Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 28, Number 173, Decatur, Adams County, 23 July 1930 — Page 3

By MORLEY CALLAGHAN

K wero twelve pool-, i» the club - * ,haded B' ,u of n,tht ov * r ’ Hk’onc of the tables The cor- , B of^ roon,wvr ” hado V?’ bench at the wall four fel<^B| in peak caps and one in a K d hat were sal.hlng a garne al,er " a,t,|y ° ta n Xiß,. near an end of the table. It ten 10 SUtUr ' JS^Khe>'' , «''ce watching Joe Hara big man si-h <• "Ince grin arnndge under Ms left J and his manager. Doc JY , a entail. neat man wtth A K black hair Doc Barnes. llßncentratlng. looked carefully M three balls on the table, then ■ at them from another e and finally, with his hip end of the table, leaned l’^^^B, r the green baize. right, one foot on the Joe “It a there: keep your shirt the |>.,. sa d. feinting with Wm cue - the floor. Doc.” |B «j j,>t it on the floor. 1 tellya.” M -y t ah. If your leg was three 3 longer, Doc." Doc was sore, but before ~ ~could reply. Some one yelled rhoes scraped on the floor ;he door, a id he sat an the bls mouth open. Joe The young r.ien on the got up and moved over to door. The club bouncer had a wide-shouldered man a tight overcoat. "Throw him some one yelled. The pressing fils head against man's chest, tried to swing off his feet toward the open A fat man In his shlrtwas holding the door The wld--sh“Uldered man, away, pulled off his quickly, swinging It at Hi ma length, and draped It over t-'uic > r s I .-..J ami. laughing. at th>- h .cd under the coat everybody laughed with MB Joe Hannon watched It. one on his hip In his other he be I the cue the handieon the Ihmr He cleared Hhu throat loudly, aiming at the The cue fell against table, he took two slow steps the crowd, his heavy red lace wrinkling at the mouth and the eyes, and lines on his Doc Barnes Jumped front the table suddenly. Joes arm B| "Lay oft. Jo.- " he said, coax‘Sit down. Doc." "Doni get in It. Joe. Come on; M|| Very angry, Doc Barnes Jerked around "You big sap" he laid "What do you want mlx■H Ing up In that stuff? Come on. ■ba thick head. He grabbed Joe’s vest from a peg on the wall, then held his coat for him and ■H his overcoat trying to keep him ■H from looking at the tight near |H the door. B They went down the back ■M stairs and out the lane to tjte 8H * : re.-t Slow had gone from the ■M ItreeU bv the middle of March. BM thougf Ice was close Io the curb They went into the chink's at |B the corner The Doc ord-red two hot roast-beef sandwiches. a HH pumpkin pie. and coffee, and. leaning back In the chair. Wa tched Joe. tits elbows on the BR hard while tat- 1 .-, a stubborn exBB Presslun on his face M It simply don't do. Joe.” he B| "Absolutely no Who the hell's ■■ Poing to pay to see you tight if MM 1 •> Just hate to hiinx around HB » Pool-room and g.-t it tor noth<MI *"'• koui stuff away ” ■9 . Ju6 krlnned ’A guy’s got to iHH “ "'t'" fun now and again. H r 1 ’ IUII Up ln lhe c| uh there's H . Tll< - other ain't The M «hcr« just motions" 9 " hen YOU re right. Joe. 9‘M on you r | lle . o|d boy wh „ n IL" re “ lly ,0 lel them have IB r.oc i r ' u<he, l over and sbip9 b „?“ e 1 ack The chink 9 .. . 11 ’* le hot roast-beet sarid9 with lots Os gravy 9 forhasf 0 ? 1 11' 1 bve “ up there 9 Itlcklna s” hUUr >et '" Joe Ba *'l. 9 with ?.,s h ’ (urk ln ,he «and9in h " ugh 1 guess U s lime M 10 anyhow." 9 am??.!.' .?° you cnreT Go o" 9 »aldl H 9 ‘ ghl as w " 11 " J °« 9 ’■“bidly e 1 t,e sandwich ■■l le«v| n . lf ",'. 05 a atfeel-cur after H right bi y 9 ch,n| t'». and went ■ to see to Leßlie s ‘’ e ” ■ teen x± ,lte , Turne r had H years an s * lh Mollle for four M her but d W ° Uld have Married n «X “:, unwrlnln ° f him■l Uasionaily s ng “ P boXlnß pro ‘ ■ hl, » to work a OB "° ea ** r for I ° f,en hnxglned a lralnln « he K *’• though v d 1B really M h(,r *>e t h explalnp<J to S' and d ° f spar,n « “nd ■ M and »v«n watchin*

