Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-21
Philadelphia North American.

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Robert F1tzsimmons. famous for having
thumped, mauled and beaten a number
of his fellow-men with a freckled fist.
has no greater admirer than Charles Dana
Gibson, who is known to the world as the
portrayer OF refined American girlhood.
To those unacquainted personally with
Mr.. Gibson friendship Of this sort would
seem anomalous-Bob Fitzsimmons. bruis-
er, and Dana Gibson, society's artist
but the few that are favored with the lat
ter's intimacy easily find an explanation.
Compared with the usual artist types
seen on the Paris boulevards, with fow-
ing locks and long black neckties. Mr.
Gibson is q staid business man. He
works In his studio from five 70 six hours
every day, year after year, and his labor
is systematised like that of the banker
or railroad official.
At the homes of fashion Dana Gibson
Is an attraction on account Of his powers
OF conversation, for, with peculiarly dry
humor and a graphic style Of narrative
that would have ensured his success as a
writer, he Is looked upon, next to Peter
Dunno (Mr. Dolly as being the most
interesting talker In New York
"F1tzsimmons regard as the very last
word In athletic accomplishments" says
Gibson. ''He is much more admirable
than Ajax or even old Atlas supporting
the world. AS for college football play
ers, they are mere STRIPPING amateurs.
Think what this pugilist does! His whole
being Is so wonderfully attuned that he
may put his every ounce Of weight and
muscle In a single blow so terrific that
II would knock down row OF men. Yet
he keeps his balance and follows up with
another blow just as hard. To stand be-
for that 1.-the, compact body Of his.
with narrow cleaning eyes picking out
every frailty, is enough to make one faint
with fear. It Is like standing In front
Of a loaded cannon. Those living rods
OF steel, his arms, work with a precision
and force that suggest hidden powerful
machinery. To him fighting is a science,
Gibson not only admires F1tz as a fight
err but as q good family man and hui
morist. HE is" says the artist, "one
Of the few novel and interesting men that
I have met. Now think of this for d.
verting personality" and Mr.. Gibson re-
lates the experience of his friend, Bob
Davis, a New York newspaper man, who
was sent to Carson City to cover the
Corbett-F itzsimmons fight.
One evening when Davis was sitting at
supper In the training quarters, few
days before the battle, very much alb
sorbed in a diet of apple pie, Fitzsimmons
conceived the pretty joke of tapping the
newspaper man over the head with a
leather pillow. Winking to the others
he slyly approached, twirling the bag
of feathers to get momentum, while Davis
blissfully unconscious continued with>his
round, genial face immersed in the re-
cesses of the pie.
The blow that F1tzsimmons let fall in
playfulness was so stunning that Davis
dropped from his seat to the floor COM
pletely knocked out, and did not come TO
for five minutes.
He then staggered to his feet and reach
ed the veranda, but 1t being winter time
he slipped on ice, struck his head upon
a post and again fell, this time in the
snow.
The commotion brought Mrs. F1tzsim-
mons to the scene, and though Bob was