The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-28
JOHN |. WON'T DIE
OLD MAN OF THE RING SAYS IT
 AND RELIEVES TT.

He Hates to be Pitied-WH Take On
 His Goggles, Go to Town and Surprise
 His Friends-win Attend His Rene
 fit, Too.
 It will be good news to the sporting men of Boston to hear that John L. Sul- livan, the grand old man of the prize ring, is rapidly recovering from the ill., ness which has confined him at his sis ter's home, in Roxbury, for the last two months.
 The ex-champion is now on his feet again, and, while he does not go out of the house yet, he expects to be able to attend the big benefit which is to be rendered him at the Boston Theater April 2S
 The big fellows eyes are still bad and he has to wear dark goggles to protect them. It is the goggles more than any, thing else which keeps him in the house. T ain't goin' out on the street and have people starin' at old John L. and sayin': Too bad, too bad said the ex-cham- pion to a Post reporter yesterday. Most of 'em gave me up to die, didn't they? We'll, tell 'em that I'm not dead yet, and aint goin' to die, either. When I go it will be quick and sudden. They won't even hear that I'm sick. and all of a sudden they'll see it in the pa per some morntng-'Old John L. is counted out for good It'll surprise 'em some. But that's a long time off, son a good long time off.
 Why do they call me old? I'm only forty-six, and that ain't old, Is it? My stomach was botherin' me and my eyes are on the bum, but the doctor says if take care of myself I'll get over it. My stomach is all right now. can eat just as well as I ever did. My eyes are pretty near right, too; but I have to keep on the goggles go that they don't go back on me again.
 Next week on the first good day I'm goin' to take em off, put on my good clothes and go in town to see some of my old friends. They'll be surprised to see me-them that was tellin' about me goin' to die.
 And I'm goin' to that benefit they're going to give me. too. If all the old ones that have promised to come show up it'll be a great show. Bob Fitzsim- mons and Charley Mitchell, and Jim Corbett. Tom Sharkey. McCaffery and a lot more have said they'll come on and do turn. hope they'll let 'em box. What harm will it do-just little spar rim? Why, they let Fitz box at the Old Howard, didn't they? We'll. let 'em spar like that-no fightin'-just show what they can do with the mitts. If I felt better I'd like to put 'enn on myself. just for minute. And I'll bet the old fighters could show some of these new champs thing or. two about the game. You hear people talk as if us old fellow S were dubs-didn't have no science or nothin' but a punch. We used to fight in the old days, and we knew how to fight just as well as these young spuds do
 | q am a dead one in the game, of course, but there's one thing do know I've got a good many friends yet, don't you think? Why, as soon as the 1 boys found out that I was sick they be- gan to come out to see me, and I've had callers most every day. Old Boston ain't forgot old John L. you can bet. All my old friends remembered me, and, say. if I could smoke half the smokes or eat half the nice things they've sent | me I guess I'd be dead anyway. It's great to know that the old boys are still with you. But there's a lot of ern that I've done things for in my time that don't remember me when I'm down and out Still I ain't conplainin'. I've had my share of the good things when I was right, and my best friends are stickin' to me now
 T was glad to see Charley Mitchell again. He came all the way over from New York on purpose to see me. You know there was a long time when me and him didn't have nothin' to say to each other. But that was fixed up. and 1 he's a good friend of mine now. John, he says to me; John, If there's any thing I can do to help you out just you | call on me- I appreciate that, like do when any of my friends want to heln me out.
 Bob F'itzsimmons took the trouble to l come out and see me and we had a long talk Bob Is one of the mighty few of the old ones who are still in the game He's wonder and is good for a lot of battles yet And Young Corbett came out to see me, too, and he was the only one of the young fellows who took the trouble to be kind to the old man who made boxing what it Is in this country He's a nice little fellow and I'm sorry he got licked. Perhaps it'll be different next time if they ever meet again, and if they don't it won't be the kids fault
 'tJust say to my friends that John l. is still on his feet and expects to live g
 good many years yet. And thank 'en for me for being so kind to me wher
 I'm sick"
 The old gladiator folded his arms al
 he said goodbye, and, in spite of bae eyes and general sickness, his giant frame showed traces of the power that once made him the very king among athletes. His parting words were th' pet phrase which has made him famous as a speech-maker-"I remain, yours
 truly, John l.. Sullivan. ."-Boston Post
 U2effer fba1 any falcun7 powder made. ss