Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-23

be more untrue. more idiotic. He was a
picture OF buoyant health, OF bounding
he last went away from this town. The
yarns about his designations were and
are pure moonshine. He scarcely drank
at all. He was positively bashful In the
presence of women AS for the paste
and he never bet dollar on a horse
race Or on the turn of q wheel in all
his life
first met keuchel three years ago
this autumn. in the lobby of a hotel
where he was staying. He was with a
party OF automobile men. classy, keen
chaps of wit ard discernment. ketchel
then wSs twenty ! didn't catch his
merely saw in him a young man to
whom the automobile folks we've en-
deavoring to sell a car. 1 took him for
some wealthy student. He spoke sub
duedly. with an unusually clever choice
of words, and his little game of fence
with the automobile men was not only
amusing but brilliant Viewing him. l
said to myself that here was youth
destined to be different at anything
heitackled. Therefore 1 was Unfortunately
surprised when. before the conclusion Of
the little seance in the hotel lobby, L
found that he was Stanley ketchel, the
pugilst.
X
Later l called upon him at his hotel
suite. l found him reading a limp leather
edition of Maeterlinck's wonderful story
Of the bee, and he was so absorbed in
it that he scarce could bring himself to
discussion of everyday matters. An
open suit case on the floor was damned
with limp leather editions, his travelling
companions OF first-rate books-Keats,
Shelley, CARLYLE. even condensed edition
of Darwin's "Origin of Species" He had
the Poles innate keen zest for knowledge.
for cultivation, and he had builded splen-
didly upon the basis of his high school
educa ton. He was not loquacious. but
he was wholesome, earnest and convnc-
ing. Wild horses couldn't have got
word of pugiiism ont of him on that &C.
casion. He brushed aside all allusion to
the fighting game.
1t is the only thing I know how to do.
if ] know how to do that-and 1 am only
In 1t to get the money to give me a start
on other lines: to give me a chance to
complete my somewhat messy education"
about it.
During the past year or so l frequently
visited his training quarters while he
was getting in trim in this neighborhood
LOT one hight or another. Generally l
iound MIN romping with little kiddies that
mao tlmidiy wandered UP to his training
quarters, to get a great reception from
the nsnting man the instant he clapped
eyes upon them. Several times I saw
u
a sparrlng partner to rush over to the
door OF his quarters and pick up In his
arms some little young one that he had
caught peering wonderingly into the
quarters; and ketchers trainers knew
tnat II would be foolish for them to at
tempt to get any work out of their man
Whiie mere were children around: and
some or the trainers finally had to spend
good part OF their time outside the
quarters shooing away little smudey-
raced kiodies that nocked around the
place on the lookout for their man. that
played with them" 'aN
.....
once happened to be engaged in
conversation with aim by a window of
his training quarters; when. glancine
out OF the window. he saw a very old,
decrepit woman bending over the rail.
road track. picking up bits Of coal
Here's a letter 1 got TODAY" Ketcbel
said to me. crushing a letter that he
took from his pocket into INV hand.
then he disappeared 1 knew afterward
tnat he had given me the letter 70 read
merely as a ruse to keep ME EMPLOYED
to prevent me from seeing the act ~
generosity. he was about TO narfcrm
tiers. raced over to the old woman EN-