The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-22

teryfew BIesses Him.
Baltimore, Feb. 2l-CardinaI Gibbons.
the head of the Catholic Church in Amer
lea, was visited by no less a person this
morning than John L. Sullivan. once
heavyweight champion Of the world.
God bless YOU said the cardinal
Same TO you" said John L., I'm his
boiler-factory voice.
Then the redoubtable pugilist whose
fighting days are numbered, STROBE majes-
tically past and out. He had spent more
than half an hour telling Cardinal Glib
bons about John / Sullivan, and the car
dinal was absorbed.
1t was the first time they had ever met,
but John l. promised the distinguished
churchman that the next time he hap
pened this way he would call again.
Ii was a few minutes before 1915 when
a carriage stopped in front of the cardi-
nails residence ON North Charles street,
and from il alighted Sullivan and his
manager, accompanied By a local sporting
editor. They were Joined by a couple of
trembling scribes whose jobs depended
upon getting a good story. and the five
We're ushered into "a waiting-room by the
little boy at the door. through whom no
bride can pass. and who guards with de-
voted zeal the portals Of the clerical man
sion.
Enter John l..
Not a word spake John the Immortal.
He strobe heavily onward. followed by his
manager-timorousiy proud of his charge
and the newspaper men, gloTying in the
efuIgence of reflected greatness. John L.
Sullivan sat down.
There was a breathless pause. waiting
for the great man to speak, because
everybody wanted to see what would hap
pen. John L. Sullivan has a voice that
has been geared up TO 10 horsepower, and
when he speaks the plaster cracks.
Cardinal Gibbons conducted the party
TO the main reception-room and seated
them in a seni-circle about him.
Il am glad 10 see YOU looking so well,
said the cardinal Il read in the papers
the other day that you were lit.
Never better in my life, said Mr.. Sui
livan. waving his arms and pushing his
chest away out with a conscious knowI-
edge of his physical power, while the car
dinaI smiled
The cardinal asked him if he was born
in Boston, and Mr.. Sullivan said he was:
and then Mr.. Sullivan asked the cardinal
if ne was educated in Baltimore. and the
cardinal said he wasn't but that ne was
native Of this city and proud of it,.
sullivan Tells Stories.
The redoubtable took. up the converse
tionaI end of the meeting and told the
cardinal some Of his monologue stories.
Among them, he told Of three Irishmen at
work en- the ground, second. and top
stories of building. hosting material
The man on the ground. when the whistle
blew, lied the rope around his wrist ana
got out his lunch mis- fellows aloft follow
ing suit The top man. finishing lunch
first. discovered a barrel of cement that
belonged on the ground, and hitched it to
his end of the tackle, with the result that
it went down and the ground-foor Irish
man went up. with his wrist still in the
rope When the cement hit the ground it
broke away. and the freshman came back
TO the gTouu' at express speed. The man
on the second floor went down expecting
% md him dead, but he was still living.
Are yez hurt?" inquired the second
floor man.
only in my feelin's.'s said the other.
u passed yez twice and We didn't
sphaker'
An EccIesiHsticaI Encore.
That's very amusing story" said
the cardinal. whereupon sullivan told him
the other what Of all things he would
rather see.
well" said the second Irishman, "of
all things in the world I'd rather see two
men-John L. Sullivan and the Pope of
Rome; but if I have to take my choice
I'd rather see John /. Sullivan. because
they only make Sullivan once in d
while and they make Popes all the time"
Cardinal Gibbons laughiugly denied "a
story concerning his education, which
Sullivan had heard. and said that most
of the stories in circulation about him
were "apochryphal"
Sullivan put that word "apochryphaT'
in his vest pocket for future use.
Then ne told another story about an
archbishop who threatened to place q
curse on all of the four corners of
church being built in opposition to his
wishes, to meet which condition the priest
in charge built the church round 10 skip
the corners:
And how old are you, Mr. Sullivan"
asked the cardinal
I'm Just forty-eight past. said the ex-
champion.
Cardinal on SeIf-defense.
Indeed, said the cardinal. with sur
prise; why, l would have thought you
were older than that 1 am somewhat
older-I am nearly seventy-three years
old"
oh, you're a young fellow yet" said
the redoubtable. You move around here
Ike a boy
II was the best thing Sullivan had TO
say during the interview, and it pleased
Cardinal Gibbons.
What do YOU think of the art of self
defeuse?" asked the ex-champion.
Il think il is a very manly and health
fuI exercise said the cardinal Il find
that the big fellow with the superior
strength is the last person in the world
to start a quarrel and the first TO avoid
one if he can possibly manage it. By
the WY. there used TO be a man of some
fame around here-Jake Eilrain; did YOU
know him."
Mir. Sullivan smiled.
eyes I met him and licked him. he