The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-18

Those readers who revel in tho curious. tho
abstract ard the mildly incomprehensible, should
DO interested in these volumes.
Notwithstanding it's curious title there 10
nothing either mystical or metaphysical about
the collection of stories Of the Prize Ring told in
The Square Circle" continental Publishing
Company. by Mr.. John b. Mccormick, who ia
also known as Macon" and who embellishes
his volume with a pleasing portrait OF himself,
together with several pictures of celebrated
fights and fighting men. Mr.. Mccormick in his
preface puts forward a plea for the cultivation
of brain. bravery. and brawn," and though he
does not clothe his ideas in that chastened Ian
guage employed By Mr.. Howells when. for
example. the latter describes a Boston
tea party, with suitable young ladies to
pour-a brunette for the tea and a blonde for the
chocolatc-he has at his command a vigorous
vocabulary and q wealth of imagery that are
entirely suitable to his subject. The expression
OF his views with regard to a statement by Mr..
Robert to the effect that on a
certain memorable occasion Mr.. Corbett quit"
is as picturesque as 1t is emphatic. "Mr. Fitz-
simmons Is a great fighter. but the knight
errantry in his soul is so infinitesimal that it
could wander for a million years In a straight
line on tho point of a needle without tho slight
est danger of tumbling off,"
From these pages we learn that Mr.. McCor-
mick was Instrumental in starting Mr.. Sullivan
of Boston upon his career of temporary triumph,
and the account of his first meeting with that
great man is given with full detail and in Ian
guage appropriately heroic.
Sullivan came in shortly after dusk accompanied
by q couple of friends. He was roughly dressed. and
wore a derby hat pulled so far down over his eyes
that its rim almost hid all the upper part of his face.
! asked him to have 4 drink. He at nrst declined.
saying apologetically;
81 ain a-drlnking anything. I've been a bit sick"
Take something soft" l urged. "sarsaparilia or
mineral water"
"All right; I'll take a sarsaparilla with you"
Here We also learn how, once at least, virtue
was rewarded-when Mr.. Sullivan. on receiv-
ing the promise of q handsome suit of clothes
in consideration of his "hammering the day
lights out of" a certain gentleman who had I'M
fortunately made some enemies, promptl de-
clined to earn the clothes that way. but offered
"to fight the duck for them right Off the reel"
1t is pleasing, in an age In which so many noble
actions go unrewarded. to note the fact that "a
high rolling gambler of Cincinnati" was so
pleased with this act of self-sacrihce that he
bought the clothes for the modest and retiring
pugilist and further I" topped them off with q
500 overcoat.
Many old'time fights and fighters are de-
scribed. and here and there a pretty tough
yarn Is sprung upon the reader. as In this IN
stance:
Long, long ago. when I was but a fair-haired boy of
10. my cousin Dominick. as good an Irishman as ever
crossed the sea (he was tho very spit OF Billy Barry
Us Mulcahey in "Muldoons Picnic - used to take me
on his knee and tell mo stories OF Irelands nstic
heroes.
Johnnie ho would say. "of all the fighters tina,
liver went into a ring there was none that could com
pare wild Dan Donnelly. . He was the strong
est man. too. that Oiroland ever produced. When he
worked at loadin' coal on the kays OF the Liney II
was sci he cud lift q ton. but ! think that must hev
been an eKaggeratiou.
"Wan day, though, whin ho was walkin' up Sack
Vile sthreet wild . couple OF Lords dor Dan VA
highly thought OF by the quality wan OF thin asked
him TO give thin . tist OF his stringth. There was
team OF big draught horses comm along. draw
In an ale wagon. N Lord says Dan, If yell
pay for the nigh horse IN show yeE how
sthrong an oirishman ia Il wil,' sea th'
Lord. for he had r'ale sportin' blood. With that Oar
threw on his coat. an rowling up the shirt sleeve az
his right arrum, he doubled up his INST, an with war
moighty blow he druv II into the horses breast an
pulled out Its heart. oh. oil tell you. he was strong.
How to Bo Young at Fifty" is the title OF
paper which ends the volume, and which. lik'
the rest Of It, IL evidently written for the IDEAS