The Washington herald., 1910-07-05
PROvEs A CRuEL LEssON.


Time had cunningly hidden her work,
and no man was gifted with the sight to
see the cold ashes that lay where once a
fame had fiicksred K was a cruel les
son, marking as II did the inevitable
march Of years and age and the waste OF
a God-like heritage While in actual
point or days there was little difference
in the two. the negro had maintained his
youth through a life Of exercise and ply
steal care, while the white man had
grown heavy in idleness-
1t is doubtful If even in his best days
Jeffries could have won. for the African
through all the combat showed marvel
ious speed and aggressiveness that only
occasional moments in his previous fights
had limited at
He demonstrated further that his race
has acquired full stature as men. Whether
they will ever breed brains to match his
muscles is yet to be proven. But his
heart. his yellow streak of which so
much had been said, II was not there.
He fought carefully, fearlessly, intelii-
gently. He out-pointed out-fought, he
out-lasted his opponent. There remains
no living man to dispute his title as the
worlds champion.
Only Time Can Defeat Him.
And there seems little likelihood that
il will ever be taken from him If such
a thing should come 10 pass it viii be
because time has robbed him of that
fierce and blazing energy that turks deep
In his being. as JEFF was robbed, in the
night The hour had struck, we were
waiting at the ringside. The long days
of preparation had crawled past. and we
men who had been chosen as the eyes
through which the world was to see this
spectacle had grouped ourselves about a
wooden platform. while behind US stretch
ed a sea OF naked seats. We were there,
each in HIS own feeble way 10 record q
fragmentary impression OF that swiftly
moving stereopticon in order that the
whole might form a composite picture
We had come early, Cor the prologue was
about to be spoken, and We did not wish
10 miss a line.
To US who had been for days in Reno S
maelstrom It seemed Nthat all the world
must have gathered, while from the sky
above the sun was gIart5g down in
fierce inquisitiveness. as If the heavens
themselves had centered their gaze upon
the scene.
TumuIt of Ring-side Throng.
The multitude came close upon our
heels. pouring in through the four tun-
nel-like entrance, to the huge. eight-sided
arena until the hollow floors began C
.L,,-aer fen, ~ Fret thao mora . ~
more until II reminded one OF a pent-uI
mountain stream emptying itself into q
pool. there 20 boil and eddy and surge
about until it finally settled. But the
tumult was unceaslng. a great elamoI
filled the air. Men shouted greetings
bets were offered and taken, the rumblins
murmur Of voices grew into a tremendou:
stirring monotone. My ears were drum
med upon by the clamor. I became I'M
pressed with the miracle OF the human
voice. one pair of vocal cords wheI
governed by a master mind may excit
an army. Ten thousand voices raise
in chorus will send human wits skitter
ing. will warp the coolest judgment. an
cause the heart 10 go futtering madly
1t was so here.
From our point at the inverted ape,
OF the fast-hlling tunnels OF human form
we became conscious that this was
fitting place In which to hold the creates
OF gladiatoriaI contests, for the aren
itself coupled the center Of a circula
valley. ringed about by mountains whic
looked down Ike the high-tiered slopes o
an amphitheater ten thousand time
greater than the Roman coliseum. II wa
as II nature had shaped the spot for tn
Olympian games of a race Of demi-gods
Eyes OF the World on Scene.
Our little pile OF boards and timbe
was bat frail and pigng thing in com
parison. but upon Il the eyes Of the wori
were centered this fatefuI afternoon
When the stubborn Stoessel stalked tn
ramparts OF Port Arthur, locked into hi
fortress by solid ring Of steel the gaz
OF all humanity was fixed upon him. Tw
world powers, white and yellow, had me
and were locked in a struggle for su
premaey. To-day. behind the pine walls O
that roofess structure. guarded by deser
hills. another great play was about Il
begin. Out from the jungle shadows 0
Ethiopia had stalked an African eian
20 measure his strength against tn
white mans champion. 1t was again .
battle OF the races. AS II to lend tn,
scene color there were many womeI
present dressed in the purple and col,
OF Roman splendOr. The matted banks o
humanity were shot through with speckl
Of color where they sat.
To the west. high above the outermcs
periphery OF the crowd, stretched a row
Of boxes in which we're perhaps a hun,