A HUNDRED STRETCHES HENCE
Oh! where will be the culls of the bing
A hundred stretches hence?
The bene morts, who sweetly sing,
A hundred stretches hence?
The autum-cacklers, autum-coves,
The jolly blade who wildly roves;
And where the buffer, bruiser, blowen,
And all the cops and beaks so knowin',
A hundred stretches hence?
And where the swag, so bleakly pinched,
A hundred stretches hence?
The thimbles, slang, and danglers filched,
A hundred stretches hence?
The chips, the fawneys, chatty-feeders,
The bugs, the boungs, and well-filled readers;
And where the fence and snoozing-ken,
With all the prigs and lushing men,
A hundred stretches hence?
Played out their lay, it will be said
A hundred stretches hence,
With shovels they were put to bed
A hundred stretches since!
Some rubbed to whit had napped a winder,
And some were scragged and took a blinder,
Planted the swag, and lost to sight,
We'll bid them, one and all, good night,
A hundred stretches hence.
TECHNICAL WORDS AND PHRASES
IN GENERAL USE BY PUGILISTS.
ABROAD. Confused; staggered.
A GENERAL. Possessed of superior science.
BACK-HANDED BLOW. Striking with the back of the clenched fist.
BARNEY. A fight that is sold.
BEAK. The nose.
BEAM-ENDS. Thrown or knocked into a sitting position.
BOKO. The nose.
BOTTOM. Power of endurance.
BOUNCED. Frightened with stories of another's prowess.
BREAD-BASKET. The stomach.
BUFFER. A pugilist.
CHANCERY. When one boxer gets the head of his opponent under his left arm, and holding him by the left wrist, strikes him in the face with his right hand, severely punishing him.
CLARET. Blood.
CHOPPER. A blow given from above.
COLORS. The respective handkerchiefs that each fights under.
COMMISSARY. The person who fixes the ropes and stakes.
CONK. The nose.
CORINTHIAN CANVAS. A term applied to the propria personæ of an English nobleman who is an amateur of pugilism.
COUNTER-HITTING. When both parties in a fight strike each other at the same time.
CROSS-BUTTOCK. To get an adversary on the hip, and then throw him.
CUT OF TIME. Defeated; could not come up to the call.
DADDLES. The hands.
DOING WORK. Training.
DOUBLER. A blow which causes the person struck to bend forward.
DUKES. The hands.
DUTCH COURAGE. Cowardice; one who drinks liquor to stimulate his courage.
ENOUGH. When one of the boxers wishes to discontinue the fight he exclaims, "Enough."
FACER. A severe blow struck directly in the face.
FEINTING. Making pretense of delivering a blow.
FIBBING. Short, quick blows when the parties are close to each other.
FIDDLER. A pugilist that depends more upon his activity than upon his bottom.
FINICKING FOP. A dandy or empty swell who makes much ado about pugilism, because he thinks it knowing and stylish.
FINE FETTLE. In good condition; healthy.
FLABBY. The flesh in a soft condition.
FLOORER. A knock-down blow.
FORKS. The hands.
FOSSED. Thrown.
FOUL. An unwarrantable interference on the part of a second to frustrate an opponent's designs.
FOUL BLOW. A blow given contrary to the accepted rules of the ring; below the belt.
GAME. Courageous, unflinching.
GAVE IN. Yielded.
GLUTTONY. Punishing a man severely, without special regard to the science of pugilism. One who can endure a great amount of punishment, is called a glutton.
GOOD-WOOLED. A man of unflinching courage.
GOT HOME. A telling blow.
GROGGY. Not able to stand erect from punishment received.
GRUEL. Punishment.
GULLET. The throat.
HIGH-COLORING. Drawing blood freely.
IN DIFFICULTIES. Nearly defeated.
IN MOURNING. The eyes blackened and closed up.
IN TROUBLE. Almost beaten.
IVORIES. Teeth.
JOLLYING. Low expressions used by one combatant to the other during the fight, for the purpose of irritating him and diverting his attention.
KNOWLEDGE-BOX. The head.
LAMPS. The eyes.
LEARY. Active; smart.
LEVELLER. When one of the contestants is brought completely to the ground.
LISTENERS. The ears.
MARK. The pit of the stomach.
MAZZARD. The mouth.
MENTOR. A second in the ring.
MILLED. See Punished.
MILLING COVES. Persons who regularly frequent milling-pannies, for the purpose of exhibiting their skill in boxing.
MILLING-PANNIES. Places of resort for pugilists in which sparring exhibitions are given.
MITTENS. Boxing-gloves.
MITTEN-MILL. A glove fight.
MUSH. The mouth.
NUT. The head.
NUT-CRACKER. A severe blow on the head.
OGLES. The eyes.
PINS. The legs.
PLUCK. Spirit; boldness; courage.
POTATO-TRAP. The mouth.
PUNISHED. Severely bruised or cut in the fight.
RALLY. When the fighters close up and strike promiscuously.
RANTER. One who makes greater pretension of skill in boxing than he exhibits when engaged in a set-to.
RIB-BENDER. A forcible hit in the ribs.
RUBY. Blood.
SHAKE-UP. A pugilistic encounter.
SHIFT. When a boxer purposely falls to save himself from a knock-down blow, he is said to make a shift.
SLOGGER. A pugilist.
SMELLER. The nose.
SPARRING GILLS. See Milling Coves.
STAMINA. Ability to punish and endure punishment.
TAKE THE SHINE OUT. To lower the man's self-esteem.
THE CROOK. Entwining the legs for a fall.
THE SCRATCH. A line drawn in the middle of the ring.
THREW DOWN THE GLOVE. Gave a challenge.
TIME. The breathing-space which, by the accepted rules of the ring, is confined to a given period. "Coming to time," is coming promptly to the line at the expiration of the time agreed upon.
TOLD OUT. Beaten; defeated.
UPPER CUT. A terrific blow struck upwards.
UPPER CUSTOMER. A term applied to patrons of the ring amongst the upper classes who are not themselves pugilists.
UPPER STORY. The head.
WHITE FEATHER. Cowardice.
WIND UP. The finishing round.