The Washington herald., 1921-05-29

IL was my Nrst view OF CarpenNiers
When he stepped into the ring
pitched in 4 lot back Of an old barn
on an Isolated Long Island farm
was shocked. He. seemed a mere
strip Of a boy. His skin was white
and pink. He appeared so slim and
young and fragile. There was no
bulge OF muscles evident Nothing
In the ,boyish bored face suggested
the fighting man. Beautifully buiIt7
Yes. Like the statute of = Greek
runner of the olden days. But q
nghteri -.,..
/ had not expected 70, see q heavy
set thug. Neither had expected
to see such q pink and white
STRIPPING as he appeared TO be. Ger
tainly ] had not expected TO see one
with such q cherubic quality Of ex-
preston.
skinned. thick-lipped Dempsey with
his ferocious expression. his huge
arms and shoulders, his bulldog
build and shuddered. II seemed q
shame that this pink and white per-
fection of artistic form standing
before me should be submitted TO
the mutiIation Of Dempsey's sledEe-
like hands.
Italian Joe Cans cIambered into
the ring with him and they began
to box. Italian Joe Gam looks Hike
q fighter. He is squat and seem
ingiy powerful SCARED and rugged.
Carpenter worked lazily. He seemed
tired; bored. / could see nothing To
suggestive champion. / found my
self wondering how he could have
attained his present place In the
fighting game. how he could be con-
sidered as a ft opponent for Demp-
sey. As a model for a sculptor
wonoerful. A an actor. q matinee
idol. Perfect. But q fighter.
As he warmed up In his tame &c
with Italian Joe Cans his face
became flushed. The expression
changed. The cherubic quality was
not SO pronounced. The tired. bored
look faded fom the big blue eyes
During a bit of rough in-fghtins
/ saw the flush of an expression or
the flushed face that stirred my
blood. II was not snarl, the night
ing look Of an auEry animal. But
il was a lighting expression. I'll tel
the world. II was an exaltation, a
refinement OF ferocity. A refined
passion OF anger. A painter could
have caught that neeting sxpres'
sion and httingly Fixed Il upon the
idealized face Of q French soldiei
charging to certain death against
the enemy. II was q nash OF true
hghting spirit as distinct from the
grimace and glare Of animal anger
IL was a Fash and like fash u
was gone. The face was again that
| Of a bored matinee IDOL vesrti,
playing 20 a small audience. But
when thought Of him in the rims
against the bruisinE Dempsey die
not ,hudder. ! NJ longer wondered
/ how he had attained his present
position in the ring.
began 20 look more closely a
the pink and white body. i becsm'
Increasingly Impressed with th'
sense of a deadly power lurking ir
the long. smooth muscles
Carpenter was working ver,
leisurely. not exertinE himself
Little Descamps in shirt sleeve
and absurd red slippers. lookin,
very much like q fat grinninl
Chinaman and somewhat like
I 1uttN Olu NCNhdus - eANNhhe Aa
chair on the grass by the ringside
holding a watch and chsttering sug
gestions Msrcot. the fat. tubo
little combination cook and spar
ring partner, dressed in bagEy hsn
mel drawers and an old black jer
sey, was leaning against the bar
door watching Carpenters ever,
move. A few newspaper men stoo
nearby watching. There was n
crowd. There was no play to tn
gallery because there was no gal
lery TO play TO. IL did not seer
like the training camp Of . con
tender for the worlds heavyweight
championship. II seemed more lik
the camp Of some backwoods farne
tighter being prepared by his uncle
say. and the hired men for his frs
bout with some neiEhborinE rurs
fighter. The scene seemed familiai
| felt that I had seen IL all before
/ wondered where. Then I knew.
The whole thing reminded me o
the French army back Of the night
| ing line. The French army back o
the nghting line was one OF tn
worlds most ludicrous sights. Tn
privstes looked like sloppy oil