The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-13

work was struck at o'clock at the
Z Anal n,ts md Inc iron works, and the fight
Y.ns arranged FOL g. From the CroSleS
Furnaces. from I,lson's Coal-ri's' ron
the I1cartsease Mine. from the loco
Mills, from, the beSerworth Shelters, me
yorhmen came troopfng, each VIII ii''
FOX terrier or his luicher at MS neeis
Warned with labor and twisted oy 'o'''
Mont double by week long work IN 'he
c,am,cd coal galleries, or half piinoeu
with wears spent in front OF whlte i'o'
nuid metal. these men stu gldco theli
harsh and hopeless lives by their dew
t,on To sport 1t was their one rehti'
mo on,y thing which could distract their
mind from their sordid curroundihss' ana anu
e,vo them an interest beyond tho plack-
o,od circle which enclosed them. L1tcra
hire art, science, all these Things "ero
he,,ond tho horizon; but tho race, tho
~, hall match, the cricket. the tignt,
these were things which they could I'M
dors,and. which they could specuiale
,,->,, IN advance and comment upon AZ
,arvord. Sometimes brutal, sometimes
rrotesquc, tile icve Of sport IS syn o.io
Of the great agencies which MAKE ~
The happiness OF our people It lies very
aeeply in the springs OF our nature ai i'tu
when It has Teen educated out, hisnei'
more refined nature may be iclt, pu' -
.,.,;, not be Of the robust British type
which has left It's mark so deeply on the
world. Every one Of these ruddled WORK
ers slouching with his dog at his hec's
"a see something OF the fight was true
unit of his race. ,.,.,, ,r,,nt
s,,n-bursts and driving showers. MoI.-
romerv worked ali the morning IN tne
surgery getting his medicine made up.
',,The weather seems so very unsettieo'
1Jr MONTGOMERY remarked the doctor
.tb,t T think you had better postpone
YOUR little country excursion until 'a'e'
date" .o-do,,
SIR" .,.t
"r have just had an intimation that
nrre Potter, at the other side OF angie
ton, wishes to see me. 1tNis prooapic tiiae
! shall be there all day. 1t VIII be eA-
tremely lnconvenient TO leave the house
empty SO long. -, >,
81 am very sorry. sir ol't hust so'
sald the assistant doggedly
The doctor saw that 1t would be use
less to argue. and departed in the worst
o., ba d tempcrs upon his mission Mont
somery felt easier now that he was gone.
He went UP to his room and packed MS
running shoes his fighting drawers aha
his cricket sash INTO a handbag. When
ne came down Mr.. wilson was "aittin5
for him in the surgery.
a ~ hear the doctor has gone.
yes; he is likely to be away all day
~ don't see that 1t matters much It's
bound to come TO his ears by to-n1sh..
Yes; it's serious with me. Mr. wilson
II win. its all right. don't mind tell,
Ing you that the hundred pounds WI
make all the difference to me. But II l
lose I shall lose my situation for. as
Won say,#I can't keep II secret.
Never mind. Well see you through
among US. ] only wonder the doctor has
not heard. for il is all over the country
that yo,, are IL fight the Croxley cham
pion. We've hac Armitage UP about 1t
already He's the Masters hacker. you
know. He wasn't sure that you we're ell
efble. The Master said he wanted you
whether you were eligible or not. Arnli-
tage has money on. and would have mace
i1rouble If he could. But ! showed MN
that YOU came within the conditions of
The challenge. and he agreed that 1t
was all right. They think they have
soft thing on.
Montgomery.
They lunched together a silent and
rather nervous repast. for Montgomerys
mind was full oil what was before him.
and Wilson had himself more money at
stake than he cared to lose.
Wilson's carriage and pair were at the
door, the horses with white and blue
rosettes at their cars. which were the
colors Of Ile. wilson Coal-pts well
known on..ma3.y "a football field. AT the
i,,,., .1rn. Il
avenue gate crowd OF some hundred
pitmen and their wives gave u cheer as
the carriage passed To the assistant it
ell seemed dream-like and extraordinary
1.-The strnngest experience OF his life. but
with thrill Of human action and inter-
est in it which made /: passionately abb
eorbing- He lay back In the open car
riagc and saw the nutterng handker-
chiefs from tnt doors and windows OF the
miners cottages Wilson had pinned a
blue and white rosette upon his coat. and
every one knew him a their champion.
Good luck. sir! good luck to thee" they
shouted from the roadside. He felt that
II was like some rnromantic knight rid
Ing down To sordid lists, but there was
sonnet hing of chivalry In 1t all the same.
We fought 70, others as well as him
self. lie Nigh, fail from want OF skill
or strength, bat deep In his sombre soul
he vowed that II aaould never be for
want OF heart.
Mr.. Fawcet, was Just mounting into
his high wheeled, spidery dog cart with
his little bit OF blood between the shafts
He waved his whip and fell in behind the
carriage. The yovertook Purvis, the to,
maLo- faced publican, upon the road, with
his wife IN her Sunday bonnet They
also dropped into the procession and
then. as they traversed the seven miles OF
the high ROAD TO Croxley, their two,
horsed, rosettco carriage became grad
nucleus o "A a loose,