The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-14
WAS ONCE A CHAMPION.
BUT NOW HE IS OLD AND AN TIN
Grant VENOER OF LEMONS.
He Was Bred Among Fighters-He Gave
Up the Business When He Married-One
Fight That Made Els Fortune but Nearly

!
quick, nervous movements that contradict
the story of age told in his countenance.
The little man carries a basket of lemons.
and he goes in and out of the many places
of resort in the business part OF the city
offering the fruit. He is known by nearly
all the crowd in which he mingles, and
each one has a kindly word for "Davy."
Not many know his story, but all who have
seen him often, and he is familiar figure
on the streets of Seattle, recognize him as
one who pursues his business quietly and
respectfully, and deserves fair treatment in
return.
Occasionally some quarrelsome individ-
ual, relying on his greater size. attempts
to impose upon Davy, but before the
friends of the lemon peddler have time to
interfere the old man shows that he needs
no protector. The basket goes down, two
ready fists come into position and two eyes
that have not begun TO fade CLEAN out
dangerously from under the heavy eye
brows.
If the piece of impudence was only a
silly bluff matters end imn. lately. but if
the foolish meddler still believes he is safe
in stirring up maliciously an inoffensive
little old man and continues in his course
there is short, sharp conflict. The old
man steps forward quickly, his left
straightens itself, and as the bully before
him guards off the blow there is another
from the right that finds its mark some
where about the fgurehead of the aggres-
sor. Another and another comes SO quick
ly that there is no time for anything but
defense, and before he knows it the big
ruftian goes down, dizzy and weak.
A FIGHTER BY NATURE.
A reporter, by dint of much persuasion.
gained the story of the old man from his
own lips, and it explained the swift move
ments so mysterious to the casual spectator
OF one OF his stands for self defense.
Il was born on the 18th of March, 1923"
said Davy, ''an' if it had been two days
later I'd have been an Irishman Ye're
right, by gum! From the time 1 was IL
years old till l was 35 l worked in the
mines in Staffordshire. England, for Pm a
Upton man, an know every bit of the
black country There's where they have
fighters. Why, man, there's boys there
who know more of heavy blows in the ring
than half the men that are advertised from
one end of America TO the other as pugilists,
an yet they don't go about talkin' of it.
naturally as eatin' there Why, | had my
first regular good one when was only 49,
an it was about three ha'p'worth o. oysters.
The officers stopped us, or we heard 'eni
a-comin' an run off an hid ourselves, but
I'd lost my front teeth first, an he had
some marks that put on him.
Eyes, I've had seven fights in the ring
for money, an | never was whipped, but
that was years ago. an I'm no good now.
They called me the best man o. my weight
in England, an | was open to anything.
weighed 10 then, when | trained down,
feather weight, you know, an no chance
to make great reputation, but was in
some good ones. Twice | fought over two
hours Backers in plenty for me always.
Ye're right, by gum They knowed I'd
stan it even if l was beat, but | wasn't
beat.
STORY OF ONE FIGHT.
81 fought Ike Turns twice-the first time
a draw, but the second | worried him. |
fought Joe Wilson three times in all He
it was struck me first about the three ha'-
p'Orth o. oysters, an there was bad blood
between us till it was settled. The first
time the officers stopped 1t; the next time
1t was draw, after an hour an three
quarters, but the last time beat him
There's story in that fight, an it was
my last one. You see | was married then
Il was "A years Old-an' our baby was in
the cradle. Well, l knew my wife wouldn't
hear O. my fightin' then, but when my old
hacker come to me an says, They're willin'
to put up two pounds to one agin We.
Davy, an the mans Joe Wilson, could
not help thinkin' of it. So / agreed to go
in the ring agin, for there was 900 up
agi'n the fifty my hacker had, an he said
half the winnin' should be for me. Fifty
pound was a deal o money in those days;
ii would buy home for a poor man.
well, went TO trainin', an every night
I'd black my face when | went home to
make my wife think | was still workin' in
the mine. When the day come says To her
the night before: i must be up early in tho
mOrnin'. There's hard job before me,
but I've got to do it So got up afore
day almost an away to the ring.
well, we were at it two hours an TWEEN
ty minutes, an when it was over of course
was marked up some. But when | went
home my wife Saws, You've been fightin''
You're wrong says l; I've been hurt in
the mine But she knew better, an she
picked up the baby out o. the cradle, an at
the door she says, III beg my bread from
door to door before I'll live with fighter,
and then off TO her mother.
NEARLY LOSES HIS WIFE.
81 had the 80 in my hand had won, an
threw it on the table and sat down. The
money was all right, but warn't worth
wife and baby. But soon here comes my
wife's mother. Ny daughters left ye,'
says she. We'll, We can keep your daugh-
ter says !. No child O mine shall ever
live with fighter says she. All right
says /, we can take the furniture an | am
off, An got up an made great show o
sweepin' the $50, all in gold, off the table
into my pocket. Then the old woman be
gan to soften. knew she would. Ye're
right, by gum Don't CO. says she; the
girl will forgive ye.'
i don't want no forgiveness, says l.
But she runs away home an soon my wife
comes an takes hold o. me. 4 want We 70
stay, Davy,' says she, but / wouldn't show
how | liked TO hear her say it. purtended
TO pull away, but | wasn't pullin' at all
Don't so. Davy,' says she, holdin' me
back. Then, says I, We'll, if ven say no
more about it I'll stay. But ye must kiss
me first an then I'll promise never 10
fight for money agin.' An she done it,
and kept my word.
Il never would 20 in ring after that.
and that were forty-three years ago. But
/ take MY own part I'm no tighter now.
I'm TOO old Ny winds gone an I'm no
good But could fight once Ye're right,
by gum.'-Seattle ost-Intelhgencer.