Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-10


out of his pipe, and arose.
Every well, if you INSIST he said,
abut | know there will be trouble,
and I am very rusty with my fists.
Now, / would not care if | was like
| | was when
"Hurry! We're late y interrupted
Swash. And as we were fling down
stairs he whispered
"a million to one we don't see the
certain man."
IT would be a fool to take you
up," | replied softly.
When we reached the gymnasium
of the Olympic Club the first bout
was over. Several hundred men,
generally in their shirt sleeves, were
seated on low benches about the
ring, all smoking 30 vigorously that
thick haze filed the room. and
from where we stood we could hard
| " distinguish the faces of the two
muscular fellows who were seated in
their respective corners.
"There are three seats up front.
Let's get there" said the lieutenant,
indicating the place with bis cane.
Filkins hung back.
sd rather not he said, I'll be
noticed here.'
"Rot - exclaimed the other, eeiz-
ing his arm and literally dragging
him through the crowd, until at
length we were comfortably fixed in
the front row. | could see every
thing then, and even beard the low
tones Of The referee as he arose and
announced: "Six rounds between
Harry Donohue, of Boston, and Kid
Williams, of New York. Then with
a nonchslant wave OF the hand to-
ward the right-hand corner, 'Dono-
hue !" toward the left, Civilians"
Donahue and Williams were two
very respectable looking young men,
with clear, pink faces, and splendid
chests and muscles. Swash said
that the latter was middleweight
and fought too low, but of that /
knew nothing. In fact, [ thought it
was rsther tame. Ny idea of prize
fights had been drawn from comic
aud religious papers, but in these
two active, athletic young men, who
shook hands and then began to jump
lithely about the ring, beating the
air at times and at times striking
each other with their gloved hands,
| did not see a realization of my
saDeuine imaginings. To be sure, in
the second round Williams landed
villainously on Donohue's nose, caus-
ing it to bleed profusely, and receiv-
ed in turn an upper cut on the chin
which brought from the crowd about
US criesof "Good un !" "Now, anoth-
erp' EYER got i'm skeert |" Cab,
pshaw the Kids too slow, see the
chances he missedl" "He's fighting
too low"
The affair was getting more inter-
esting. Williams gave his opponent
a body blow that sent him reeling
against the ropes at one side, but
the Boston lad regained himself in
an instant and dealt the New York
er such violent one on the cheek
that the young man began to stag
ger stupidity about, holding his hands
out to protect his face. Involuntar-
lily half rose and cried, "a good
un."
A sudden pull al my coat brought
me back to my seat and Filkins
whispered in my ear:
"There he is! What did / tell
you?"
"Who?" said I, rufled at the in
terruption.
"The man that I spoke off. Come,
let US get out. He ia moving this
way"
Swash heard him, and, ssizing
him, he pulled him back into his
seat, for he had made a motion to
60.
leave at this point z" he cried.
"Filkins you're a fool.'
/ looked toward the person whom
Filkins had pointed out. and al
though | had never before seen him,
from series of pictures of noted So
ciety men which certain paper had
published | knew him to be Archi-
bald Van Peyster.
Eyes, Filkins,' said /, s'you are a
fool.n
"Call NE what you choose he re-
torted, "but, mark my woods, there
will be trouble If We stay. Time has
been called and |, at least, had bet
| ter co.
"Nonsense!" laughed Swash. "We
will stand by you, old man, for ]
propose to see this thing out. It'll
be hot the next round"
Indeed it will,' said Filkins
grimly.
well, here comes the certain
welLknown man." I chuckIed, fol