T — —— .......... ■ yaw, > / 7 —/ X - — L " woßoosjv? He felt the impact stiffening his arm, his heart pounding, his breath held in, then Goldie toppled.

bouts, because he was only In the big moment tn a fight i and everything led up to it. She had a room tn a house J two minutes' walk from the car- , stop He went up-stalis and into , the room without knocking She whs sittlnc in a rocking-chair near a floor-lamp reading a paper and eating chocolates The box was on the arm of the rock-ing-chair Joe saw lite chocolates and looked at the box deliberately. but didn’t actually suggest having one because he didn't want to argue tor five minutes about training, before eating It. The chocolate wasn’t worth It. She had on a black skirt and a neat gray sweater He kissed her and looked thoughtful; then kissed her again 'You're a little early, eh. Joe?" ‘Maybe a little, but the earlier the better; we won’t have to line up for the show ” He watched her putting on h»r coat ami pale-blue hat, having only pleasant thoughts, and wondering why he had expected some kind of an argument. On the street-car she asked questions about Doc Barnes He answered agreeably, so she kept on asking questions till he said. Irritated; "Mollie, you know h<>w this bothers me.” She was sullen, and In the show looked directly at the picture, pulling away her hand whenever his fingers groped for it. though sometimes letting him hold it just long enough to realize he had It They didn’t openly quarrel, and for the rest of the evening talked politely, but when he had left her he felt unhappy He lived with his father and mother He opened the door and his bull pup. coming clumsily along the hall, jumped at hitn. He tapped it lightly on the skull and slapp 'd Its back, going on through to the kitchen, th’ pup still biting at his heels and ankles. His mother and father were In bed. He sat down at the end of the table, biting his nails and worrying about Mollie Then he pushed the chair back from he table and faced the dog that jumped eagerly while he swept the legs from under it. rolling It on the floor. Mollie wanted to talk about big purses, opportunities, contenders, and hard work. Tier ambition bothered him. since he was making good money fighting preliminary bouts at the Coliseum and main bouts al the Standard Theatre. Soldier Harmon, a favorite, a reliable fighter The engagements at the Coliseum were more profitable, but he preferred the Standard The crowd was friendly and close to the ring, his stylo appreciated. They cheered every time he climbed through the ropes. He was earning a living and was satisfied Molli® was not satisfied Doe Barnes wasn't » itisfied His father and ‘mother weren't satisfied He got up. gave the dog something to eat. put it in the cellar, and went to bed. In the morning he put a chain on the dog and walked as far as the church with his mother.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1930.

►Every Sunday morning he and* the dog walked to church with his ! mother. At the church he left ' her and stood on the curb, urg- ’ Ing the dog to become playful, , while kids going into church looked at him respectfully, noticing the dark smudge under his left eye. and older fellows said distinctly: “There's Soldier Harmon.” Many men had seen his picture In the paper. He stood near the curb, dressed smartly in form-fitting clothes, a purple ' handkerchief tucked carelessly in ! his breast-pocket. He snapped his fingers at the dog but It wasn’t feeling playful. ON Sunday evening he walked with Mollie in University Park, and though it, was chilly and frost still In the ground, they sat down in the shadow of a university building. She carefully avoided asking any questions that would irritate him She sat close to him on the bench, a plump and pretty little girl tn a dark-blue overcoat, and sitting there he was so pleased and goodnatur’d. and she was so intensely Interested In his work, he seemed to be asking himself questions. He kissed her and told her he was matched with Harry Greb. the middle-weight champion, in September, out ut the Coliseum. She was enthusiastic. but It was too cold to be sitting on a park bench; her nose was red. her feet were cold. So they got up, both shivering, to look for a case where they could get coffee. He remembered that Sunday evening, because he had felt like definitely suggesting they get married, but was glad he had hesitated, for in the hot summer months, every time he saw her she seemed to be looking at him critically, ready to ask about naming and road-work. At times he wished she didn’t know so much about fighting. Sho was working at a notion-counter in a fivh-ten-and-flfteen-cent store and in the afternoons he used to go in fnd see her. One afternoon, leaning against her counter, he said: "I think I'll get a real Job. Mollie.” "My heavens, man, what do you mean?" She asked "I’m getting tired of doing nothing.” “Nothing!" "Sure; I don’t think much of work-outs and sparring and all that stuff.” Her boss came along the aisle and Joe left. He walked all the way home. He had Intended to tell her how eager he was to get a Job and Just fight when he felt like It. She wouldn't listen seriously. He had had an argument with Doc. who was trying to leach him footwork. and he had said to Barnes: “Look here. Doc. I’m a fighter, not a boxer: 1 don't ever want to be a boxer." The Doc had told him he had a thick head, that was the trouble. For the first time he had been disgusted with i

