The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-10-23
ATHLETIC VENGEANCE.

Smockton would hardly be called an
English village 1t was not much more
than hamlet, poor and ugly one. 4
dozen or 50 of tumble down cottages
were irregularly planted on either side of
long. struggling high road which came
fiat and dusty, from the country town
five miles of and passed away blank and
unlovely in the direction of London. At
either end Of the portion of the road that
for while had become street stood a
slightly more pretentious tenement, with
board over the door bearing the an
nouncement that the owner was licensed
to sell beer and spirits. The adult male
members of the community, pretty
equally divided as to numbers, congre-
gated before the doors of these establish
ments every evening, in moody compan.
ionshp.
The other buildings partaking of
public character were a smithy.
general" shop, and wheelwright's back
yard. Beyond the village, at somewhat
convenient distance to the rear, stretched
abald, patchy open space, variousy called
the green" or the common" A few
bare poles at one end, connected by a
rope, supported, at odd times. freshly
washed linen, while two or three donkeys,
temporarily exempted from hard labor,
resented the suggestion that they We're
turned out TO Craze on this CRASHES
green.
With these exceptions the ground was
habitually deserted and lifeless. But
%,x-saa e., IL A ~
by the inhabitants of SInockton, swept
away the clothes lines, the poles, and the
donkeys, and filled the common with
glitter and animation. Several gayly
painted wagons, Of the kind known as
caravans, took possession Of the common:
ashooting gallery was established in Il
booth rickety stalls for the sale Of cheap
drapery, boots and cong glomerated sw eets,
were erected and a good sized tent
stretched its weather beaten canvas over
the most conspicuous plot Of ground.
A large picture of crude design sus-
pended over the entrance represented
impossible gymnastic and acrobatic feats,
wrestling, duels, and tie attitudes of
fascinating female Samson, posing 100
pound weights with extended arms and
jewelled fingers. A thin, white wigged
clown, whose lower limbs were cased ia
ordinary trousers, standing outside on u
barrel announcing in shrill tones, with
intervals of drum beating, that at the
close Of each of the three daily perform
ances the celebrated athlete and
fencing master, MazagranO, owner of the
show, who met in single combat all the
crowned heads of Europe, would conde.
scend to fight with sword, saber, foils, or
sticks any gentleman in the audience
willing to step into the ring and enter the
lists with him.
1t was the close of sultry August day
the sun was sinking, and pierced with
It's level rays the haze, made of heat and
dust, through which the wagons, the
booths, and the people loomed large and
indistinct. The lifted canvas curtain of
the athletes tent showed roughly con-
structed circle of boards, and profiled on
the black opening the swiftly moving
figure Of Lorenzo Mazagrano engaged in
a single stick combat with TALL straight,
neat limbed soldier, who had thrown off
his regimental jacket and accepted the
proffered opportunity of measuring HIM
self with the professional fencer for nine
penny stakes The men were not badly
matched.
The athlete was by far the most mus
cular and powerful Of the two; but the
private had superior skill and knowledge
Of his art. He wore an easy, good hum
ored smile, while his opponent fought
with set teeth and a dark scowl, as if
more bent on avenging some personal
quarrel than displaying professional tai
ent. The contest was the last on the pro-
gram. Most of the spectators, oppressed
with the intense heat in the tent and al
lured by the prospect Of refreshment out
side, had deserted the ring and stood
lazily near the entrance. Inside there
remained only the two combatants, q boy
evidently a member of the company,
the pale faced clown, and woman.
She was seated on a square deal chest
in corner of the tent, gathering tightly
round her shoulders a threadbare water
proof cloak, which, however, did not
conceal her person so closely as to pre-
vent pink sandal, the lower part of q
flesh colored stocking, and the edge of a
red skirt bound with tarnished gold from
being visible. At her feet were three
large black cubes with handles, on which,
were written respectively in large white
figures, lbs. 100, lbs. 200, lbs. 800. She
rested her elbows on her knees, dropped
her chin in her hands, and kept her eyes
fixed on the athlete and the soldier.
1t would have been difficult to STATE
accurately the age of the woman, or tc
decide whether she was pretty or not
animated, her expression might be pleas
enough; in its concentrated attention i
was almost hard. Her complexion wal
brown to dull red her hair, plasteret
in festoons on her forehead, was braided