Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-12

i became acquainted with this man
or that; for / lay no claim to the
possession Of one Of those air-trigger
memories. And yet I can state that
the individual afterward known as
Battling Billson entered my life at
haif.past four on the afternoon of
>3- -srday, September the tenth, two
Gays after my twenty-seventh birth.
day For there was that about my
first sight of him which has caused
The event to remain photographtcally
lined on the tablets of my mind. Not
only was our meeting dramatic. but
1t had in 1t something Of the quality
of the last straw, the final sling or
arrow of outrageous Fortune. 1t
seemed to put the lid on the sadness
of life.
had been paying a duty visit to
uncongenial relatives in the country,
and when finally let myself into my
lodgings in Ebury street and sought
my sitting room, the first thing l saw
on opening the door was this enor-
NOUS red-headed man lying on the
sofa.
He made no move as came in. for
he was asleep; and / can best convey
the instantaneous impression l got of
his formidable physique by saying
that had no desire to wake him. The
sofa was a small one, and he over
flowed it in every direction. He had
- broken nose. and his Jaw was the
Jaw of a Wild West picture
star registering Determination. One
hand was under his head; the other,
Langing down to the floor, looked like
\ strayed ham CONCEALED into stone.
There was something about him that
seemed to suggest that he might be
one of those men who are rather
cross when they first wake up. ]
crept out and stole softly downstairs
10 make inquiries of Bowles, my land
lord.
There's some one in my room"
vhispered.
MIR. Ukridge's friend. sir. He
.3ined Mr. Ukridge here yesterday
How do you mean, joined Mr.. Tx
ridge here yesterday"
Mr.. Ukrldge came to occupy your
rooms in your absence, sir. | as
.umed that he had your approval
Would there be anything further
>jr?"
NO" | said. Emo. When do
YOU expect Mr.. Ukridge back?'
Mr.. Ukridge informed me that he
would return for dinner, sir. He IS
row at the Gaiety Theater.'
The audience was just beginning to
Leave when | reached the Gaiety. L
4 aited and presently was rewarded by
the sight of yellow macintosh
Halo, laddie - said Stanley
l>eatherstonehaugh Ukridge, genially.
When did you get back? What sort
OF a time have you had?"
Never mind what sort of time
I've had. Who's the fellow you've
dumped down in my rooms?
Red haired man."
Good Heavens! Surely even you
wouldn't infiict more than one on
me?"
Ukridge looked at me a little
pained.
Il don't like this tone" he sud.
leading me down the steps of the
Coal Hole. Upon my Sam, your
manner wounds me, old horse. L
little thought that you would object
to your best friend laying his head
on your pillow
Il don't mind your head. At least
do, but I suppose I've got to put up
with it. But when it comes to your
taking in OdgerS--
order two tawny ports, laddie.
said Ukridge. and I'll explain all
bout that had an idea all along
that YOU would want to know. It's
IKE this" he proceeded, when the
'awny potts had arrived. That
bloke'# going to make my everlasting
fortune"
W ell. can ne 40 IL SOfle"HeIc
Use except in my sitting room?"
You know me, old horse" said Tx
ridge, slipping luXuriously. Keen.
alert, far-sighted. The other day I
vas in Il pub down Chelsea way and
fellow came In smothered with
"Nels. made enquiries and found
at he was Tod Bingham's manager"
Who's Tod Bingham"
My dear, old son. you must have
tliddleweight champion And this
hloke. as opulent-looking a bloke as
ever I saw, was his manager. I sup
pose he gets about so per cent Of
everything Tod makes. and you know
he sort of purses they give for big
fights nowadays. And then there's
music hall tours and the movies and
al that. Well. ! see no reason why.
putting the thing at the lowest fig
ures. ] shouldn't scoop in thousands.
! got the idea two seconds after they
'od me who this fellow was. And
what made the thing seem almost as
# il was meant to be was the coin
cidence that l should have heard only
that morning that the Hyacinth was
m
Il don't know what you're talking
;thout." ! said. What's the Hyacinth?
In where?'
Pull yourself together. old horse"
said Ukridge. You remember the
HyaCinth, the tramp steamer 1 took
that trip on couple Of years ago.
She locked in the Port of London the
night before / met this opulent bloke.
and l had been meaning to go down
next day and have a chat with the
Lads. The fellow you found in your
rooms is one OF the trimmers. Not
much conversation, but a heart Of
gold. And 1t came across me like a
thunderbolt the moment they told me
who the jeweled cove was that. If I
could only induce this man Billson
10 take up scrapping seriously. with
me as his manager, my fortune was
made. Billson Is the man who in
vented fighting"
He looks It,"
I've seen that man clean out a
bar at Marseille in a way that fas-
cinated me--a bar filled to overflow
ing with ABS and firemen. and all
capable of telling oxen with "A blow.
Six OF them there were, and they kept
swatting Billson. but he Just let them
bounce off. and went on with the bust
ness.in hand The mans a champion,
laddie. nothing less. And the amaz-
ing bit Of luck is that he was looking
Tor a lob ashore. It appears he's
fallen in love with one Of the bar
maids at the Crown in Remington
Not" said Ukridge. so that all mis-
apprehension should be avoided, the
one with the sQuint. The other one.
F'lossie. The girl with yellow hair"
Il don't know the barmaids at the
Crown In Remington" l said.
Nice girls said Ukridge paternal-
ly so il was all right, you see Good
old Billson isn't what you'd call very
intelligent chap. but l managed to
make him understand after an hour
or so. and we drew up the contract.