► Barnes and the Idea of being a< professional fighter. He understood finally that be was a business Investment for Barnes. In August he fought twice at the Standard Theatre and wasn't interested in his opponents. He defeated Indian Sam Burns because the Indian was afraid of him, and the other man fouled him. Joe told his father he was losing Interest In his work; too many things were getting on his nerves. His father suggested that he get married and settle down, and Joe felt unhappy. "I think maybe Mollie’s a little too much for me,” he said. Alone in his own room he felt sorry for Mollie and disappointed in himself. lie had been going with her four years and knew he ought to marry her. He liked her. but felt it would be unfair to marry her. knowing he would only disappoint her. She was a business woman, and a lovely girl, but very determined. For two weeks he trained seriously for his fight with Hairy Greb. Greb was a smaller man than the Soldier, though always impressive against a slow, awkward man. The crowd enjoyed watching his arms moving like a [ windmill while he pounded a ’ slow man. Joe was eager <o : meet him because he thought he ' might knock him out. Only very I good men beat Greb After training an hour at the Adonis in the evening. Joe took the street-car to dollie's house and together they went out to Sunnyside, the amusement park on thq lake-front. They had tivo hot dogs and stood on the board walk listening to the orthophonlc vlctrola. Joe wanted to buy some French-fried potatoes, a few glasses of pineapple Juice. | and some toasted waffles, but Mollie insisted it would be hard on his wind. They argued. She was considerate, understanding, but firm. She reminded him how important it was for them that he should knock out Greb. When he stood in front of the wafflestand, arguing, she took him by the arm and they walked out of the park, along to the road ’hat leads into High Park, a natural park with hills, a pond, many bridle paths through trees, and benches in unexpected places They sat down on a bench in I a hollow between low hills. There was a moon. Mollie looked pretty, her clothes seemed to fit her, and she was neater than when he had met her four years ago. He was silent a long time, knowing she was feeling Irritable. To get her feeling good, he began to talk about big purses he would get, if he knocked out Greb. "What do you think of that?” he said. “You know what I think." "Yeah?” "Sure; I suppose we'll get married at once and take a trip." she said. "Sure we would, Mollie.” “Yes. we would." She looked very sad. He felt uncomfortable. It was time to suggest getting married at once, but he could

only stretch his legs, feeling un-< happy. Then he felt that he owed a great deal to her. a sincere feeling, and his thick fingers were running through her hair, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. Her silence embarrassed him as he watched automobile headlights on the road that dipped out of sight. She got up and said angrily: "You’re an old slow poke, Joe; that’s all there is to it." They walked back the way they had come. • When he left her, later on in the evening. he kissed her roughly, but within himself he was unsatisfied because he couldn’t think of a satisfactory solution. Instead of going home he went into a soda-fountain and had two chocolate sodas, sitting on the high stool, his elbows on the counter, trying to feel good. ! He wanted to marry her. Sooner or later he would marry her. and then she’d see that he got many bouts and good purses He decided to tell her that he had co use for boxing - matches, and would rather have a job. getting into a fight occasionally. He rarely got the right feeling out I of one of the boxing-matches. ON Saturday njght Harry Greb beat Soldier Harmon lout at the Coliseum The Soldier fought with such distinction his name w'as in all the papers. He knocked Greb out in the third round but the bell saved him His seconds worked over him so he could stall through the fourth round; and then he punched Joe [so often he got tired. The Soldier's i face was badly marked, but on Sunday morning he walked with to church. Mollie couldn't understand why Joe was so pleased with himself. "1 hit him dead on, didn’t I?" he said. "That's not the point.” "He was really out, wasn’t he?" “But If you could have finished him.” "It was wonderful, really wonderful." he said. The third round was the only part of the fight he seemed to I remember distinctly. Many people talked to him about it. Doc I Barnes, his father and mother, sporting writers, and he re--1 minded them of the third round. ■ grinning happily. Hoc Barnes was so Impressed by Joe’s durability he consented to a bout [with Tommy Goldie, a big negro ; heavyweight, a graceful boxer, whom he had carefully avoided because of his speed. Joe shook hands with Barnes when he heard of the match with Goldie. He was interested tn meeting the negro, not because of local rivalry, although Goldie had been jeering at him for months, but he had watched him working out at one of the gyms, a big lean body working smoothly, and he had been aware of a nervous eagerness, the old feeling : that came to him when watching a man he wanted to knock

BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES Another of the O’Brien Prize Story Selections

tout. He rarely saw a man who< i was to be his opponent until they • met in the ring. He liked the ■ surprise and satisfaction of look- • ing across the ring and seeing ■ some one who excited him. Some ■ of them were disappointing. He I knew instinctively that Goldie > would be satisfactory. Two weeks before the fight he : quarrelled with Mollie. She had become nervous and Irritable. In a temper she had used some words that had surprised him. When his father and mother , stubbornly insisted that he was . being unfair to the girl, he tried , to make It clear for everybody , concerned, explaining carefully , i his feeling that marriage with . Mollie would mean a long tireI | some effort to become a cham- , [ pion, till he had lost all Interest [in fighting. They were sitting in Ithe kitchen. His father had his . i feet up on the stove. I 1 "You're lazy. Joe; mighty Idamued lazy." his father said. ■| You're all wrong. I’a; I'll get ’ a job tomorrow, but that won’t 1 ' please anybody." ’ | "But good Lord. Joe. what ’ about the big money?” 1 ; "It Just don’t appeal to me. I want to fight when I feel like it." Joe said. "And I can't do it 1 and get married.” 1 Three days before the fight • with Goldie he developed an uns usual Interest In road-work, jogging along five or six miles a day Doc Barnes, becoming en1 thusiastic and eager to encourage the Soldier, talked about the ab- , solute necessity of strong legs and good wind, —nd offered to 1 accompany him. But Joe went ’ alone, leaving the Adonis at two i o’clock In the afternoon, running i unevenly with a clumsy, jerky i stride. He had never done much road-work. He jogged up Broadr view Avenue, slowing to a walk . occasionally, his eyes always on ‘ the ground. The steady pounding of his feet as he ran helped him to think clearly, and he had t long Imaginary conversations with Mollie. Outside the city - limits there were more trees and open fields. He lay down on the - bank at the road-side, his hands behind his head, his eyes closed. t He wondered if Mollie would be j at the fight. He felt strong and very con- : fident the night of the fight. He , was sitting In the dressing-room - talking to Doc Barnes, waiting , for the last of the preliminaries s to finish, and the Doc. wearing -a new silk shirt, was leaning t against a table, giving him ado vice. Barnes always gave him ', advice before a fight, though he 1 knew It didn’t help him. The Soldier was more interested in s his bull pup which he was holdti ing on the table, regarding it n critically. Many' thoughts had e been bothering him all day but e now he was worried because it r looked as if the pup's legs a!weren’t going to bow sufficiently i. to give him a really ferocious apr, pearance. He grabbed the legs - at the joints, hunching up the g shoulders. He pulled down the - lower lip, showing strong teeth, k The dog liked it and looked < V V

♦ splendid as long as he could hold the position. Doc Barnes went on talking. The Soldier studied the dog carefully They could hear the crowd shouting. Doc Barnes stepped out of the room. He came back quickly and said “All set. Joe." “Yep." “How you feelln’?" “Fine as silk. Doc.” THE Soldeir wrapped his green dressing-gown tightly around his waist and they walked down the aisle to the ring. A crowd of nearly eight thousand was in the Coliseum, an arena with tiers of seats around a level tan-bark surface sometimes used for horse-shows. The ringside seats w. re on- the tan bark. Before the Soldier reached the ring Goldie climbed through the ropes, both hands held high over his head. The crowd cheered i The cheering was louder when the Soldier skipped lightly along the ropes Then the crowd laughed and kidded him. When they were being introduced he glared at Goldie. He waved his hand three times at some one calling to him, but concentrated on Goldie's black body, glistening under the arclights. The crowd yelled at the sound of the bell and Joe walked slowly from his corner, staring intently at Goldie's chin. He crouched, his head forward, most of the weight on his right foot, hts right hand held steadily at his hip. He rocked gently back and forward on the balls of his feet. Goldie danced in. hitting him twice with his left, once on the sid'e of the head, once on the chin. Joe grinned. He stood up straight and grinned. He hadn't touched the smooth brown body that slid by him He’settled back to the crouch, sticking his chin out farther while he pawed with i his left hand Then he laughed. and the crowd yelled, and Goldie . got sore, smashing him over the 11 eye with his right hand. Joe 11 shook his head. Blood- was in I his eye. He swung his right hand i for the first time but didn’t really expect to land, or get the old feeling, the emotional rei lease. It would come later, i everything working up to that : point, the Inner excitement growi ing but not yet strong enough. ; The brown body, glistening with ; sweat, swung in close, and the Soldier flailed It with his left i hand. Goldie hit him six times i in the body, twice just over the i solar plexus, and he felt sick, i [The crowd laughed. ■ I "Oh. you Soldier.” "Take a'im. Joe.” I I The Soldier half turned his back on Goldie and stuck out his ' tongue at the crowd Catcalls i didn't bother him; they warmed ’ him up. Goldie, slightly puzzled, stared at him suspiciously. The i bell ended the round. Joe skipped i lightly to his corner. > He sat on the stool, his gloves . on his knees, listening to Doe I Barnes talking excitedly. Ho

