The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-12-20


And all the time he was watch.
Ing things. and learning. In some
marvellous way be knew more bali
players. and fighters and horsemen
than the sporting editor. Thcv
used TO use him In the sporting de
paFtment whfn rush Was on.
Then he became one - the sport
INK staff. then assistant sporting
editor. then sporting editor. lie
knows this paper from tho base.
ment M. He could operate u limo
type or act rs managing editor
with equal ease.
An these years OF work and
suffering have made an old man OF
little Blackle. altho he n young In
yeara. But they haven't spoiled
his heart any. He IL able to dis.
tinguish between sham and truth
because he has been Obliged 10 do
Il ever since he was n child selling
papers on tho corner"
Such is Blackie. Surely the
oldest friend a woman ever had.
He possesses a genius for friend.
ship. and n wonderful understand.
Ing OF suffering. born OF those
years OF hardship and prlvation.
Each learned the others story. bit
by bit. In series OF condolences
exchanged during that peaceful.
beatlilc period that follows just
after the last edition has gone
down.
~ SEQ. girl. It's like this here. 4"
Blackie explained one day. "Wre
all workin' for some good reason.
4 few OF us arc workin' for the
glory OF II. and most OF IA are
workin' { eat: but there Is some
few workin for the pure love Of the
work-and ! guess I'm one OF them
fools. Y see | started in at this
game when ! was such a little runt
that now It's a ingrowing habit.
tho It is comfortin' L know you
got a place where you en- always
come In ont OF the rain. and where
you en- have your mail sent.
I guess told YOU about the
time Won Gerhard sent me abroad
didn't ~"
Won Gerhard" I repeated
startled. DO YOU know him."
We'll. he amt braggin' about II
none" Blackie admitted. Won
Gerhard. he told me had about
five years or so { live. about two.
three years ago. had sort OF
went 10 pieces about that time. and
went { him To be patched up.
TaFe a ocean voyage. he says.
an try 10 get four hours sleep a
night anyway
Well. say. mother she was scar
cd green. So tucked her under
m arm. and we hit II up across the
ocean. Mother. she had some swell
time. | guess. She never set down
except for meals. and she wrote
picture postals like mad.
But sa.a-ay. gir' was lonesome,
| stuck IL out for four months. Well.
one day mother an me WAS sittin'
out on one OF them veranda cafes
they run to over there. wen some.
body hits me a crack on the shout.
der an there stands old Ryan. who
used { do L. T. here. lie was for.
eign correspondent for some big
New York syndicate papers over
there.
Well. II 1t amt Blackio!" he
says. What In Sam I'm are YOU
doing out of your own cell when
Milwaukee, just got four more
games [ win the pennant?
"Sa-a-a-ay. girl. IL was me for the
big ship. Mother says. ~ you
got anybody on your mind that you
neglected { send picture postals to.
now's your last chance. r got to
die I'm going out with m scissors
in one mitt, and m trusty paste
pot by m side An we hits IL up
for old Milwaukee.
Il ain't been away since. exNpt
wen | was out with the ball teHt.
sending In sportin' extry dope for
the Pink, The last time ! was In
Mt Baumbach's. in comes Won Ger.
hard an"
who arc. Baumbach's?" I inter.
rupted.
Blackie regarded me pityingly.
You amt never been TO Baum.
bach's? No wonder you amt hep
to the WAYS Of this little communi.
t.. u amt hardly legal { live IN
Milwaukee all this time without
ever having been inside of n"
Stop II you do not tell me at
once why II Is so necessary to tho
proper understanding of the
city n