South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-02

went on when his second cigar was well under
way. that / was as much taken aback a. Seth
Burnett when Arthur Adar had named the
White Prince as his nominee The fighting
man he named had just come 10 the front and
there were men grown old in the fancy who
said that this boy-and he was only that, really
would style himself champion Of England be
fore he was a great deal older. A Romany ad,
I'd always understood him to be. who'd learned
his fighting in the rough and tumble school
OF the booths taking on all corners and all
weights. Some one had seen him and had been
taken with his style, and the Romany Boy. as
he first called brought up to London
and got his chance. He took IT, as told you
and when he had beaten Ben Badly down Ascot
way in his third or fourth fight forget which
the ball right at his feet Il was about
then that he ceased to be called the Romany
Boy and become the White Prince He got
his new name because he was such thorough
bred in appearance. and because, too he'd got
skin as white as satin-as white and as smooth
Perhaps you've seen the prints. jim OF rare
Jem Belcher; we'll. I'd say that this youngster
was built on that pattern He filed his clothes
like your hand fills glove jim and when you
saw him stripped to the bun you'd have been
specimen of man. But it's handsome is as
handsome does in the ring. and the White
Prince had something else to back him up
besides his good looks He'd got science and
he'd got devil although I never saw less
vicious fighting man But there JIM could
rattle on about the White Prince all night
and forget the other part of the story
when next | got the chance to talk to
vvba
in the Kentish Hopman, the fight had been all
fixed up, and the word had gone round that it
was to be down Gloucester way, in a meadow
on old John Burnetts estate, and that was
fitting, because the West Country was mad
TO man. seeing the fight.
81 ran across Adair taking the air one morn
Ing in the Mall, and as usual he looked as fresh
a Spring daisy.
" And how's the White Primer I asked
him. after time and he smiled and said that
the White Prince was fit to fight for his life
And at that I told him how surprised I'd been
when he had claimed that the White Prince
was Gloucester born and bred. and I dare say
ainted that Id be relieved if he could tell me
where his proof was.
He cooked his eye at walked
along. and says he
THE proofs in my pocket. Jack, and not a
bad place for 1t, either What say you? And
without more ado he pulled out a yellow
creased old paper, and handed it over. All
the Kings lawyers couldn't make hole In that
Jack he said.
1T the lads own birth certificate. and
it told all the world who saw It that he was
born in the parish of Bistock. in the Forest OF
Dene, just under twenty years back and that
John Harding was his father and Ann Harding
his mother And when / tell you that a good
many years ago the old man who is spinning
this story was born in the village next to
Bistock, in the Forest Of Dene. you will know
how interested was In the sight of that vel
low bit OF paper. II knocked me all of heap
to know that the White Prince was born in
the next parish to my own. and said as much.
and asked Adair how he had found that out
He told me the youngster had con1ded TO him
all sorts and conditions OF men confded in
Adair for some reason or other-and that some
time after that, when he was staying in Glouces-
tershire he had taken the trouble to go over
TO Bilstock and had seen the original OF that
yellow certificate in the parish register.
a. AS for the boy himself Jack he said. he
knows nothing about any life except the life he
lived among the Romany folk. He was travel
ling with them when first he could recall any
thing and he went on travelling with them
until his mother died. And he was with them
until Tony Carberry fetched him up to Lon
don because he figured him out as a champion
in the making. But that don't matter a of
pins Jack; I've got all the proof need, and I'd
say it'll be more than enough for Seth Burnett
and Harradine, and all that crowd
He slipped the paper back into his pocket
and patted his coat.
It's safe there as anywhere, he said, and
/ knew we'll enough what he meant. for l re-
called those words Adair had used at the Kent
ish Hopman, when he had said: Proof or
forfeit
I'VE fell to talking OF Seth Burnett and I
saw what l had a hundred times before.
that Adair thoroughly disliked the fellow.
he does i'll credit TO the West Country.
I'm thinking. he said. and | don't know that
I'm squeamish. But Burnett don't ring true.
and I'm thinking there'll be a poor sportsman
at Dene Manor when John Burnett goes TO
the happy hunting grounds, and that won't be
long for all heaer. Old John is ageing fast,
I'm told. and I'd say IL helps him to do that
when he thinks who is coming after him TO
I'LL his shoes. There's no love lost there; |
happen to know that old Burnett thinks about
the same Of his nephew the rest Of us do
We'll. that talk in the Mall about
week before the fight was due to come of. and
l didn't Adair again for several days. But
on the evening before the fight his man came
round and said Mr.. Adair would be glad TO see
a matter OF Importance, and set of
for his rooms in the Haymarket. And as soon
l saw Adair l knew that something was
wrong, because his look black thunder.