The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-06

81 uuse 3st ZIG 81 Boou-ilcat ISu AS'A !"
! though CROSS gralned with strangers. llo
Looked upon you as stranger this morn
Ing, but he says he knows YOU now lie
Is quite ready to spar with you for prnc-
tlce. and lie viii come ut any hour you
will name.n
THANK you; will let you know the
hour" said Montgomery; and 20 inc
committee departed jubilaht upon their
way. tx i{f{ & 3G 59.G
The medical assistant sat for little
time In the surgery turning 1t over III
his mind. II. RIO had been trained origi-
iially at the university by the man who
had been middle weight champion IN his
day. It was true TINT his teacher was
long past his prime. slow upon his feet
and stiff In his Joints. but even 80 he
was still q tough antagonist; but MONT
gufnery had found at last that ne could
more than hold his own With him. re
had won the university medal and MS
teacher. who trained 80 many students
was emphatic In his opinion that he had
never hnd one who was In the same class
with him. He had been exhorted to go
In for the amateur championships nut
he had no particular ambition In that d.
rcction. Once he had put on tho gloves
with Hammer runstall in a booth at
fair and had fought three rnttlinG
rcttnds, In which he had the worst or 1T.
but hnd made tho prize fighter stretch
himself to the uttermost. There was his
whole record, and was II enough to en-
courage him to stand up to the Master
OF Croxley? \, lie had never heard OF the
Master before. but then he had lost
touch OF the ring during the last few
years OF hard work. After all. wat did
It matter7 If he won, there was the
money. which meant so much to him.. Il
lie lost. 1t would only mean thrashing.
Flo could take punishment without
nlnchlng, OF that he was certain. II
there were only one chance in q nun.
dred OF pulling 1t off, then 1t was worth
his while to attempt It,
Dr.. Oldacrc. now como from churc'
with an ostentatious prayer book IN his
lid -gloved hand, broke In upon his med
itntion.
you don't go to service. observe, Mr.,
Montgomery" said he. coldly
mo. sir; have had some business to
detain me-"
1T is very near to my heart that my
household should set good example.
There are so few educated people In this
district that q great responsibility de-
wolves upon us. If we do not live up to
the highest, how can we expect these
poor workers to do so? It Is q dreadful
thing to reflect that tho parish takes a
great deal more interest In an approach
Ing glove fight than in their religious
duties"
"a glove fight sir?" said Montgomery,
guilty.
II believe that to be the correct term.
one OF my pa tients tells me that It Is the
talk Of the district. A local ruftian.
patient Of ours, by the way. Is matcheo
against pugilist over at Croxley
cannot understand why the law does not
step in and stop SO degrading an ex-
Edition. 1t Is really prize fight.
"a glove fight. you sale"
III am Informed that a two-ounce glove
is an evasion by which they dodge the
law, and make it difficult for the, police
to interfere. They contend for sum
OF money. It seems dreadful and almost
incredlble-does it MOTTO think that
such scenes can be enacted within q few
miles OF our peaceful home. But you VIII
realize Mr. Montgomery. that while
there are such influences for US to coun-
teract, it isstvery necessary that we
should live up to our highest.
The Doctors sermon would have had
more effect II the assistant had not once
or twice had occasion to test his highest
and come upon 1t at unexpectedly hum
BILE elevations. It is always SO particu-
larly easy to compound for sins we're
most inclined to by damning those we
have no mind to-" In any case Mont.
gomcry felt that OF all the men con-
cerned In such a fight-promoters. back
ers, spectators-it Is the actual fighter
who holds the strongest and most non
orc BILE position. His conscience gave MN
no concern upon the subject. Endur-
ancc and courage are virtues. not vices
and brutality Is, at least, better tnan
cffeminacy
There was a little tobacco-shop at the
corner OF the street, where Montgomery
cot his birdseye and also his local IN,
formation, for the shopHan was gar
rllous soul, who knew everything about
the affairs OF the district The assist
ant strolled down there after tea ana
asked, in casual way, whether ithe 70
hocconist had ever heard Of tho Master
of Croxley. 80
"tIeard OF him! Heard OF him!" the
little man could hardly articulate in his
nstontshment. "Why, sir, he's the flrst
mon O. the district an his names as
we'll known In the West Riding as the
winner O. t. Derby. But Lor', slr"-here
he stopped and rummaged among heap
OF papers. 'Theyl are maxim fuss
about him ON account o MS tlsht w
Ted Barton, and so the Croxley iiera!u
has his life an record. an here It 49, IN
thou const read 1t for thysel"
The sheet of the paper which he held
IN was q lake Of print around an lslet OF
illustration. The latter was coarse
wood cut OF pugilists head and neck
set In a cross-b barred Jersey. 1t was q
sinister but powerful face, the face OF
a debauchcd hero. clean-shaven. strong
~ cye.browed, teen-eyed. with a huge ag-
gresslvo jaw and an animal dewlap be-
meath It, The long. obstinate cheeks ran
flush up to the narrow, sinister eyes. me
mighty neck came down square from the
ears and curved outward Into shou!der,
which had lost nothing at the hands or
tho local artist Above was written
"Sas Craggs,' and beneath, "rhe Mas
ter OF CroXley," Z,
"Thou'll find all about him there, sir.
said the tobacconist, He's witherin'
tvke, no is, and we're proud to have him
IN tho county. II he hadn't broke Ms
leg he'd have been champion OF Eng
land"
''Broke his leg, has he?"
Eyes, and 1t set badly. They ca him
ovid x behind his book, for thot IS nov
his two legs look, But his nrms-wel9'
il they was both stropped to bench, as
the sayn' Is. wonder where the char
pion Of England would be then"
I'm take this with me-" said Mont
gomery; and putting tho paper Into his
pocket he returned home,
IT was no cheering record which no
-I1 Ia rk1 1T t,n