The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-12-11
GETTING EVEN WITH RIKa.
Senator Conking has Friendly Bout with
the Sad-eyed Mr. Howard

the sad-eyed MIR. Howard.
| ''Cr7 of the Pittsburgh Leader, relates
the following: Chandler's great hobby
is his skill as a pugilist. Roscoe Conk
! ling is also a great boxer. He has pri-
vate gymnasium in his residence at
Washington, where after dinner he in
yites such of his friends as are gyInnas-
tically inclined for a friendly little bout
with the gloves. Conkling is a very
good amateur boxer, and as he is very
large, powerful man, he generally has
it all his own way with the guests
who are bold enough to put the gloves
on with him. For some time it was an
open dispute between Chandler and
COnkling which was the better boxer of
the two. Chandler would, after every
dinner party, calmly assert that he could
lick any man of his weight in the United
States.
One day last winter Chandler dined
with Conkling, and the latter inveigled
the great war Senator into the private
gymnasium. The gloves were donned
and the doughty champions began to
make graceful Senatorial passes toward
one another according to the most ap
proved rules of the p. R. The bout,
however, was very short duration.
Chandler suddenly received blow be-
tween rhe eyes, which caused the huge
Senatorial form to go over backward:
his trusty legs failed him, and then he
sat down so hard that tears came ont of
his eyes. 1t took four men to get the
war Senator upon his legs. but he threw
up the sponge at once without any fur
ther effort to punish Conkling. The
only remark he was herad to make was,
Dam-strange!" and ''Tll fix him yet
Conkling and Chandler were much to-
gether in social way, and it was not long
after the above occurrence when Chan
dler received another invitation to come
up to his house and spread his legs I'M
der Conkling's social board.
Chandler sent back word that he re-
gretted very much his inability to be
present, but he had at his house a guest.
a valued constituent from Michigan, and
he could not leave him. Conkling sent
back word, Bring your friend along"
With this form of invitation, Chandler
consented to come up. He brought his
friend with him, and introduced him as
Mr.. Howard, of Detroit, Michigan
Howard was a sad-eyed man of diffident
manners, who eontented himself with
paying a very close attention to the
themes of the bill of fare, rather than to
join in the general conversation at the
dinner table.
Conkling was in great gee during the
dinner. He told over and over again
the story of Chambers discontinue as
boxer, and never seemed to tire of ask
ing him what he thought about his abili-
ty 70 lick any man i'll the United States.
Chandler took all these remarks in an
absent-minded way, as if, suddenly, he
had become lifted above any such petty
ambition of considering himself a fine
athlete.
After dinner Conkling led his guests
into the gymnasium for general smoke
and chat. Come, said he, pleasantly,
to Chandler, don't you want another
bout with the gloves?" and then COnk-
ling laughed again i'll most cheerful tur-
key gobbler style, as he put on pair Of
gloves.
mo, don't want to box. said Chan
dler; but perhaps my friend here would
consent to amuse you" Turning to Mr..
Howard, Chandler remarked. ''YOubox,
do you not"
Mr.. Howard still looked sad-eyed and
absent-minded. He did once know some
thing about it, but it was such long
time ago,
Come, come, " said Conkling, 'Iet us
have a friendly bout; won't hurt you"
1t was very evident that the great New
York Senator was pining to knock some
one down.
The sad-eyed Mr. Howard, evidently
fiattered at the prospect of being even
knocked down by so distinguished n
man, began to slowly put on a pair of
gloves. As he was drawing on the gloves
Chandler was observed to walk down a
little to the background. A contented
look was upon his face, and every now
and then he would raise his huge right
foot up under his swaying volumnious
coat-tail and give himself congratula-
tory kick expressive of rapture.
The sad-eyed man now came forward
and the round began. Conkllng was for
proceeding at once to knock his oppo-
nent down, and would have done so had
he not found great difficulty in getting
anywhere near the sad-eyed man. The |
agair eliminated by the sad-eyed mans |
suddenly rushing forward and landing |
of fist between Conkling's |
eyes. The Senator went over like a
great tree, and rolled into the corner of |
the room, where he lay for a moment |
stunned by the conclusion. He was |
heard to say afterward that he thought |
a house had fallen on him. Conkiing |
had enough of boxing for once.
Chandler made several pleasant little |
about the skill of his friend |
which were not received in
he most cheerful way.
Judge of Conkling's feelings the next
lay when he learned that Chandler had
played a joke upon him by giving Mr..
Howard 500 to come up and bounce
Conkling. The Mr.. Howard, of Detroit,
Michigan, was none other than the no
;orious pugilist, Jem Mace.