The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-15
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAY =. HOUSE.
tFron Phnadslphia Public Lsdsss.l

We have just read, in the columns
of our esteemed evening edition, what
we believe to be the first kindly woro
for Byron Bancroft Johnson ever
printed in an Eastern newspaper. IN
the quarter of century last past the
sporting writer's of the Eastern news
papers have given unstinted space ana
lavish praise to such heroic characters
as Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Terry
McGovern, John J. McGraw, the so 10
speak battling Colonies, Rupert ana
Huston, John L. Sullivan. Abe AttelI,
Diamond JIM Brady, Tex Rlckard'
Jack Curley and other illustrious fig-
ures. But the only space dedicated 10
Ban johnson was that devoted to tell
ing the world that he was slipping.
If you leave it to them. he still is
slipping. They say he has grown ola
and fat and petulant. which may very
well be true. What they have neg
lected to say is~that for more than
twenty years he was the loins and
brains and abdominal investiture of
professional baseball. For twenty
years and more he was the only man
in all that motley crew who had an
ideal and the courage to fight for it.
And when the blow-off came-when
the crookednesS in the ranks of base
ball became public property-the
magnates tied Johnsonis hands with
court proceedings and then skunk be- |
hind the semi-judicial ermine of Judge :
AASAASo1M &hO0AldlI 1dIulS
But, we fancy you are asking, what
did johnson ever do to get 'em all /
down on him? Well, the original OBJ |
lection to him was that he came out |
of the Middle West and maintained I
his headquarters in Chicago instead of
New York But his cardinal offense !
was the suspension of Carl Mays for /
an infraotion of the rules. That was
the lamentabIe error which has never
been forgiven.
Sir-A young couple who are the
odds and ends of two families desire
a guest, or guests, who are similarly
situated for Christmas day. The only
supulatiOnS are: First a speaking
knowledge of Stephen Leacock, and
second that they have no place to go.
ARTHUR AND ETHEL COLLINS.
The invitation is intriguing, but, as
we have indicated, there's a catch"
IN it. 1t is nothing to boast about, but
those who have a speaking acquaint-
ance with Mr.. Leacock are limited in
numbers. However, if our Christmas
first qualify and then accept. Well
home up" on Mr.. Leacock for a. din
ner any time.
proposing" saws the inimitabIe
Helen Rowland in her "A Guide 10
Men, lis sort of acrobatic feat in
which a man must hang on to his
nerve with one hand and the girl with
the other
Our own observation is that quite
the contrary is the case. The proposal
is the tamest and most commonplace
incident of the marital sweepstakes.
NO man actually proposes to a woman
until she has accepted him half a
dozen times. Formal avowaI and be-
trothal are the anti-climax of court
ship and love.
We can, as you will have observed,
write this deep stuff, too. But, on
The whole, we prefer specifically toI
discuss the more insignificant and
trivial topics.
We Had Everything Right but the
Year and the Date.
Sir-I know you always want to be
correct. Corbett and Sullivan met in
heir memorable ring battle at the
olympic club in New Orleans on Sep
.ember z, 1892, instead of September
Il, 1898. So, yoL see, Ethel S. must
nave been a kindergarten kiddie at
hat date if the little New Jersey VIII
age could boast of one.
BILLY RoCAP.
Thus and in such manner is our
system vindicated. We could have
ooked up the date of the Sullivan
Corbett fight in five minutes. But it !
would have necessitated a trip to the !
library and some paving around. BY l
liking it on a suppositious date we get
he correct one at a minimum expen- !
liture of time and energy.
We have no marked talent no men,
al or physical gift. But we can near t
y always persuade the other fellow 2
o do it for US.
We recall the fistic battles which {
Eliminated in the Sn1liVa -CyOrhetf .
light chiefly because they marked our q
irst actual contact with the duplicity I
nd intrigue of the city slicker. on a
he night of September 6, 1892, Jack {
IcAuliffe fought Billy Meyer, the
Streator Cyclone" for the lightweight :
championship of the world. George '