[Illustration:  A RECOMMENDATION.

Dealer.  “NOW THERE’S HACTION FOR YOU, SIR!  PUTS HER FEET DOWN AS IF SHE WAS A STEPPIN’ ON HEGGSHELLS, DON’T SHE, SIR?”]

* * * * *

“BELOW THE BELT!”

(EXTRACTS FROM THE POLITICAL “FISTIANA” OF THE PERIOD.)

I.—­BY THE “BRUMMAGEM BANTAM” (AS REPORTED IN THE “INJUDICIOUS BOTTLEHOLDER").

“The ’Arwarden Old ’Un, Gemmen?  Lor bless yer, he ain’t no account, nohow.  Can’t ’it a ‘ole in a pound o’ butter, ’e can’t.  Allus was a muff and a muddler; middling showy style, and a bit dodgy with his dooks, but neither a slogger nor a stayer, and, atween you and me and the post, allus ready to hist the white feather when ’ard pressed.  Wot’s that you say? His ‘Travelling Company’?  A reglar swindle, and a fair frost, Gemmen.  Went ‘round the country’ on false purtences, and never did no good nowheres.  Awful poor lot o’ Pugs, that gang.  Not in it with the ‘’Atfield Combination Troupe,’ as can fight a bit, and ’as some smart scrappers in it.  No, Gemmen, the ’Old ‘Un’ allus were a fraud.  Couldn’t stand up to a Froggy, ’e couldn’t.  His Company muddled the ‘ole bag o’ tricks, and made a hawful mess of it.  Ah, and would agen, mark yer, if they got the chance.  Should a’most like to see ’em ’ave another shy, if only for the bloomin’ fun o’ the thing; but it ’ud be a bit too expensive, and bring discredit on our Noble Hart, besides.”

(Comments of the I.B.H.  “Brayco, Brummagem Bantam!  His style of hitting is straight and smart, in the ring or out of it.  Hope the over-rated Hawardian Old ’Un and his Company relish the pepper young JOE has administered to the shifty Veteran and his parasitic ’Items’!")

II.—­FROM THE “NEWCASTLE NOBBLER,” ALIAS “HONEST JOHN."

“Werry much surprised to see as that windictive Bounder, the ‘Brummagem Bantam,’ has bin a letting out wicious like at his old pals, the ’Arwarden Old ’Un and his Pugilistic Company. ’They was muffs and muddlers,’ he sez.  Well, he ought to ha’ said ‘we,’ considerin’ as he wos one on ’em!!!  The Old ’Un was his first patron, and me and other members of the Company his pertikler pals, and then he used for to crack us all up sky-high. Now he rounds on us for ‘making a mess of it.’  Well, praps if all wos knowed—­but no matter!  Only, to quarrel with your old pals, and then go about a-sneerin’ and a-jeerin’ at them for wot you yerself wos a party to, I call ‘hitting below the belt’”!

(Comments of the I.B.H.  “Bosh!  ‘Honest JOHN’ is a shrew, and not a Practical Pug.  Is one prizefighter never to criticise another’s style because he’s once been in the same Company with him?  Might as well say he must therefore never improve his own style.  Besides, any stick is good enough to beat the Grand Old Pug-dog with!")