The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-08

Hughes.
 HyOM was detained In school few minutes after the rest, and on
 \ coming out into the quadrangle fife first thing he saw was small ring of boys, applauding Williams who was holding Arthur by the collar.
 "There. you young sneak" said he' rivinR Arthur a cuff on the head with his other hand. "what made you say that"
 .Hullo!' said Tom, shouldering into the crowd, you drop that, Williams' you shant touch him.
 "Who'll stop me?" said the slogger' raising his hand again.
 .Tu said Tom, and suiting the action to the word. struck the arm which held Arthur's arm so sharply that the slog- ger dropped 1t with a start and turned the full current of his wrath on Tom.
 Will you fght?'
 "Yes, of courseP
 "Huzza, there's going to be fight be- tween slogger Williams and Tom Brown!"
 The news ran like wi1dfire about and many boys who were on their way to tea at their several houses turned back and sought the back of the chapel where the fights come off. In another minute East and Martin tear through the quadrangle, carrying a sponge, and arrive at the scene or action just as the combatants are be- ginning to strip Now Tom, with East to handle him, and Martin to give him knee, steps out on the turf and is ready for all that may come,
 and here is the slogger, too, all stripped and thrsting for the fray.
 It doesn't look like fair match at first glance Williams Is nearly two inches taller and probably long year older than his opponent, and he Is very strongly made about the arms and shoulders; "peels we'll" as the little knot of big fifth-form boys, the anna teurs, say; who stand outside the ring of little boys, looking complacently on, but taking no active part in the pro- ceedings. But down below he is not so
 good by any means; no spring from the loins and feeblish. not to say ship wrecky, about the knees. Tom, on the contrary, though not half so strong In the arms. is good all over, straight, hard and springy from neck to ankle better perhaps in his legs than any where. Besides you can see by the clear white of his eye and fresh bright look of his skin that he is in tip-top train ling, able to do all he knows, while the slogger looks rather sodden, as if he
 didn't take much exercise and ate too much tuck The timekeeper is chosen a large ring made and the two stand LID opposite one another for moment. giving us time just to make our little observations.
 If Tom'll only condecend to fight with his head and heels" as East nut ters to Martin. we shall do.'
 But seemingly he won't, for there he goes in. making play with both hands. Hard all, is the word; the two stand to one another like men; rally follows rally in quick succession, each fighting as if he thought to finish the whole thing out of hand.
 cant last at this rate" says the knowing ones, while the partisans Of each make the air ring with their shouts and counter shouts of encourage
 ment, approval and defiance.
 Meantime East is freshening up Tom with the sponges for next round ana has set two other boys to rub his hands, Tom, old boy" whispers he, this
 may be fun for you. but it's death to me. He'll hit all the fight out of you lin another five minutes and then l shall
 go and drown myself in the island ditch. Feint him--use your legsl Draw him about. He'll lose his wind then in no time and you can go into him. Hit at his body. too, we'll take care of his frontispiece by and by."-
 Tom felt the wisdom of the counsel and saw already that he couldn't go in and finish the slogger off at mere ham mer and tongs, so changed his tactics completely in the third round. He now lights cautious. getting away from and
 parrying the slogger's lunging hits, in
 stead of trying to counter, and leading his enemy a dance all around the ring
 after him. He's funking, go in, Will lliams," Catch him up," Finish him lofr.s scream the small boys of the slog- l ger party.
 Now, then, Tom" sings out East,
 dancing with delight. Tom goes in in a ltwinkling and hits two heavy body
 blows, and gets away again before the
 slogger can catch his wind, which when
 he does he rushes with blind fury at From, and being skillfulfy parried and
 avoided. overreaches himself and falls