12 Tom Sping's Back Parlour. 



when in his sixty-eight year, at his own benefit at the West- 

 minster Baths, and put on the gloves with old Tom Oliver. 

 It Wtis a tremendous crush, and of coursa the old man could 

 not spar, but he just showed us the old guard with his right 

 hand within a few inches of his face about the level of his 

 eyes, and his left hand advanced a little before it, and a few 

 inches higher. It is impossible to exaggerate the wonderful 

 reception which he received from people of all classes. 



A host of good men sparred on that evening, Spring 

 included, who looked like a gentleman, in his black trousers, 

 well-polished boots, and close-fitting white jersey. About that 

 time there were a great many good men who really could spar, 

 and did spar with a good deal of fire — Owen Swift, Hannan, 

 the two Broomes, Bendigo, Johnny Walker, Hayes, Keen, 

 Phelps, young Keed, Alec Reid, Ben Caunt, and others ; 

 Peter Crawley, Spring, Jem Burn, and Jem Ward often 

 appeared amongst the veterans ; and there were two of the 

 minor lights who were too delighted to show, anywhere and 

 at all times — '' Porky Clark" and " Jacko," who were 

 further removed from the Adonis type than any two 

 bipeds whom I ever saw ; but when they did put on the 

 gloves they hammered one another as if their lives de- 

 pended on it. 



The master of the ceremonies at the grand benefits, Jem 

 Turner, the D"Orsay of the ring (as he was called in Bell) 

 was a host in himself, and if he had been educated, would 

 have made a splendid low-comedian, as he had a most 

 astonishing flow of a ready wit. 



When Caunt and Bendigo were induced to meet some 

 time after their fight, in Avhich the ISTottingham Lambs 

 .smashed the ring, and which Caunt lost by a foul blow, 

 according to the referee's decision, there was bad blood be- 

 tween them. The two sparred in fighting costume — I think 

 at Tom Cribb's benafit — and party spirit ran high amongst 



