The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1897-10-12
PRIZE RING PUGS.
IAppe arance Of Pugilists Before
and After Fighting.
|The Victor Becomes Lion and the Van
quished Is Left to Suffer i'm Melan-
choly Shareholders and After
the Battle.

Muff1ed to the ears in a dark-blue
Sweater the heavyweight sat in his
dressing-room. A couple of burrows,
denoting concentrated thought, APP
peared in the narrow space between
his eyebrows and hair. lie was about
to enter the ring and expose his chin
to the deadly Knockout blow. Near
this magnificent human brute lowered
his trainer, also attired in q sweater,
and keenly alert to every move and
sound. The suave gentleman in the
role OF financial hacker, who man
ipulates the gate receipts, was also
there, trying to appear gay and deb
onaire, but palpably anxious. At the
bolted door stood a fawning tin
horn sport without penny in his
pocket, but with a good prospect of
fondling a couple of dollars if things
went right. He knew the heavyweight
from having seen his picture in the
pink periodicals and worshiped him ac-
cordingly.
The dressng-room contained little
beside the heavywcightand his friends.
boards hastily knocked together, on
which the pugilist reclined, thinking
that he thought. On n table opposite
stood a number of bottles containing
Whisky, alcohol and liniments There
were also u sponge, some fans and
towels, and under the table a tub OF
ice.
Outside could be heard the roar of
the rabble at six dollars per head, en-
Toying the preliminary bout as seen
Through the murky haze of tobacco
smoke. The event of the evening
the meeting of the heavyweights-
next on the programme a favored
few gained admittance to the dressing
rooms, for there were two or three re-
treats. Substantial-looling men in
cheese-colored overcoats and diamonds
p shade or two lighter crowded in to
shake the hand of the thumper on
whom they had staled their money,
pnd TO whisper n word of encourage
'nent in his ear. Some who were not
sports, but had friends in that line
pazed awestricken at the reclining
gladiator and his array of fighting par
pphernala.
Having exhausted his oratorv I'm
making the match, the heavyweight
bad nothing TO say. and those who did
eive vent TO words spoke in subdued
Whispers. 1t was Il painfully solemn
nd impressive occasion. Now and
hen the trainer, lest he be overlooked
p the shadow of the stellar attraction,
clipped bit of court plaster with
which he tenderly dressed an imagi-
Pary scratch on the prickled paws of
bis employer
Eventually the battle takes place.
lnd at the end of an hour the heavy
weights are back in their rooms. The
winner IS now the most voluble of the
Acited throng which crowds the small
partment 10 the door. He recapitu-
pies every blow given and taken dur
hg the fight, and points out on the
nm OF the hacker the exact spot on
men he landed the final punch.
Everybody is deliriously happy. for
hey have won money, and call the
acker tamiliarly by his frat name.
hat astute individual is effusiyoly
olcitous for the welfare of his trained
nlmal and presses upon him n drink
brandy from very small and curl
usly wrought bottle. The shape of
he task creates the impression that
pc liquor is of superior quality, dis
He'd expressly for winning pugs.
lie rs slow about dressing himself is
he victor, for the red wehs and gouges
his neck, breast and arms enhance
ls popularity 100 per cent. But he
Fleets not 70 notice these wounds and
pats gayly about how he knew that
ub wouldn't be in it with him, etc.
hey all finally depart, however, with
Pc gate receipts, and spend the night
drinking champagne.
Across in the other dressing-room
Pe dub sits blinking dizzily at
cancy. He shakes so that the trainer