Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1897-03-18
IN TIE D DAYS.
A Prize FIGHT Reported by Victor
Hugo
Hugo,


shows how the sport was carried on
in England in the seventeenth cen
fury. 1t will be interesting reading
in comparison with the reports of the
up to date correspondents, who give
the details of the modern mill. In
those days it took weeks to carry the
news of the result, by slow stage
coaches, to the end of the United
Kingdom, and there was no adn1is-
sion charged They fought in the
open and the people who wagered the
money on the result, gave literally
to the victor. Large sums were
staked on the result (therc were no
fake fights them and the nobility of
England, including ladies Of gentle
blood, were interested spectators.
The following is from Hueo's
famous story of The Man Who
Laughs"
OF the two combatants, one was a
Irishnan, named after his native
mountain in Tipperary, Phelern-ghe
Malone, and the other a Scot, named
Helmsgale.
They represented the national
pride of each country. Ireland and
Scotland were about to set to: Erin
was going to fisticuff Gajothel. So
that the bets amounted to over forty
thousand guineas, besides the stakes.
The two champions were naked,
excepting short breeches buckled
over the hips, and spiked boots laced
as high as the ankles.
Hel1nsgail, the Scot. was a youth
scarcely nineteen, but he had already
had his forehead sown up, for which
reason they laid rs to l on him.
The month before he had broken the
ribs and gouged out the eyes of a
pugilist named Six1nileswater. This
explained the enthusiasm he created.
He had won his hackers twelve
thousand pounds. Besides having
his forehead sewn up Helmsgail S
Jaw had been broken. He was neat
ly made and active. He vas about
the height of a small Oma up
right, thick set, and of a statue low
and threatening. And nothing had
been lost of the advantages given
him by nature; not a muscle which
was not trained to its object, pugil-
ism. His finn chest was compact,
and brown and shining like brass.
He smiled, and three teeth which he
had lost added to this smile.
His adversary was tall and over
grown-that is to say, weak.
He was a man of forty years of age.
six feet high, with the chest of q
hippopotamus, and a mild express.
sion of face. The blow of his fist
would break in the deck of a vessel
but he did not know how to use it
The lrishman, Phelem- CHE Malone
was all surface, and seemed to have
entered the ring to receive, 1ather
than to give, blows. Only it wa:
felt that he would take a deal O
punishment. Like UNDERGONE beef
tough to chew, and impossible to
swallow. He was what was termed
in local slang, law meat. He squint
ed, He seemed resigned.
The two men had passed the pre-
ceding night in the same bed, anc
had Slept together. They had eacl
drunk port wine from the same glass
to the three-inch mark.
Each had his group of seconds
men of savage expression, threaten
ing the unpires when it suited theI
side.
These three men, Kilter Bray, arc
Gromane, were Cornishmen by birth
and did honor to their country.
The other seconds were brutal fel
lows, with broad backs, bowed legs
knotted fists, dull faces; ragged, fear
ing nothing.
The wind was %northerly, and bit
ing; a small rain fell, which was in
stantly frozen into ice. Some gentle
men present were evidently fathers {
families, recognized as such by thei
putting up their umbrellas.
On the side OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
was Colonel Moncreif, as umpire