquest, is becoming widely
incautious and the event would seem to
justify this statement, for with a more
cruel and resounding blow than any yet
delivered, Kings powerful fists falls full in
the Americans face, and, closing with him,
he dashes him to the earth, almost insen-
sble.
From this moment it is known and ad.
mittsd that Heenan has lost the fight, and
in the rounds Immediately following the
superior endurance and youth of the Eng
lishman enabled him to pursue his success
with tremendous rapidity. Hardly could
the American appear upon his ground
where, it must be said, he presented HIM
self with undying pluck to the end-be-
fore he was Frustrated by Kings furious
blows, or crushed down in his all powerful
grippe. His face soon become frightful
spectacle, although far less hideous than
at the close of his battle with Sayers. At
last even the dull and Opaque humarities
of his friends we're stirred, and, after an
other merciless round, in which the failing
strength of the great gladiator was no
longer capable Of affording him shadow
Of defence, he was, at the close of the
tn enty-fourth round, withdrawn .reluc-
family by his friends, though himself in
sensible. Thus the cruel contest ended.
leaving for the moment little to choose be-
tweeR the condition either of victor or of
vanquished.
Such was the end of the fight, after
nearly forty minutes of hard, quick despe-
rate fighting, between two of the most
powerful men that have probably ever
entered the ring. 1t was fought out fairly
and truly to the bitter end, neither man
taking any advantage of the other. No
hand was laid upon them but that of their
own seconds from the moment they both
entered the ring until the American laid
senseless, bruised and beaten out of all
semblance of the man who in the pride of
manhood and strength had stood there only
half an hour before.
There were great cheers as King won,
to which, for few moments he was very
deaf, for the pace had been rapid, and, all
powerful as he was, the heavy falls had
shaken his vitality, and the giant who had
strobe into the ring an overmatch for all,
could scarcely close his fingers round the
glass of water which was to keep him from
fainting. Yet there must be soul of
goodness even in things evil, for the first
really conscious thought that fitted
through his mind was a wish to make
friends with his late antagonist, and as he
said it he lunged heavily through the
crowd Of his admirers to little knot of
curious lockers on, amid whom, what
seemed the corpse of the redoubtable
Heenan now lay.
Sayers was with him, and kept with
him; but better advice was needed than,
any pugilist ought to be called upon to give,
for Heenan though not nearly so much
punished as when he fought at Farm
borough, was evidently much more in
ured.
He was pulseless at the wrists. and
even over the heart the palpitation was
fluttering, faint and low. Yet he had not
tainted.
1t was the insensbility of exhaustion, '
the sheer want of vitality, though almost
TILL ne collapsed SO suddenly, he was sup
posed to be the winner. One man was
trying to heave up his immense inanimate
form, while another stripped the wet draw
ers, stained deep with his own blood, from
the limbs of the stunned athlete. There
was dreadful significance in the way in
which he was hauled about limb by limb,
as warmer clothes were dragged over his
unconscious form, like dressing a corpse.
Yet no one seemed to mind much, for all
were crowding around the victor, who,
with very little signs Of punishment about
his face, came gaily up in the train to town.
Heenan was left with his seconds on the
field he had fought to win. No one seemed
to think much of him-he was beaten
man, and among puglists there is no
mercy for the defeated. Fair or foul,
there is as yet only one morality with
them-success:
Still there are men alive who think they
can revive the prize ring. 1t would be as
easy to restore the sport of the arena