The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-07-06

For when he emerged from
seclusion, he strobe without a
word to the end of the porch, ray
flat, hauled that kitten from hid.
ing, produced q comb and went
over the little Persian's every hair
with his powerful. gentle hands,
while the diminutive, snowy ami.
NAL squirnned and liked It. Lit
his mongol scowl and began to
talk.
His words came jerkily, in a voice
not high pitched. but rather
choked. He used direct the male
vernacular common to Senator and
longshoreman alike, but used no
word that need shock a woman. In
the midst Of a discussion of vaude-
vile acting he tossed a careless
phrase to a sparring partner: "Tell
the chef there'll be one extra"
That was all the invitation / re-.
ceived or needed
There was the constant vivid
play Of eye and features, not a hint
or brag: just simple and reposeful
genuineness. Repeatedly, all through
those two hours, the revealing re-
mark would be followed by a sharp,
shy glance that asked! "EIave I
gone too far; Is this stranger
judging ne?" And once when I
finally launched the one intimate
question I had come to ask, ] faced
a ten.second stare as from the eyes
OF a timber wolf before he relaxed,
humanized, and said with serious
frankness, "11l tell you, for I've
thought 1t all out"
And he told.
That was after dinner, when the
others had gone and Dempsey and
l were sitting alone at the oil.
clothed long table. All during that
meal he had been the perfect host,
though I knew the customary train
Ing camp talk was blocked by my
presence. In speaking to Dempsey
all the others spoke uphill.
Here was the question: I'm
ignorant of pugilism, but I'm in.
terested in conspicuous success.
AS understand it, for some years
you were q good fighter, but
there were others just as good.
Then, all Of sudden, you stepped
forward and became the greatest
In the world. Something happened
to you, inside of you, just at that
time. What was it?"
Here was Dempsey's answer, after
the timber wolf stare:
"I decided to forget nv outside
troubles. I was worried and un-
happy and everything was all
messed up. My marriage was in
bad shape. l had no money. Family
matters were all wrong. Everything
was wrong.
II knew I was a good fighter
I had always known that-and now
/ said to myself that l was at
the very bottom. and I'd either
drop. out through the bottom or
climb out through the top. So I
just forgot - made myself - every.
thing except fighting.
II didn't know whether I would
succeed or fail, but l was going
to give 1t a try. Before, I banged
around. decided it wasn't to
be all circumstances and no con-
troll, any more. 1t was either clear
up, or clear down, for good and all.
That was when l started knock.
ing them out in one round"
1T must have taken will power"
I said.
II don't. know about will power"
said Jack, surprisingly. IT think
1t was just cutting out everything
else.
II never had to force myself to
fight but / did have to force my
self to cut out fussing and fretting
about other things. I'd say con-
centratiOn, rather than will power.
When II really 6nVrx1 oVnH do.
voted myself entirely to fighting
the rest just happened naturally.
Before knew it / was champion"
Afterward. out in the cool eve
ming air, there was another revela-
ton of Dempsey's idea of life and
how to live it. Here it is:
"A man is only at his height for
a certain time. But most men never
reach their height at all, because
they block themselves They do
other things that spoil them at
what they're good for Since I've
men, for instance, come up to their
high point. then decline, mostly from
dissipation.
Il don't blame a man for what
he does. but it is foolish to waste
life and health. Health is the Sc.
cret Of 1t all, to my way of think
ing. You can't have a good brain
without a good body and you can't
use your brain at it's best as long
as 1t is all cluttered up with other
| things. Everybody goes down some
times-that's the way of life-but
the finer your health, the longer
you stay up. Things don't strike
me as wrong, but they do strike me
as da~ned foolish.
"Of course there's the natural
ability that you are born with. And
1t can be educated, and should be
But after that, it all depends upon
! cutting out other things. and han.