Atlanta Georgian., 1912-06-27

Johnson Flynn battle.)
%AST LAS VEGAS. n. M, June
X 27.-It looked like the ar
rival OF circus out around
the Old Town training camp of
lack johnson yesterday afternoon.
There was a record mob around the
little valley in which the big black
fellow does his training. And 1t
was lust as good as a circus, too, to
watch that crowd, for 1t is about as
strange a looking gathering as one
could find in a weeks travel in any
direction. The whites in the grand
stand that borders on three SIDES
Of the little arena in which the
actual work is done do not out
number the Indians and the Mex-
cans and the others of swarthy
skins that delight in watching the
antics of the star OF pugilism.
Picture this motley throng in
gay array and you have a strange
sight The shawl Is one of the
prominent parts of the Mexican
feminine toilet and the gayest col
ors imaginable are brought out on
SUNDAYS. Old Town Is quite wild
about Johnson There are plenty
Of dusk skinned followers of the
champion in that section-men and
women OF Jacks own race-but
the Indians and Mexicans, the low
Hest of which have been saving
their pennies for many a day now
in order to purchase tickets for the
battle, thoroughly believe in the
mighty Johnson. There Is no color
line out that way, no race preJu-
dice. no sentimental feeling that
the white man, by all that's right
and true, ought to win this battle.
Old Town Bets on johnson.
The little bets OF the motley Old
Town will be plunked down on
Johnson to a man. One has only
to go out there any afternoon
when the champion is working and
watch the positively idolatrous
manner in which the crowds fol-
low his every move. Every clever
step is heartily applauded. every
bit of comedy is sure to bring a
laugh that would make a Hopper or
a Goodwin jealous, and, best of all,
there isn't an inch of the journey
that Johnson travels every after
noon overlooked in any way.
Flynn has no following like that
here, although some OF the inhabi-
tants of the little Mexican 'dobe
villages that dot the valleys be-
tween this mans town and Monte
yuma. where his camp Is located,
gather in herds after climbing the
big hill and discuss his chances In
awed whispers. There are lots of
Mexicans around Flynn all OF the
time-men and women and chill
dren-but they do not gather in
the same huge fiocks that they do
at Old Town.
Flynn Takes Fight Seriously.
You see, Flynn does not deport
himself in the same semi comic
manner that Johnson affects most
of the time. This training busi-
ness IS a mighty serious affair with
the former fireman. It's all busi-
ness with Flynn from the time that
he energies from his dressing room
until ne announces in his big voice
that that win be all for this after
noon, and thank YOU" which Is
Jim's stereopnc manner in dis
missing his audience.
Jim kids a lot about different
things when "the gang" Is there,
the gang including some of his
friends from the city and the
newspaper men, but the Mexican
populace does not understand Jim
in these moods. They do not ap-
preclate his barbed sarcasms on
Ryan and hog -fatness and the like,
for II IS a matter OF great doubt
whether that portion of this strange
land ever sees a line that is printed
about Flynn or his troubles or his
Joys or his hopes and his ambi-
tions They merely take him as
seriously as he appears to take
himself and they let II go at that
Johnson's kidding may be done
at some friends expense, but It is
always broad enough to be COM
prehensive to the motley ones in