Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-31

"And | like the look of you and l wish you
we'll" said Belcher, holding out his hand.
They were not unlike each other, either in
face or figure though the Bristol man was
few years the older, and murmur OF crltlcal
admiration was heard as the two tall, 1.-the
figures and ciean-cut faces were contrasted.
Have you any choice where the fight takes
place." asked my uncle.
81 am in your hands, sir, y said Jim.
"Why not go round to the flVes Court!
suggested Sir John l4ade.
sYe, let us all go to the Fives Court
But this did not at all suit the views OF
the landlord who saw in this lucky incident
chance of reaptng a fresh harvest from MS
spendthrift company. $50
.If It please you" he cried, there Is no
,caa 10 20 so far. My coach house at the
hack of the yard is empty, and better pace
for mill you'll never find. :, ,- % >, ~
There was general shout IN favor or the
coach house. and those who were nearest the
door began to slip through, in the nope Oh
securing the best places. My stout neighbor,
Riu war; pulled Harrison to one side.
"I'd stop it If were YOU" he Whispered.
"I would II | could. It's no. wish or mine
that he should fight. But there's no turning
him when once his mind is made up
All his own fights put together mad never
reduced the puglist to such a state of asita-
tion. ,,. ,,r
wait on i'm yourself, then, and chuck up
tho sponge when things begin to go wrong
You know Joe Berks record?'
Hes since my time
"Well, he's terror, that's all, us only
Belcher that can master i'm. You see the
man for Yourself six foot, fourteen stone
and full of the devil Belcher's beat I'm
twice, but the second time e 'ad all is WORK
to do it," .,..
'.Well, well, we've got to go through with
It, You've not seen Boy Jim put ms mawieys s:,s
up or maybe you'd think better OF MS
chances. When he was short of l6 ne licked
/ the cock of the South Downs, and hes come
on long way since them
The company was ewarming through the
door and Gathering down the stair as we iol-
lowed in the stream, hne ram was iail.ms
and the yellow lights from the windows gins
tened upon the wet cobblestones In the yard
How welcome that sweet breath OF damp air
was after the foetid atmosphere OF the supper
room At the other end OF the yard WAS an
open door, sharply outlined by the gieam vi
lanterns within, and through this they
poured amateurs and fighting men )ostiihe
each other in their eagerness to get to the
front For my own part, being sma'iisn
man. | should have seen nothing had hol
found an upturned bucket In corner, upon
which perched myself with the wall at my
back. aoo
II was a large room, with wooden hoor
and an open square in the ceiling which was
frnged with the heads OF the hostlers ana
stable boys who were looking down from the
harness room above. carriage lamp was
slung in each corner and very large stapie
lantern hung from a rafter in the center A
| coil of rome had been brought in, and, under
| the direction of Jackson, four men had been
! stationed to hold It, 49,
"Wbat space do you give them?" asked
my uncle , .,. os
"Twenty-four, as they are poth pib oH"''
sir" ,.o,
"yery good. and half minutes between
rounds suppose. I'll umpire II Sir Lothian
| Hume will do the same, and you can hoid
| the watch and referee, Jackson"
| With great speed and exactness every
| preparation was rapidly made by these
| experienced men. Mendoza and Dutch San,
were commissioned to attend to Berks while
Champion Harrison did the same for BOY
Jim. Sponges. towels, and some pranoy
| in a bladder were passed over the heads
OF the crowd for the use Of the seconds.
'Hepe's our man" cried Belcher. Come
along, Berks, or Wen go to fetch you
Jim had appeared in the ring stripped to
the waist, with colored handkerchief tied
round his middle. A shout Of admiration
| came from the spectators as they looked
upon the fine lines Of his figure, and found
myself roaring with the rest. HIS shoulders
were sloping rather than bulky and his
chest was deep rather than broad, but the
muscle was all in the right place, ripplins
down In long, low curves from neck to
shoulder and from shoulder to elbow. His
work at the anvil had developed his arms
to the utmost and his healthy country liv
ing gave sleek gloss to his ivory skin
which shone in the lamp light His expires
sion was full of spirit and confidence, ant
he wore a grim sort of half-smile which
had seen many time in our boyhood, ant
which meant | knew, that his pride haC
set iron hard, and that his senses woult
fail him long before his courage,
joe Berks in the meanwhile. had swag
gered in, and stood with folded arms be
tween his seconds in the opposite corner
-
OF his opponent, and his skin. OF a dead
white, with heavy folds about the chest ant
ribs, showed even TO my inexperienced eye.
that he was not a man who should nght
! without training. A life or topping and east
had left him fiabby and gress' On the othei
hand. he was famous for his mettle and to]
his hitiag power. SO that even Ia the fae'