PAGE THREE

►stared at the arc-lights, blinking his eycx, then at the small yellow lights over the crowd. He wondered if Mollie were out there under the small yellow lights, and his mental picture of her seemed Indistinct. The thought of her was utterly unimportant at the moment. He couldn't be bothered thinking about her. In the second round his weight held Goldie on the ropes, but Goldie swung back on the rebound before the Soldier could adjust himself at the new angle, and swung both hands in the head, Jarring, jolting, till the crowd yelled for a knockout. The thud and slap-thud Jarred the Soldier, his knees sagged, and dazed. he stood up straight, dropping his guard, and despising the crowd and Goldie's smart work. He swayed, shook his head. and crouched. rocking gently on his feet, bis big body tense as Goldie, grinning, jabbed prettily Goldie jabbed The Soldier got it on th» chin but swung his right hand front his hip He felt the impact stiffening his arm. his heart pounding, his breath held in. the emotion quickly carried to a peak, then slowly subsiding as Goldie toppled. his head bang" rgalnst the canvas, his righ witching. trembling The Soldier wav />■ the crowd He ran to b ■ corner The crowd kept on roaring as he tried to climb through rhe ropes and his seconds pushed him back. The referee had counted six when Goldie rolled over and got up on one knee The Soldier saw Goldie trying to balance himself on the one knee Slightly bewildered he watched him then rushed across the ring and pushed aside the referee, eager to hit Goldie The time-keeper stopped counting The referee hehi on to Joe. trying Io push him away Joe could think only of Goldie attempting to get up after he had landed satisfactorily and knocked him down Goldie was on lhe floor for thirty seconds hut the Soldier should have retired to his corner. and there had been no count after six. Goldie got up. staggering clumsily, groping away from the Soldier. The crowd was booing and whistling A hard hat fell In the ring, then a great many hard hats Joe did not go after Goldie. He grinned weakly He wasn't anxious io hit him again. There could be nothing further in it for him GoldiA leaned against the ropes and watched the Soldier, then advanced determinedly The Soldier crouched mechanically and stuck cut his left hand He puckered his forelrvad and with his right glove tried to block Goldie’s left swing and counter with his left, but had no further energy He was just making motions. Goldie came in the glove came dully against the Soldier's chin and he fell on the ropes. The glove came again and Joe fell over the ropes onto the knees of the reporters. He rolled onto the tan bark. The crowd howled. They carried the Soldier into his dressing-room He was heavy in their arms, and aware, very casually, of Doc Barms swearing rapidly. BARNES drove him home In his car Joe sat beside Barnes and rubbed his hand over his chin. He hadn't shaved his chin for five days. Barnes turned corners recklessly, infringing upon traffic laws. Each time they turned a corner Joe knew how the Doc felt about it. Twice he opened his mouth to speak and said finally, "I’m sorry. Doc, but 1 guess I'm through." "Oh. you're all right." Doc said generously. "No. I'rn through.” "Hell, man. you can still earn a living at it.” "No. there’s absolutely nothing In it for me." "Well, you'll have to do something.” “I know it." The Doc was driving more carefully. A few drops of rain hit the wind-shied. The Soldier went on rubbing his chin. He had a thought of the fight and tried to forget the aching disappointment that was heavy inside him. "Oh. it's not so bad.” he said. "How you figurin'?” "I'll get a job." "Yeah.” "Yeah. I've thought about get- ’ ting a steady job before. Doc.” "1 know." "And if 1 get a job I’ll get married, and that’s that, and it's ' all settled.” "She wanted you to go across ' big. didn't she?” "I know, but mostly she wants to get married.” The Doc. driving with one ' hand, put a cigarette In his ' mouth. "Well, it’s your funeral." i he said. "I know it. Doc, but I want to ' get It settled. See? And to- . night sorta fixes it up for me with her She won't have no ambitions for me now, see?" 3 3 a ©AJct'luie Newspaper Sj/ndloufe