The Penn's Grove record., 1883-12-01

The jolly old sport sat in a broad
backed armchair before a cheerful CRATE
in his chop-house. On a table by his
side was a pewter mug filed with beer
and within easy reach. On the walls
of the cosy room were pictures of de-
funct heroes of the prize ring, prints of
coaching e
The OLD man was in a communicative
mood. ''Ihe fighters that's goin' now
adays amt ike the fighters as l used to
know when 1 was a young %feIler," said
he. "'Ihere's too much of a writin' of
challenges now, an too much of a
foolln' with soft gloves. Why don't
they use the bare dukes as they used to
dor"
The solitary listener frankly admit
ted that he could not answer the que
ton.
"Then I'll tell you,' said the jolly old
fellow, with an unctuous chuckle. sits
because they're afraid of their mugs.
1 was a talkin' to old Bill Clark the
other night, HIM as they calls Perfesser.
and a good 'un he is. There's a thou.
sand fighters in this country as calls
themselves champions, Bill says I;
how many of 'em has got broken
noses2' What do you think he said2"
The listener ''gave If up" so to
speak.
well, bless me soul, he couldn't
name more than H'arthur Chambers,
Mike Donovan. Bill Jordan, and two or
three others. There amt no broken
noses among the champions because
they amt fighters. Morrissey, Heenan,
Bill Davis, Deaf Burke. Tom Sayers,
Bob Brettie, Harry Broome, Tom Oh
yer, in fact nearly all of the old-timers,
had their noses broke becoz they fought.
| tell you, some of the old 'uns can
down the young 'uns yet"
"Tell me II you saw an old man de-
feat a young one?" said the listener.
The old sport drained his mug and it
was promptly filled upon his compsn-
IONS order. A pleasant glow over
spread the veterans rugged features and
he chuckled as he remarked;
perhaps ye think l can't. Some
years ago, it don't matter how long, L
was n of a gang that went down to
Fort Hamilton to see old Turner and
young Jack Gallagher fight, 1t was
comm on Tbanksgivm' and the old
man wanted to make a stake bad, so he
agreed to fight one of the cieverest
Young sparrers Harry Hill had then.
Well, the fight came of IN a queer
place and here the old sport paused.
"Where2'
"In the celler of a hotel that John
Leary owned, him as you hear called
'Red.' He wasn't there though. The
men stripped to the buff, Bob Murray
took an interest in the old man because
he Vas old. Charley Johnson, Mike
Kennedy, and a lot OF Brooklyn chaps
were there on the other SIDE"
"But the fight. Tell me Of the
fight
The old man chuckled again, eye
wouidn'J be half as anxshus to fight rs
hear the story. The two men banged
away at the start. Gallagher landed on
the old 'un's kisser, got away crossed
him, ducked and planted a red hot 'un
ON the old feller's left lamp, then one
on the nose, and got lust blood. To
make a long story short the Young 'un
made a chopin block OF the old fellow
and cut HIM up bad. But every time
that time was called the old 'un KEEP
up GRIMM through the blood as
streamed down his mug. You'd a
pitled the old man, but ne wouldn't
give In becoz he was a fghtin' for his
Ihanksgivin' turkey. Finally the old
'un smashed Gallagher heavy on the
ribs and made him grunt. Then he got
there agin. Murray yells:
81 bet a hundred TO ninety the old
man wins yet.
''That give the old fellow heart and
he slammed away. If Gallagher had
stuck he'd a won the battle, but the
old boys nerve licked The lad. He give
up without havin' a scratch Oh him.
When the sponge went up the old man
says, 4 guess | won that turkey"
did he get it?"
you bet he did" and the jolly old
fellow chuckled.