Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-31

I
and he cameo hack again and again as swift
as a flash to the attack without being able
to get past theipnssve defense OF the trained
hghting man. 1t was at such moment
that rlnscrafh WAS needed, and, lueky Ior
Jim, two masters OF 1t were at his BACK
| Get your 5eftnon his mark, BOY, they
shouted. "Ihend go to his head with the
| right" l9i 10
Jim heards. and acted on the instant.
| Plunkl came his left just where his antago-
nist's ribs curved from his breastbone. The
| force Of thedblow was half-broken by Berks
| elbow, but 1t served its purpose OF bringing
! forward his head. Spank went the rlght
| with the clear, crisp sound OF TWO olIlalu oS
balls clapping together. and Berks Teeleu'
| flung UP his arms, spun round, and teii IN
huge, feshy heap upon the floor. Ills sec
| onds were on him instantly, ana proppeu
him up in a sitting position, his head roil-
| ing helplessly from one shoulder to the
other, and finally topping backward with ms
chin pointing to the ceiling Dutch sam
thrust the brandy bladder between his teeth
while Mendoza shook him savagely, ana
| howled insults in his ear, but neither spI,its
| nor the sense OF injury could break into that
serene tranquility. Time was duly called,
and the Jews, seeing that the anair was
over. let their mans head fall back with
crack on the, floor, and there he lay nus
| huge arms and legs a-sprawl, while the
Corinthians and fighting men crowded past
him to shake the hand of his conqueror'
For my part, l tried also to pass through
| the throng but 1t was no easy task for one
| of the smallest and weakest men IN the
room. On all sides of me heard brisk
| discussion from amateurs and professionals
| of Jlm's performance and OF his prospects.
Hes the best bit Of new stuff that I've
| seen since Jim Belcher fought his first hght
with Paddington Jones at Wormwood scrubs
four years ago last April said Berkeley
Craven. You'll see him with the belt
| round his waist before he's five and twenty,
| or l am no judge of a man."
THAT handsome face of his has cost me
a cool 50O,', grumbed Sir John Lade
| who'd have thought he was such punish
| ing hitter" '- Nj.
For all that" said another, 81 am conf
dent that II Joe Berks had been sober he
would have beaten him. Besides the iad
| was in training, and the other would have
| burst like an overdone potato II he were
| hit. l never saw man so soft, or with
his wind in such condition. Put the men
| in training, and it's horse to hen on the
| bruiser.''
Some agreed with the last speaker, and
| some were against him, so that a brisk argu-
| ment was being carried on around me- In
| the midst of It the prince took his departure,
| which was the signal for the greater part
| of the company to make for the door. In
| this way / was able at last to reach the
| corner where Jim had just finished his dress
ing, while Champion Harrison, with tears OF
| joy still shining upon his cheeks, was help~
| ing him with his overcoat. -
an four rounds!' he kept repeating, In
| sort of an ecstasy. Joe Berks in four
| rounds! And it took Jem Belcher fourteen
well, Roddy,' cried Jim, holding out his
hand. ''I told you that would come to
| London and make my name known Y.
"It was sglepdid.' Jim!'
Dear old sRoddy! l saw your white face
| staring at me from the corner. You are not
changed for ali your grand clothes and your
London friends.
''It is you khoAare changed, Jim," said 1.
| hardly kTihyy when came into the
| room"
Nor l." cried the smith. "Where got you
all these fine feathers, jim? Sure am that
it was not your aunt that helped you TO the
| first step toward the prize ring
Miss Hinton has been my friend-the best
| friend eve" chad" -f
"Humph 1 thought as much" grumbled
! the smith. well, it's doing of mine,
Jim, and you must bear witness to that when
| we go home again. don't know what-but
| there. 1t is done, and it can't be helped.
| After all shes--now the devil take my
clumsy tOnghe!s-
II could not ted. whether it was the wine he
had taken at supper or the excitement OF
Row Jim's victory which was affecting Cham
pion Harrison, but his usually placid face
| wore most disturbed expression. and his
manner seemed to betray an alienation OF
exultation and embarrassment. Jim looked
| curiously at him. wondering evidently what
It was that lay behind these abrupt sentences
and sudden silences. The coach house had
in the meantime been cleared. Berks with
many curses had staggered at last to his
feet and had gone off in the company OF two
other brusers while Jem Belcher alone re-
NAMED chatting very earnestly with my
VERY good BeIcher," 1 heard my uncle
say. .....
it. SIR" said the famous prize nghter, as the
| two walked toward us. -..7
st wished to ask you, Jim Harrison
whether you would undertake to be my
champion in the fight against Crab Wilson
of Gloucester" said my uncle. 80.
THAT Is what want, Sir Charles-to nave
| a chance to fight my way upward" .,.
,There are heavy stakes upon the event
yery heavy stakes" said my uncle. You
will receive f2OO II you win. Does thai sat
isfy you"
II shall fight for the honor, and because
wish TO be thought worthy of being matched
against Jem Becher."
Belcher laughed good d-humoredly.
you're going the right way about 1t, lad,,
said he "But you had a soft thing on to-
night. with a drunken man who was out OF
81 did not wish to fight him." said JIM
flushing. -,. ,,,,,, -
ooh, i know you have spirit enough TO
| fight anything on two legs l knew that the
instant / capped eyes on you. But l want
Won IN remember that when you fight Crab
Wilson you will fight the most promising
man from the west, and that the Dest man
Of the west is likely TO be the pest man IN
england He's as quick and as long IN the
reach as you are, and he'll train himself to
the last half ounce OF talow. ] tell you TINS
now, dye see, because If I'm to have the
charge of you
"Charge Of me-!
"Yes" said my uncle. "Belcher has con-
sented to train you for the coming battle II
you are willing to enter. =.
"I am sure I very much oDliged 10
you, cried Jim heartily. "Unless my uncle
should wish to train me, there's no one
would rather have"
"Nay. jim. I'll stay with you few days
hut Belcher knows deal more about training
than do Where will the quarters beF
'I thought it would be handy Tor you II
we fixed 1t at the George at Crawley. Then
n we have the choice OF place we migh!
choose Gravity Down. for, except Mosei
Hurst and maybe Smitham Bottom. there
isn't a spot IN the country that would com
pare with II for mill, Do you agree 'c
that?"'
''Then YOU Are my man from this hour on
ave seer" safH Becher. ,"Your food is mine
and your drink 10 mine, and your sleep Is
mine and all you've to do is Just what you
are told. Wg haven't an hour to lose, foI
Wilson has Been. in half training this month