The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-02
CHAPTER XIX.
THE WAY TO HIS HEART.

| Court, was n pace ITegueHlsu ny ~
Stratherrick every evening. The sport
Is In no way inferior TO that OF the COCK
pit In Tothill Fields, while the company
Is not COMPOSED OF noble Lords and gem
tlemen. nor Ia the betting. without which
the sport would be dull and ispiritless, be
yond the means OF persons Impoverished
decayed or beginning.
The place itself is like a round tower
outside. and within Ii filed with benches
which rise one above the other round q
circular stage In the middle, which IL the
place where the birds fight.
The company which assemblies at the
Gray's Inn cockpit every evening Is truly
Of a mixed character. For the noise that
II make, for the shouting, swearing
lighting and brawling offered up every
IL should be called a rabble rolit, but there
are frequenters Of the pit who must not
be classed with the rabblc.
Thus one may fnd here decayed gentle
men who have run through their estate.
| officers who have carried his Maiesty's
| colon over many a field, Templars and
| others, lawyers who love the ancient sport
| of cooking, tradesmen from the city. who
would be wiser to keep at home n attend
to their shops; young, merchants, who
should DO making up their ledgers; vlsl-
tors from the country. anxious TO compare
the cockpits OF London with those OF their
own towns; farmers and cattle drovers.
shippers Of merchant ships. with stories
of cock fights In the West Indies and on
the Gold Coast; young bloods, mostly half
| drunk: butchers, In blue, who are always
patrons OF the sport: craftsmen OF ali kinds,
| ~pickpoc.ets, ~footpads, highwaymeh ana
| thief takers, men who come 10 bet, and,
II they lose. 10 stink away. " they win, 20
clamor for payment-a motley and mixed
company. indeed.
certain persons OF grave and reverend
aspect. They might be solid merchants
| on change. from their manner aud their
dress.
They bring with them bags, and in the
bags are birds. They are the owners.
breeders and trainers 81 birds.
This ia their occupation. this their live
lihood, and the cockpit IL their exchange
In which they make their money.
Oliver stood in the upper ring, for a while
looking az the scene, with which he was
not unfamiliar. Every lrishman loves
all kinds OF sport. II vas not the first
| time he had seen the Gray's Inn cockpit.
Now, however, he looked ON with special
interest, because he came ON an errand
which concerned one Of the company and
not the sport.
He discovered his Lordship sitting in
| the lowest circle Of seats, that close to
| the stage or pit where a. the moment a
pair 81 birds was engaged IN the duel'
which they love &C much a. the men h
stimulate them and fire them.
IOTu GtTdtntfTlth was NhlNiiillk VIZ
combat with face rapt and absorbed, the
! peevishncss had gone out OF II, his lower
lin no longer proclaimed his discomfort.
the insolenoe Of his pride had gone out
Of him. he was transformed into one whose
whole soul was still In the sport which had
| ruined him. Like all gainesters, had he
| RECEIVED a second fortune. II would have
gone the same way ar the first.
Oliver hardly recognized him, 80 trans
| formed he was. He saw further, that
| the people had given him the hest SEAT,
that they did not press upon him or crowd
him vet "a other gentlemen they showed
no respect a. TO ran
In this cas- they respected could Ties"
gamesters but r,spectf the inan vino
had given To the sport 10y witch they all
desired 10 become rich but never succs-sdedi
the whole Of his estate. aud vet re
NAMED the Votary 81 the spCrt.
They also respected tie man who hhd
made 81 cooking the Srle study 81 his lie,
who knew all the points OF "A bird, how 10
pick out likely chicks. what Ia pay Tot
Them. bow 20 breed them. how 10 develop
their fighting spirit, how 70 feed mem
how 20 tfim their feathers Tor the night,
how 60 hx their SPURS how 90 weigh aud
match the bird-. tu note their marks ana
their age. ~ well az their weight aud IN
hghting ont the main. 10 take care mat
only those blrds are matched winch ial
in uf are proved 90 h" WITHIN al "uh'"
~ each other iu weight
Ihs.- afe very important matt-rr. and
b. viii i@ confessed thai -luos d cockpit
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