Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-12-04
LOOKED LIKE A LIAR.
BUT THIS WAS A CASE WHERE LOOKS
WERE MISLEADING.

] A Little Irishman Who Claimed Acquaint
ance With . Champion 'usiiist-His
Disputed the Claim.
II was reading clever little sketch
the other day about man who told big
stories which were not believed by his
acQuaintances, and it reminded me of
an experience / had once when / was
considerably younger, remarked Rob-
ert ID. Wilson, the active Orleans county
politician, when i'll reminiscent mood
the other day.
1T was like this: About the first
contract / ever took was one to build a
church in a small town III western New
York near Lake Ontario My partner
and employed good force of men.
and among others good natured, rather
dapper little lrishman, who applied for
work shortly after we got the walls
started.
He was not a skilled workman, but
a good, active helper, and he struck me
at the time as being one of the most en-
been my pleasure 10 meet. One OF his
favorite tales was to the effect that he
was for three years trainer and boxing
partner of the famous pugilist Jem
Mace and had seconded the one time
champion in two of his most notable
ba ties. He ratified off names, places,
dates and incidents in the most offhand
manner imaginable, which, as we had
no means of verifying his statements.
he was perfectly safe in doing. OF
course we took what he said with a
large grain of salt and enjoyed drawing
him out.
Zone thing about the old fellow
struck me as peculiar-we could never
induce him under any consideration to
join i'll any of the friendly little spar
ring contests which we occasionally in
dulged in at the little country hotel.
after our days work was done. BY 10
subterfuge could we induce him to stick
his hands in the big mitt6ns, although
he was always present at our exercises
and took delight in making sighting
comments upon our skill.
This got rather monotonous after
awhile, and we set about devising a
plan for teaching the old fellow les
son. When he was sober, we knew there
was no chance of getting the gloves on
him, but he usually got moderately full
Oh Saturday evenings, and we concocted
scheme TO give him an earlier start
one Saturday afternoon, SO that by the
time supper was over he was consider
ably exhilarated. l was just out of q
gymnasium ut the time, and was con-
sidered pretty clever boxer. The boys
all went TO work at him, and after q
good many drinks and lot Of coaxing
and cajolipS they finally got him to put
IN the gloves and srar bit with me-
"'Sai. in Larry, l said. Don't be
afraid TO lit me. And winked at the
boys and went at him. He was easier
,han expected. His guard seemed very
poor, and several times / raped him
harder than ! should, but it seemed q
good plan to teach the old blowhard a
GOOD lesson. After awhile ! got bit
/ tired Of tho one sldednes; Of it. ] regis.
tered about every time found an OPEN
ing, while the Hishman S punches were
all wild and Of no account. Finally ]
decided that we had had fun enough
and made up my mind to give him a
good chinchopper, lay him out and quit.
So / watched for an opening, and when
| saw one minute later. l aimed as
heavy a blow as l could strike and let
20.
well, say, don't know even to this
day what became Of that punch, for at
that moment something struck me on
the neck, and for the next 30 seconds
experienced all of the sensations of Don
Quixote when he had the mix up with
the windmill, for that little Irishman
was dancing around me and delivering
undercuts, overcuts, chin choppers, side
winders, earmuifs, straight drives and
long arm body blows faster than l could
feel them, while paved the air in an
attempt at defense.
Il think the boys said it was az Sec
onds before / was lying in the corner.
limp and entirely out, but it was three
DAYS before / was olt-at work again.
was sorry to find that the agile little
Irishman had disappeared Immediately
after l dropped asleep. He evidently
feared trouble, but l never would have
made any. In fact, I'd have liked to
take few lessons from him. but I've
never had the mitts on from that day to
| this.
81 don't know now whether that lit
tie Irishman was telling the truth or
not, but l have my suspicious about the
matter Medina IN. " Cor. New
York Press.