178

death's doings.

could procure them admission to so gratifying aspectacle.

After securing our pockets as well as we could,we elbowed our way through the motley crowdwithout, to as motley a crowd within. By this timemy own eagerness became apparent, and I wasglad to find we were in time, for I was a.s fearfulof missing a blow as any of the combatantscould be. Before the sparring began, I employedmyself in observing the various company broughttogether on this interesting occasion; and no-thing could exhibit more of contrast than thismixture of high and low, from the well-dressedamateur to the aproned cobbler. The hum ofconversation and the shifting of stations were atlength broken and interrupted by notes of prepa-paration. The acting manager of the pugilistic

stage announced that---------and -------- were

about to set-to, and, calling them forward, theycame from among the crowd, with small marks oflikelihood either in their dress or address: theelder, a man little short of fifty, mean in his