Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03

RENO, New, July Reno is just
waiting now. Tomorrow and Monday
morning, and then the moment when
Announcer Billy Jordan will climb out
of the ring with all the speed that his
fat legs can carry him crying, Let 'er
go!"
Another languid sunset in these
brown hills and the great Jeffries-
johnson battle will be on. In the
meantime the desert city is rapidly
taking on the appearance of a national
convention. The delegates from the
worlds sporting centers are arriving on
every train. The streets and hotels are
filled with a shifting mob of gentle
men, thieves, gamblers and pugilists
The hum of conversation on the street
is punctuated with the click of the rou-
lette wheels and the cries Of the SOU
venir hawkers.
And all are waiting for the event
which nothing but earthquake or fire
or death can now prevent. The camps
of the fighters are quiet with the peace
of suspense The arena is waiting out
in the white dust, an ugly skeleton
that in a few hours will be palpitating
with life and the thrills that the red
gods send down mems spines in mo-
ments of physical strife. Probably not
another stick will have to be touched.
PURSE ALL UP
The purse money is all up-all of it
the sum of $101, 900 which the fight low
ers will pay Jim Jeffries and Jack
johnson to measure their sinews their
brains and their fighting hearts.
The only movement from the rival
camps was in the way of pleasure and
thought killing. Both Jeffries and john
son made automobile trips into town.
johnson just for fun and to have the
crowd stare at him, and Jeffries be-
cause he had to in order to get to the
fishing grounds he decided to visit late
in the afternoon.
This critical time Of waiting is be
ing watched closely by fight experts.
Jeffres surprised them all by his ap-
parent unconcern on the eve of the
greatest moment i'm his life. Nothing
else was expected from the black man.
To the sporting men who made the
trip to Moana Springs in the early
afternoon a restful scene was present
ed. On the lawn at the side of his
white cottage sat Jeffries and his GRO
MES around small table. The fighter
had on a soft shirt and a cap rested
Carelessly on the back of his head He
was leaning over a hand of cards fig
uring how TO win a few cents from
his opponents. When he succeeded he
was happy and his laugh rang out so
that the crowds hanging over the fence
marked private smiled in sympathy.
CARDS UNDER TREE
over the group a great willow tree
spread its restful branches. From a
branch hung a cage with two pigeons.
On the green lawn a tiny white dog
played running occasionally to lick
Jeffries hand. Around all swung the
great bare hills and the green
meadows.
OF the thoughts that passed through
Jeffries' mind-betWeen hands-as he
glanced past the group out into the
brilliant sunshine and the blue sky,
no one of his intimates pretended to
say. Some times his eyes would take
on deep sombre look and he would
scOWl. Again his eyes would flash in
fun, a dimple would show and all
would be as merry as a wedding morn.
To those who braVed the sunshine
and the dust and the bumps in the
road and made their way to Rick's
road house on the other side Of town,
another scene of rest was shown, but
it was rest of a different kind There
was much hilarity and loud merriment
here, and the sound of singing and in
strumental music breaking out at odd
times proved that the black champion
and his crew were amusing themselves
as If the fight were year off and they
were Way down South in Dixie"
sEVEN-ROUND VICTORY
On the outside there is absolute cer-
tainty in each camp. Nothing has
arisen to add or detract from the argu-
ments pro and con that have been agi-
tating the sports Of the country for a
year. In the Jeffries camp the hang
ers-on and trainers are willing to bet
their last shirt that the man whom no
man ever has brought to his knees by
a blow will make Johnson look like
the outside of a storm cellar after
hurricane. They can see nothing but
the huge flaying arms of the unde-
feated one moving down his opponent.