The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-23
HE E E "MR. BONDS"
w~wwww

XVIII.
II was now that Jack Dempsey first
began paying for the privilege of rid
ing on railroad trains, It went against
his grain to some extent, and he avoided
II as much as possible for a couple Of
years thereafter, but the people who
were promoting the fight at Ely, Ne
vada, and who had offered him $500
for his services, also sent him money
to pay his fare TO Ely.
Jack had some thought Of saving
this money by the simple process Of
tucking II in his jeans and travelling
in his old way, but then he decided
that it might shock the promoters to
see a 5000 fighter come into town ION
the hammer" So he bought a regular
felt almost embarrassed over the sit
uation.
a., En- route to Ely, Jack had to change
cars at a place called Cobre, Nevada,
Nhere a number Of passengers from
another train just in from the west
coast, also got aboard the sam var
nished caravan on which Dempsey was
riding to the scene of his engagement,
NThere was a long wait at Cobre, and
ahck took advantage Of the delay to
descend upon a nearby eating house
and equip himself with a lot Of big fat
sandwiches.
When he got aboard his train again
and took his eat he discovered he had
company in the form of a large gent
who had evidently changed from the
coast train. There was no installing
the identity of this gent, because on
every piece of luggage that he piled up
in the aisle, and on the rack overhead,
was the name, Joe Bonds"
The name meant nothing much to
Dempsey at the. moment, though 1t
undoubtedly means something to even
the most casual follower of the old
pastime of fist swinging, especially of
this particular era. And it meant a
chunk to the wne Of it.
Jack sat munching his sandwiches
and cycling the large gent, while the
large gent eyed Jacks sandwiches,
There was something disturbingly ON
niverous in his gaze, and our hero
shuffled his feet uneasily. .
II wonder where a man could get
something TO eat around here solilo-
quized the large gent. .
why, I guess there isn't much OF
any place" said Jack. Would you
would II" remarked the large gent,
reaching, 81 should say I would I'm
STm MIR, Bonds" he said between
bites on Jacks sandwich. Mr.. Joe
Bonds. I'm just back from Australia,
and I'm going VI here into the sticks
to fight some sucker by the name OF
A light broke over our hero. 1t
came to him, suddenly, that he also
was en- route to fight some fellow, and
that the fellows name was Bonds
Joe Bonds. He contemplated MI
Bonds" with new interest
yes" continued Mr.. Bonds, I'm
Amaking a quick trip up here to fight
this sucker and then I've got to hurry
back to the coast and meet my man
ager, Mr.. Jack Kearns."
Mark now how the long arm of coin
cidence reached out across Dempseys
\ path. Jack Kearns, who took Bonds TO
AUSTRALIA a few years ago along with
a number Of other fighters, is the
same Jack Kearns who now manages
Dempsey.
Bonds was a northwestern heavy
weight who at one time was regarded
as holding considerable promise. He
was, and still is, something Of an all
round athlete. He enlisted in the navy
during the war, and within the past
year appeared in a number OF exhibl-
ton bouts around New York.
When Tom Thorp, the old Columbia
player and coach and football expert
of the Evening Journal" organizeo
the men of the training ship Grant,
State into a football team last fall he
had Bonds playing guard, and Joe was
a good guard, too.
Dempsey did not tell Bonds he was
the sucker Joe was going up into