New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-28
A SIaCker'S Letter Home
Dictated
S>~~~By II. 0. McGEEHAN-~~>

Dear Awkins:
The fgh. game in these ere
States is in fine shape ! sd ardly
landed when a lot Of Johnnies were
after me offering As igh as five
thousand pounds for match. But
didn't take none of en- not me.
III wait till they go a bit igher
You know as ow the war spoiled
The fight game in Australia. All
of the boys who used TO pay
quid or so 10 see match as gone
TO the front and a lot Of them as
got killed and won't be able TO get
a guild TO see champion in action
no more. This country asn't been
it by the war. That's why it's
sucl a good place for fighters.
/ told one of the newspaper
Johnnies as ow Bill Squires went
nd enlisted. ad 10 laugh when
i thought Of old Bill in that silly
khaki. o. course Bill always was
a rotten fighter. That's why the
silly old dear ad 10 go an enlist.
! suppose that my first 20 will
be with the Frenchmsn. Carpenter,
| think his name is. Els been a
couple of years in the French
army, so he must be jolly well
out OF condition. Those soldiers
lead an irregular life, and it's ard
for them to keep in condition. |
was warned that the soldiers life
amt ealthy for a fighter. Anyhow
-111.1v- oh nnl-
at Bombardier Wells. Who did he
ever whip?
That's Why I amt afraid Of this
fellow CARPENTER. He's been eating
that rotten army grub, and ne
don't get no time TO do any road
work. Johnnies who have been in
the army say that the trenches are
always damp and they breed rheu
matism. You know that ! always
get lots of fresh air and exercise
ard sunshine TO keep myself in
condition. A fighter as got TO 20
that. It's a duty he owes to
imsolf and the fighting game.
What | like about this country
IS there amt much blooming war
talk. You know how that annoys
a fighter VINO is trying to keep
himself in condition to old tho
championship. Ow can a fighter
attend TO IS training when a lot
of silly women are anding him
white feathers and taking is mind
off fighting By asking i'm why
don't go to the war and fight.
Ow in ell can n fighter fight in
the war and why in ell should e?
They amt paying no kind of
purses over in Flanders, are they?
Leastways they amt offering no
five thousand pounds. You mark my
words as ow this man Carpenter
will be soft for me. going and
getting himself all out of condi-
tion by breathing poisonous gas
and letting his muscles get fabby
lying around in trench. f won't
be able to fight lick when gets
ere.
am sorry to say that a few Of
the people ere are a bit silly about
the war thing, so | ad 20 say that
! would 60 for soldier as soon
as I ad couple OF bouts. But
don't get alarmed if you should
happen to come across that in the
papers. You know that there ia
nothing OF the silly ass about me.
Awkins, old top, ain't going to
ruin no fighting career Tor no silly
war. But most of the people are
sensible. They says as ow | am
pretty foxy boy TO ave kept out
Of this war and to ave kept myself
in condition by taking plenty Of
good food and fresh air and exer-
else.
opes as peace will be declared
soon and maybe will come back
TO Australia. though | guess the
war as spoiled the fight game. No
use trying to make money fighting
when everybody away at the war
War is a pretty tough thing on
us fighters. but am doing pretty
we'll II YOU sec Old Bill Squires
in his silly khaki give him the
RASPBERRY for me.
Your old pal.
les ACEEp