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Show GREAT "PUG" AFP.AID OF RATS, Explanation of Culllvan's Predilection fcr T'ohJ Trc'.-csrs. John L. Sullivan fears a rat as mucb as an elephant does. Circus people nlwnys put a small terrier in with the elephants to keep tho rats away, and the big animals, knowing this, make great pets of tho small dogs, lloforo Sullivan ever appeared in the prizerlng he was working in a tin-shop tin-shop in South Boston repairing furnace flues. While busy nt his trade In an old bu'.ldlng one day a large rat ran up Sullivan's trousers leg and gavo the big fellow a fierce battle before be-fore It was killed. John was bitten on the leg In 'two places. "That's Unreason," Un-reason," said Sullivan to a friend one day, "that I war tight pants. I'd never takr a chance with a rat In loose pants again. It was a lesson 111 never forgot." When Sullivan llrst mado his appearance In New Yoik In 1880 he wore the slickest skin tight trousers ever seen on a man In this city, and with a short pea Jacket he presented an unusual picture. When John L. became tho champion, therefore, tho other fighters and dead game sports copied tho fashion sot by him and oven to-dny tho big fellow fel-low wears tho samo kind of leg coverings. cov-erings. This Is one reason Vhy Sullivan Sul-livan has always had a valet, for It Is no easy task for a corpulent person to pull oft tight trousers, espccla.iy after a night In tho Oroat White Way. Sullivan, llko tho elephants, has often taken a good ratting dog to his room at night when ho had a suspicion tha rodents wero at hand. |