Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-08-06
A scowLlNG BROWN COLOSSUS

That was about the mental atmos-
phere as Lii Artha wrapped in
a dressing-gown and smiling his half
puzzled. rather pleading smile. climb
Ell into the ring. old Billy Jordan.
who has been announcing fights fc~
fifty years or so. was inst introducing
the negro TO the buzzing. hostile au-
dience. when Jeffries. with cloud of
seconds and camp-followers behind
him, climbed through the ropes.
I had a seat at the ringside, di-
rectly opposite him. and I can un-
hesitatingly state that I have never
seen a human being more calculated
20 strike terror into an opponents
heart than this scowling brown Co
lossus as he came through the ropes
stamped like a bull paving the ground
before his charge, and. chewing gum
rapidly, glared at the black man
across the ring.
II looks could have throttled.
burned. and torn to pieces. Mr.. Jack
Arthur Johnson would have disap-
peared that instant into a few specks
Of inanimate dust. The negro had
his back turned at the moment. as
he was being presented 90 the crowd
on the opposite side He did not
turn round, and as he took his cor
ner and his trainer and seconds,
crowding in front Of him, concealed
the white man, a sort OF boot. wolf
ish aud rather terrible, went up from
the crowd. He darsent look at him!
600, Don't let him see him! Don't
let him see HIM" And when Jeffries
pulled of his clothes with a vicious
jerk. and standing erect and throw
ing out his chest. jabbed his great
arms above his head once or twice,
don't suppose that one man in
hundred in that crowd would have
given two cents for the negro's
chances.
Nor did many suspect until John
sons left shot across to the white
mans right eye in the sixth round
and closed it-so strong and con-
vinciDg was the Jeffries tradition,
the coutagion OF the atmosphere and
that crouching, scowling gladiator
that the negroes finish was anything
but matter OF time.
They had all seen OF heard of that
short. rather slow, piston-rod-like
punch which the white man knew
how 10 send with a tremendous. If
not spectacular, force into his oppo-
nent's side just under the lower right
ribs. They saw him send il in time
and again apparently. and each time
the crowd gave a sort of subdued,
exultant grunt. When Johnson mere
ly smiled his far-away smile, people
supposed he must be shamming and
when those uppercuts OF his shot up
like lightning. they thought il was
merely pretty, but didn't hurt
When that blow got across in the
sixth round, however, the cynicism
OF the white mans glare suddenly
went dead and changed. His right
eye blackened and closed, and the
blood began to run down from his
right nostril. He was lighting after
that not to finish his opponent, but
to save himself. to stave OFF what
he probably knew, If the crowd did
not yet suspect, nothing but chance
could save him from. Mr.. Jim Cor
bett, who, as Jeffries' second and
following the quaint sportmanship
OF the ring. had gone across TO the
corner nearest the negro between
each OF the earlier rounds 10 fix him
with sneering eye and wittily taunt
and terrify him. lost his bright
vaudeville smile. Once, when he call
ed out to Johnson during a round.