The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-03-09
John /, and the Cardinal.

By appointment John L. Sullivan was
| received by Cardinal Gibbons last
! Thursday Afternoon, at his residence in
! Baltimore, and for half an hour the
head of the Catholic church in Amer
RIGA and the former fisticuff champion
of the world entertained each other
! with stories and anecdotes.
| I'm glad to meet you" was the car
| dinals greeting. You're a gentleman
| FV heard a lot about"
I Cardinal Gibbons conducted Sullivan
and his party to the main reception
room and seated them in a semi-circle
about him
Il am glad to see you looking SO
WELL" said the Cardinal Il read in
the papers the other day that you were
ILL.,"
Never better in my life" said Mr..
Sullivan, waving his arms and pushing
his chest away out with a conscious
knowledge of his physical power. while
the Cardinal smiled.
Sullivan took up the conversational
end Of the meeting and told the Cardi-
nal some of his monologue stories,
which he said were above his audience
| iii the theatre.
Sullivan told him a story about two
Irishmen. One asked the other what
We'll" 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 l have to take
my choice, Ia rather see John L. Sulli-
van. because they only make a Sullivan
once in a while and they make popes
all the time
Cardinal Gibbons laughed moderately
and retired, to return Immediately with
Father Gavan of his household, to
whom he displayed the giant.
Cardinal Gibbons laughingly denied
story concerning his education which
Mr.. Sullivan had heard and said that
most of the stories in circulation about
him were apocryphal
Mr.. Sullivan put that word "aprocy-
phal'' in his vest pocket for future use.
Then he told another story about an
archbishop who threatened to place a
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
to skip the corners.
Then the conversation turned to
things physical.
What broad shoulders you have Mr..
Sullivan" exclaimed the Cardinal in
uneoncealed admiration
'Oh, yes, but not so much" said the
eX-champion. Feel this arm" and he
sat still while the Cardinal crossed over
and felt the right arm. Soft. amt it?
He closed his arm with Jerk. "Weil,
feel it now" The Cardinal felt again
AMI exclaimed:
Why. it's as hard as rock"
And how old are you, Mr.. Sullivan"
asked the Cardinal.
I'm just 4S past" said the ex-cham-
pion
Indeed, said the Cardinal with sur
price. why, l would have thought
you were older than that. am some
what older-I am nearly 70 years old -
"Oh, you're young fellow yet said
the redoubtable You move around
here like boy
1t was the best thing Sullivan had to
say during. the interviews and it pleased
Cardinal Gibbons
What do you think of the art of
self-defence?" asked the ex-champion.
II think is is a very manly and
healthful exercise" said the Cardinal
Il find that the big fellow with the SUI
perior 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 way, there used to be man
of some fame around here-Jake Kill
rain: did you know him?''
Mr. Sullivan smiled
Yes, sir, 1 met him and licked him,
he said.
And then the conversation went
along general lines. Mr.. Sullivan told
some more monologue stories and the
audience was ended. AS the party
passed out the Cardinal shook hands
again with the ex-champion and said:
Well good-by. and God bless you"
Same. to you" Numbered John L.
Sullivan.-Catholic Citizen.