IMPROMPTU ON MR NEIL HEATH.

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 85, 29 April 1882, Page 108

IMPROMPTU ON MR NEIL HEATH.

Do you know our master ? A fiery man is lie ; He makes our wits fly faster Than any busy bee. Ho's always in a temper On rainy days like this ; He scolds who late do enter, And flies at those who miss. And if he's in a " paddy " Upon a Enclid day, He sends us to the study Our Euclid, there to say. And if we're late and ruddy, He'll say, " I'll trouble you To walk into niy study ; I'll show you what to do." If you do not pay attention, He roars out liko a bull : " If I've you again to mention, You'll stay in after school." He goes in to his dinner, And eats and drinks away ; .Nor thinks about the sinner "With her forty lines to say. But if he lias had leisure To road, or smoke for long, To liaye him is a pleasure, For he laughs when we go wrong. 1 And. then we like him very much, And think it is a treat ; If ho only would remain as such. Each day that's in the week. THE ATHLETIC TOURNAMENT. The admirers of athletics are promised a grand treat on Saturday evening on the occasion of a errand display at the Theatre Roral by Mace, Miller, and Mons. Victor, three celebrated gladiators. With. Mace's per- , forrnanees our readers are already familiar. Miller, the famous Greco-Koman wrestler, fencer, and muscular performer, was born in Cheshire, England, in 1847, but his parents removed to Australia when ho was six years of age, so that he may be regarded as an Australian. As the Australians have beaten the world in cricket, and it is yet undecided whether Trickett will not carry off the , laurels from Hanlati for rowing, so Miller has established, an indubitable right to rank as the champion wrestler of the globe. At a very early age he exhibited a taste for athletics. Having been employed for some time in the railway department, he opened a gymnasium, won several swimming and wrestling matches, and the fencing championship of Australia by defeating Sergeant Stevens. After defeating all comers in skill with weapons, wrestling, and feats of strength, in 1874 he lnado a tour through America, where he repeatedly met" and vanquished Louis Carteron, Bauer, McLaughlin, Theber, Muldoon, Vanderveken, Davis, Gilpin, Christol, Jose Labossi, Andrew Dennell, McMahon, and all the best men in America, in wrestling, swordmanship, pedestrianism, boxing and feats of strength, winning enormous sums of money and a perfect museum of costly cups, gold medals and other trophies. The scroll of his triumphs would fill a goodly volume. The description of his achievements in the American, Australian and English journals revives the classic memories of the Olympic games and the Roman. Coliseum. In appearance he is tall, with broad massive shoulders, and extraordinary muscular development, regular features, and keen dark eyes. His characteristics are quiet selfpossession and gentlemanly manners, but his whole appearance denotes enormous reserved force, indomitable courage and determination, and marvellous powers of endurance. He is accompanied by Mons. Victor, French middle-weight champion, who in 1869 defeated Pierre CAuvergue and other premier athletes in Europe and Australia. The Australian papers describe Mons. Victor as one of the prettiest and most scientific wrestlers of modern times. Describing his contest with. Miller, the Argus says it was conducted on certain recognised rules which rendered it purely a trial of strength and skill entirely removed from any savour of the prize ring or anything that the most fastidious could object to. "When the competitors appeared on the stage there seemed to be a great disproportion in size and height, Victor being a much smaller man than Miller. The Frenchman, however, was as nimble as a cat, and the contest was more even than expected. He made up for deficiency in height and weight by extraordinary agility, '