The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-18
AS TOLD BY TIE GOOD MAN.
An Account of a Prizefight I'm Which
the Strategy of the Weaker Won.
Chicago Trihun.

An Account of a PriZefight I'm Which
the Strategy of the Weaker Won.
Chicago Tribune.
A preacher told this story at wedding
supper on the south side the other even
ing:
II was riding along a country road
near Bloomington he said. when L no.
uced group OF sheep lin a pasture. There
was large open space in the midst OF
the flock, and at either end OF the space
stood two rams In the center. but stand
ing a little 10 one side. was a third ram
The two rams had evidently had a falling
out about something or else they had
come TO settle in a friendly contest which
was the better ram. Ram No. seemed TO
he acting as-judge. umpire-what do YOU
call IL? Referee? Yes. that's il, the third
ram was the referee. l don't know under
what rules the meeting took place; il
may have been QueensberTy or Rosebery
You see l am not up to these technical
matters.
When all the preliminaries had been
arranged and both contestants had been
cautioned, apparently, that there was to
be no 'fouling'-I think have seen that
word in the newspapers occasionally. and
therefore / suppose ii is a correct word
to use in this connection-each backed off
to the fuTthest limits of the circle, which.
by the way, was not a squared circle.
The referee stepped out of the way, and
the rams dashed towards each other
When their heads came together there
was terrific crash. and the force of the
conclusion threw them as far apart as
the length of this table"
All the guests looked the full length of
the table from the passion flowers at one
end TO the brides cake in the far per-
spective, and then at the preacher in the
middle distance, but nobody said any
thing.
Then" continued the preacher, "they
took their places, apparently none the
w0se for the encounter. Again, evidently
at preconcerted signal from the referee,
they dashed together. This time the
shock was even more terrific than the
first. and l noticed that as one of them
went back to his-ah. what do they call IT,
ccrner?-he was a little unsteady on his
legs"
''Groggyi" ventured the bride
Il believe that is the technical term"
replied the preacher, although, as I
have intimated, / am not at all familiar
with sporting phraseology. When time
was called for the third round-ahcm-
that isl mean to say when the rams had
recovered strength for a third collision.
there was another rush. n crash, and one
of the rams, the one you so aptly describ-
ed as Sroggy with an acknowledge
ment to the bride-"fell to his knees His
adversary did not seem inclined TO follow
up his advantage. but possibly he may
have been restrained by the rules Of the
meeting. At any rate. after contemplat-
ing his fallen foe gravely for a moment
he walked back TO his place. The other
ram, after resting briefly, struggled to his
feet The third ram, the one | have called
the referee. looked at him rather inquir-
ineiy, as it seemed TO me- but tie warrior
showed no sign of recognition. lie ambled
10 his side of the ring and faced about
y murmur of some sort seemed TO go
through the flock. The odds were appa--
entity three 10 one in favor of the other
ram-that is to say, IL seemed to be the
general opinion that the ram with the
weak knees had been outclassed, as the
other one was decidedly the heavier of the
two
However, the smaller ram seemed to
have wonderful recuperative powers
When the proper interval had elapsed he
came up smiling, as it were. L even
thought ! could see a twinkle in his eye,
for | was quite close TO the fence, and
this thing took place only little distance
away. As the referee stepped back from
the center of the ring. where he kept his
position between the meetings, the other
two rams drove At each other pell-mell
At the very instant when their hard
horns would have met however the
smaller ram suddenly changed his course
TO the right and the other went through
6he ranks like catapult Just as ne
turned about. evidently boiling over with
Indignation at the trick which had been
played on him, the other one. with the
added force given by a longer run from
one side OF the circle to point several
feet outside Of il. where the larger rams
momentum had carried him, shot at him
like a cannon ball. striking aim fun in
the face and driving him several feet
away. where he lay limp and helpless.
The third ram. who was promptly on the
spot. as I suppose every competent ref
cree should be. nodded his head several
times-lndeed. it looked 10 me as If he
was countiuE-and then. the fallen ram
falling TO rise. the whole flock marched
away toward knoll in another part ot
the meadow with the victorious ram At
the head Presently the defeated ram got
on his feet and made his way TO 60
cluaea snot down by little run. where
saw him reclining in the shade OF a large
willow tree al ] rode away"
what r. interesting study natural his
-o-1- is said the brides grandmother, as
she adjusted her glasses.
ct Is. indeed" said the groom's father.
coughing behind his napkin.