54 CONVERSATIONAL HINTS 



GREAT FIGHT BETWEEN THE KENTISH PROSER AND 

 THE HAMPSHIRE DULLARD 



Round I. Both men advanced, confident but 

 cautious. After sparring for an opening, the Proser 

 landed lightly on the jaw with, ' When the Duke 

 of Dashbury did me the honour to ask me to his 

 grace's noble deer-forest.' He ducked to avoid the 

 return, but the Hampshire champion would not be 

 denied, and placed two heavy fish-stories fair in 

 the bread-basket. The Proser swung round a 

 vicious right-hander anecdote about a stag shot 

 at 250 yards, but the blow fell short, and he was 

 fairly staggered by two in succession ('the tree- 

 climbing rabbit,' and 'the Marquis of Fullfield's 

 gaiters '), delivered straight on the mouth. First 

 blood for the Dullard. After some hard exchanges 

 they closed and fell, the Dullard underneath. 



Bound II. Both blowing a good deal. The 

 Proser put up his dukes, and let fly with both of 

 them, one after another, at the Dullard's conk, 

 drawing claret profusely. Nothing daunted, the 

 Dullard watched his opportunity, and delivered a 

 first-class royal prince on the Proser's right eye, 



