Evening star., 1926-11-14

. A ney acquired Dank account,
manager, certain yearnings
for gentility, and finally the hand oi
blushing bride, who possessed par
entail liabilities and a brother who
emulated the lilies of the field.
1nasmuch as this was the first time
Johnny Mckinney had ever encounter
cd prosperity, the swift attack Of
Dame Fortune swept him off his feet.
and left him clinging to the ropes of
romance. deliriously happy and punch
drunk In all probability, he was dizzy
before he encountered Miss Betty Bo-
iApd. for he went into Cooper's En-
p&fum'for the sole purpose of buying
his first pair of glOves-other than
the Queensberry variety-and when
he woke up, Jockey Williams was
shouting at him: You poor simp. I
might "a known it! Leave you alone
three days. and you let a dame hook
you for the count. Holy COW, look
what's bridegroom
All of which goes to show that it is
dangerous for a fighter to don gloves
with the assistance of a feminine sec
ond who has violer eyes and marcel
wave the color of ripe corn. He should
confine such activities to the gym
lasium and accept only the expert
pnced aid OF his manager. Small Won
der that Jockey Williams was indig-
nant. The midget pilot of puglistir
,lestinies recognized matrimony as
the rock upon which many a promis-
ing ffstic career had gone TO smash.
* y <
Johnny MCKINNEY was fighter
a. from necessity rather than choice.
and possessed certain qualities that
cntitle him to q proper Introduction.
Johnny was not an intellectual. Ma
turo had endowed him with cast.
iron constitution obviously intended
for hard knocks. and one-way brain
that rent into action with all the de-
termination of an Army tank. The
only way to arrest his train of
thought, once 1t had started, was to
turn Kid Mckinney over on his back,
and no welterweight on the Pacific
Coast had been equal to the task.
Five thousand dollars an hour is
not bad wages for an unskilled me-
chanic, even in Queensberry circles.
And no one ever accused Kid Nc
Kinney of being skilled In his trade.
Tough as leather. merciless as ma
chine, Johnny was a g145-pound bat
tering ram that rose to favor solely
by superior durability. In the Ian
.,llage of the ring, he could take EN-
square on the button"-stand up un-
der the fiercest attack, and then set
himself for a right-hand smash to the
heart-a torpedo thrust such as fin
ished off Young Sullivan, spurlos yer
senkt.
Then it was that Jockey Williams
signed Kid Mckinney to a tifty-t1fty
contract, and prepared to pilot his
protege toward the big money.
You stay here" instructed the
midget; stick right in this hotel, and
don't let nobody sell you the City Hall.
I'll hit the rattler for Los Angeles
tonight and take Il look at Dynamite
Deever in action. He's boxing Benny
at the legion, and If he don't look too
tough. I'll make a match for up here.
Better blow yourself to some clothes,
boy. Step a few rounds with the bar
ber, and then go knock Cooper 9
Emporium for wardrobe. Member,
now--don't get in no arguments, don
eign your name TO anythin'. I'll tell
YOU the rest when l get back"
Left to himself, Kid Mckinney set
about obeying his managers instruc-
rons. But this proved to he a new
game. and for the first time in his life
strange emotions awoke in his soul.
Johnny Mckinney dreamed of becom-
ing a &c 1'eman.
1t came to him as he lay in a bar
hers chair. drowsy with physical
comfort. 1t penetrated the recesses
Of his hrain like sunlight filtering
through fog and his pulse qutckened,
his heart beat more rapidly, and the
mystic spark that is given to every
man ignited the slow-burning fuse Of
KID Mckinney's great ambition.
Face massage, Sir?" asked the bar
her.
Shoot the works. said Kid Nc
Kinney. I'm go the whole route
I- ~ a h0yhpr'G "a
emerged pink and powdered and per
TUNED. n pugilistic prince lacking only
the habilimentS of royalty. And these
be proceeded to obtain at Cooper's EN-
i,orium.
He had reached the stage of spats
and cane, and there was but one
more purchase that appeared nee
essary. lie clinched with a floor
walker.
Gloves? Where's the gloves"
Last aisle to your left, sir.
x K
KID MCKINNEY moved forward to
N the attack. The afternoon rush
had set in: progress was no easy
matter. Feminine heaVyweightS
crowded him into the corners. walked
on his feet, gouged him with their
elbows; nor was there any referee TO
pull them loose with warning: Hey,
where do you get that stuff? Break
clean, or I'll throw you OUT
Kid Mckinney stumbled out of
range, tripped over ladys shopping
bag, picked himself up diZzily, recog-
pized the glove counter not Is feet
away, and Topped down upon the
nearest stool. Three girls made for
him. Miss Betty Boland got there
first.
Measured by, prize ring standards.
Betty would have had no trouble in
making the featherweight limit, and
f appearances counted for anything
she was dangerous contender for
the title Slim and supple, yellow
haired and purple -orbed. here was a
smiling vision that affected Kid Nc
Kinney like a punch on the chin.
Something in gloves she purred.
Yeah" he muttered. Gloves
that's IT,
Let me see your hand"
. He thrust out the mitt that had
rocked many an aspiring pugilist to
sleep. Miss Boland's slim fingers
measured ii expertly, and the touch
of those fingers was like nothing else
he had ever experienced. The blood
,nounted to his cheeks. He felt him
self slipping.
"Euppose we try a number eight:
suggested Miss Boland.
Anything you say" he mumbled.
CT amt used to nothin' but them six
ounce babies
"Six-ounce?"
Yeah" he confirmed. The OLD Sol
3evinsons-the kind the champion
wears I'm Johnny Mckinney, the
tighter. Maybe you read in the papers
what | done to Young Sullivan?
For PHYS sake" exclaimed Miss
8oland. Are you Kid Mckinney?
Why, how perfectly thrilling. My