Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-08-11
SULLIVAN'S BETTER SIDE.
A Few Samples of the Great Pugilist's Gen
erous Traits.

Billy Ford, in The Philadelphia Press.
I well remember few incidents coming
under my notice while resident of Bo'
ton which 90 to show that there is better
side to John L. Sullivsn's nature than the
public has ever been made aware OF.
One evening, and bitter cold winters
night it was, too, Sullivan, surrounded by
a score or more of his friends and admirers,
was standing in his barrOOm, on Washing
ton street, when poor unfOrtunate-pos-
sibly sixty years of oge-entered and trem'
bling approached the pugilist, and after
waiting patiently touched him on the arm.
Sullivan wheeled around abruptly, SCI
frown on his face, when the poor weak
voiced old man said 'Is this MIR. Sulli-
vanP" THAT is my NAME" replied John
L.
"You don't remember me!" inquired
the old man.
Cant say that I do. "
"Why. knew you when you were moth
ng but wee tot of boy. My name is
- -"
Sullivan Strengthened himself up and
looked at the old man moment or two IN
silence; then, laying his arm kindly on bis
shoulder, he said:
"You seem to be playing in hard lines,
nv old friend"
"Well. Mr.. Sullivan" was the reply,
s'the world has been rubbing kinder hard
sg,inst nae lately, but have heard good
deal about you, and thought you was the
same lad l knew years aud years ago, aad
so thought would come and see you"
What can do for you?"inquired Sulli-
van.
"Oh, nothing" replied the old man.
81 am but a bum"
Nothing but BUMP echoed Sullivan.
''You are poor, weak old man. What
are you doing on this cold night without
an Overcoat?"
az have no coat" was the reply.
Had anything to eat?'
mot to day." was the snswer.
''Where DO you live?"
81 haven't got any particular home"
Sullivan scrutinized the face Of the old
man very closely, and without word put
his hard in mis- pocket aud drew forth roll
of bills, extracting a $40 note. At this
moment one of his companions stepped up
and said: why, John, dime is Just as
good for that old chump."
Sullivan passed the bill 10 his aged Wis
itor, who, profuse in his thanks, took his
departure. Then Sullivan turned to the
friend who mad prOffered the suggestion
and remarked: Bob, what would dime
be to your father or mine if he was in such
hard lines as thst?"
Somewhat later, in front of the Boston
theater one evening, friend OF Sullivan
and well known man about town was re-
lating to him the death bed sufferings OF
an aged lady, with whose sons and daugh-
tiers the pugilist had bsen for many years
well acquainted. The invalid had passed
away in the most affect poverty, and the
narrator remarked incidently that she
would probably have to be inferred In the
Potter's Field.
Sullivan inquired who had charge of her
funeral, and the name being given him he
stepped into an adjoining store, wrote
note to the undertaken and sent 1t by a
messenger. l learned the following day
that the unostentstious and unselfish gen
erosity of this drunken brute" p saved
the aged mother of his school day friends
from the disgrace of pauper's burial.
At another time happened to meet
John L. Sullivan in barber shop, where
he was being shaved. Just inside the door
cripple had little bootblack stand. The
man occupying the seat was considerably
under the influence of liquor, and when
the boy had completed his work the Gus
toner refused TO pay him. About this
moment Sullivan arose from his chair and
was adjusting his collar before the mirror
when the following conversation took
place:
Il say, young Teller, I paid you"
"No, you did not, SIR
81 tell yer did,
Indeed. you did not, sir"
"Well, amt got any more time to talk
to you"
With this he was about to pass out,
when the little cripple touched his arm
ard said:
'Say, mister, can't afford to black
your boots for nothing"
Rudely the drunken loafer pushed him
to one side and the puny limbs of the lit
tie bootblack bent beneath him, and he
fell upon the tiled flood. With one stride
and a sweep of his hand Sullivan hsd the
rufian by the nape of the neck, aud IN
voice of thunder, and with his face per
fectly livid, Sullivan roared out: Here,
you-whelp, pay the boy! Pay him, l
say.n And before he would relax his
hold upon the tightly twisted collar, he
made the fellow disgOrge not once, twice,
but three times the price of the job. Then
he dropped the trembling fellow as a man
would a straDgled dog upon the floor and
walked back to the mirror and completed
his toilet
On another occasion l was approaching
Boston on one of the trains of the Boston
and Albany railroad. Upon the came train
Sullivan had been coming to the city. AS
he alighted from the cars and was walking
up the platform an elderly lady, decidedly
infirm in her movements, was attempting
to descend the steps of one of the forward
coaches. Suddenly she slipped. Sullivan
spTaDg Harvard, placed his hands under
her arms and lifting her as tenderly as be
would a child set her upon the platform
Then, without waiting to receive the
thanks Of gratitude from the old lady, be
as quickly turned and walked away.
THE LASS IN WHITE.
a Il ff,a y