Omaha daily bee., 1881-07-14

. preacher, who quickly caught his eye
= At first the clergyman pretended nc
To notice it, but the Yale students
who were closely Watching the sid
/, play, noticed that his look was ofter
turtively turned in the direction q
Hannibal. The latter had now inten
slted his stern expression into some
: thing which was almost tiendish. TIL.
reverend gentleman began to shoy
signs of nervousness. Then Hanniba
arose and deliberately marchCC
towards the pulpit, with his burning
eyes still fastened upon the speaker
When he had got within about hfteet
feet of the preacher he suddenly
plunged his right hand into the inside
breast pocket of his coat, as if about
to draw a pistol. The clergyman,
who was nervously watching him,
quick as thought threw himself upon
the floor behind the pulpit, shouting,
Seize him! seize him. Hannibal,
as if unconscious of what it all meant.
coolly withdrew his hand, containing
u pocket handkerchief, wiped his
ebony phiz, and took his seat, as
though nothing had happened. OF
course the excitement broke up the
meeting, but as Hannibal was guilty
of no greater otfense than taking out
"A pocket handkerchief, nothing could
be done with him.
Perhaps the most amusing incident
in which Hannibal figured was his
meeting with Patsey Sheppard, the
once famous lightweight prize fighter,
who opened a i'll New Haven,
where he taught the manly art. A
few of the students, who were pupils
of Patsey, knowing that Hannibal's
boxing qualifications were splendid,
L UP A JOB
on the professional. They arranged
with Hannibal to go round to Patsey's
at a specified time, when the boys
we're all there, of course, and take a
lesson from the pugilist. At the ap-
pointed time Hannibal marched in,
and without appearing to know the
students (who were grouped together
at one end of the room he said N a
pompous tone, "Sir, | am n candy
peddler, and l am sometimes abused
on account of my color, and | come to
see if you wouldgive me a few lessons
in the art of self-defence." Patsey,
winking at the students, said he would
be most happy to impart instructions
tc so promising a pupil, and he would
give him lesson No. l then and there.
This suited Hannibal exactly, and he
prepared for the fun, Patsey called
him up into the middle of the room,
placed him in position, took his standin
front of him, and, after tipping the
college boys another wink, said to
Hannibal, 81 am going to hit you on
the nose at the word three Look
out!'
Zone, two, three! and he lunged at
Hannibal's nose with ugly force, but,
like the flea, he wasn't there. Patsey
saw he had a quick II to deal with,
and he followed him up, aiming blow
after blow at him. These were mostly
avoided. All this time Hannibal had
been on the defensive; but now he
thought he would let out, and he did
so with a vigor that astonishcd his
teacher. He pounded Patsey all over
the room-in tact, the prize fighter
was no match for him with the gloves,
and he speedily cried enough" At
the close, as he leaned over the table
putting and blowing from the effects
of his exertion, he glanced Mt the stu
dents and saw by their faces that he
had been made the victim of a put-up
job. He told them SO, emphatically
When Hannibrl got ready to go he in
nocently asked, "When shall 1 come
for the next lesson, Mr.. Sheppard4'
Patsey picked up a twenty-five
pound dumb-bell, and Hannibal
slid through the door without
waiting for the answer. 1t was not
long afterwards that Jem Mace
the heavyweight English prize-fighter,
was in New Haven and called upon
Patsey, who, remembering his set-to
with the colored candy peddler, was
fast for getting him at Mace. The
students were equally DESTROYS to see
the sport, but they dared not let Han
nibal know who his antagonist was.
SO they told him he was a big, con-
ceited Englishman, who thought he
could box, but" they said, "you can
wax him. All you've got to do is to
keep clear of his left hand, and sail
in" With these assurances Hannibal
bravely faced the music. Mace's ter
rife left-handers had sent many a
boxer ''to grass" In this case, how
ever, it proved to be the liveliest sort
of a glove fight, and Mace at the close
admitted that Hannibal was his
match with the gloves. Both sides
got in many heavy ticks, though the
nimbleness of Hannibal saved him
from the full force of Mace's left.
When the negro was told that his an
tagopist was the champion of England,
the dreaded Mace, he rolled up his
eyes and exclaimed, "Merciful heaven,
l thank Thee for preserving my life"
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