Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 2 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-1740, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863Miles, Henry Downes
History
Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 2 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-1740, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863
Miles, Henry Downes
Boxing
to his numerous friends, an acquaintance of Dan’s (a swell bum-bailiff)
appeared close to the vehicle, and, in the most gentlemanly manner, told
Donnelly he wished to speak to him. “And is it me you mane, Jemmy?”
replied Dan; “don’t be after joking with me now!” “Indeed I’m not;
here’s the writ for £18,” answered the officer. “And is it possible that
you want me at the suit of Carter? I don’t owe the blackguard one single
farthing. By de powers, it is the other way; Jack’s indebted to me.”
Expostulation, however, was useless. The coachman had his whip in his
hand, and the two evils before Dan only allowed him to make a momentary
decision. The choice left to him was, either to lose his fare to
Liverpool, which had been previously paid, and the advantages to result
from an exhibition of his talents at Donnybrook Fair (which admitted of
no delay), or to remain in London and be screwed up in a sponging house.
Donnelly, in a great rage, as the preferable alternative, instantly
discharged the writ and galloped off from the metropolis. It is true Dan
went off loaded with fame, but it is an equally undeniable fact that he
had only a £2 note left in his pocket-book, after all his great success
in London, to provide for him and Mrs. Donnelly on their route to the
land of Erin.
Thousands of persons assembled on the beach to hail the arrival of the
Irish champion on his native shore. Dan had scarcely shown his merry
mug, when his warm-hearted countrymen gave him one of the primest
fil-le-lus ever heard, and “Donnelly for ever!” resounded from one
extremity of the beach to the other. A horse was in readiness to carry
him, as so great a personage as “Sir Dan Donnelly” (who, it was
currently reported, had been knighted by the Prince Regent for his
bravery) could not be suffered to walk. The knight of the fives was
attended by the populace through all the principal districts of Dublin,
till he arrived at his house in Townshend Street. Dan took his leave
gratefully of the multitude, and after flourishing the symbol of the
above Order, for the honour of Ireland, and drinking their healths in a
“noggin of whiskey,” the crowd retired, highly gratified at the
dignified reception which the Irish milling chief had experienced on
setting his foot once more on the turf of Ould Ireland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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