The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-04-12
BY Gene Tunney


MIAMI, April IL. The post
man sometimes can be one Of
the greatest joys Of my life
and, other times, he could be
pne o the greatest pestsf
Billy Cabe would lei. him.
As the mail situation has
been worked out to the point where.
OF it,. ataaralIy have every
hour ne my day occupied and on
my schedl4Ie of LIVING there is no:
time for real loafing around with
old friends. which would be a
pleasant pastime. But / am con-
constantly busy and so are many
Of my acquaintance, SO the mail is
the only medium through which
ave can keep in contact. look
FORWARD to the hours set aside
each day for handling mail. for
there ii always word from friends
lind their daily doings.
Incidentally peoples letters
tell more about their charac-
fers than meeting them face to
face sometimes. Everybody. no
doubt. finds at times that steady
correspondence is irksCme and
the ones who keep IL up, know
Ing that somebody is anxious to
hear from them, are real friends.
- On the other hand Ii d person
mas an Interior motive in writing
At shows UP in the first line. long
before he gets down to the point.
I recall receiving q Christmas
card from Jack Dempsey in 1926
which told more complete story Of
that great fighter than q whole
volume or biography. 1t was al
lesson In sportsmanship for any
body and settles all the rIlmors
that there was every anything but
the most friendly feeling between
us.
Jacks card was an ordinary one,
hothing galdy or gilt edged, with
q simple and sincere line s0e holiday
greeting. Jack didn'E forget to mail
it early, either. It was mailed In
Los Angeles on December and
reached me ahead of the mute
rush. That alone VS. yit ell
thoughtfulness but an0fhef IL tie de-
tail amounted to real compliment.
Our meeting In Philadeiphia had
OGSh 1A GSpIEAADGEFs 43tk4ELAA4&
writer's had been busy for several
months trying to make out that
we were deadly enemies and in
volved in a heated controversy.
But when Jacks Christmas card
arrived 1t was addressed to Mr.
Gene Tunney," heavyweigat champ
Jon OF the world. New York CITY,
And at q moment when many Of
Dempsey's followers were contend-
ing that he had not lost his laurels,
Jack in his own fwo-fisted hand
writing was addressing me thus.
The fact that there was no street
Naddress was as IL to say there
ID never any question AZ to where
% heavyweight champion lives
Which is just like Dempsey.
Christmas. of course; Is the
Aeaviest time for mail, except just
ways bring stacks and. stacks Of
greeting cards and I have noticed
"a funny thing about them. The
Elaborate, engraved kind Invariably.
come from peolpe who connot we'll
afford such luxurious stationery
while the more prosperous persons
eend ordinary printed cards such as
Acan be picked up in any shop.
One great artist who has
al the money he needs penned
q sincere greeting on card
that still bore q fiVe-eent price
mark on the reverse side. We
are fast friends. and what more
could wish?
The flood Of Christmas and birth.
day neckties is exceptionally heavy,
|, and couldn't wear all OF them in
lifetime. Some of the anonymous
eenders evidently have strange ideas
eBof what weIl-dressed champion
should wear. for there are patterns
In checks and stripes that make
rainbow look faded and wan.
Copyright. 1898. King Features 4
Syndicate. Incl