Evening star., 1931-06-07

burst. Trick stuff! Sell your personality!
Airplanes! Movies! Press agents! Swim the
Channel! Oh, I know what's important! I'll
show you!"
He rushed away She Stood the prettily
chiseled lips parted a little, gazing after him.
Then stepped into the roadster and started up
the motor; but sat muSing Probably, in
time, this bolshevik mood could be twisted into
something little nearer sense It would have
to be, of course. Or she'd simply have to drop
him.
She drove home.
BECAUSE Terrible Tim" Burke was booked
- for the star bout at the Arena-against
Lad Waniscek, the Lion Of Lithuania"-the
Planet people sent Barbara Belts to occupy q
ringSide seat and write one of her spirited
stories. The promoter was delighted. Squire
BaSsett that would be, the "Old Squire" OF
local sporting tradition. He'd had all that pro-
motion business under his hat for . couple Of
decades. That Is, around Boston.
The papers hadn't been kind to professional
wrestling. For years the business had exhaled
an unattractive odor. But this Burke was
new note. Down in New York and out West
he'd won something like 40 consecutive bouts.
nearly all of them in startingly quick time.
Cynical old-tin1e observers Of the sport even
admitted that he might be straight. The cham
pien, Rough Red Cahoon, was openly lodging
q meeting.
And so Barbara Belts, with a bored reporter
at her elbow, limped down q long aisle and sat
in kitchen chair directly against the 24-foot
platform and almost under the three ropes OF
red plush.
The news trickled down into the dressing and
rubbing rooms. This while the preliminary
matches were on.
"A lot she'll know about wrestling" said Gus
Gotch, the SciSSors-hold expert from Canton,
Ohio.
Great for business though. boys" remarked
Sweeney Todt. the press agent.
Burke, when he came into the ring. a
quiet look. But the Lion'd better look out.
Speed and strength, that was Terrible Tim
He beat em to it. Not much Of this slow
milling around, paving for holds. Just dove
into 'em.
Up there in the ring they were ballyhooing
now. Announcement stuff. There he stood.
Burke, his blue bathrobe swinging open lean
ing quietly back in his corner with his big
hands on the top ropes. Over across from
him the Lion lowered and beetled. Like q
mad gorilla. His regular stuff. Soaring 'em
to death.
But it didn't go with Burke. He wasn't
even looking. Once his clear gaze strayed
down to where that slender, bright-eyed girl
sat among the coatless reporters Little Belts
of the Planet Funny game, sending her.
Now the blue robe was on. The referee
had 'em in the middle Of the ring Pat
MacMann was referee. A wrestler himself.
And he'd trained with the Lion. Theyd done
a brother act around the smaller cities for
years. Burke was sure taking awful
chance. Pat wouldn't give him thing. He'd
have to murder the Lion . couple of times
to get the decision. If he did it, though
if he really good as that-then Rough
Red Cahoon would have to come through.
The bell. There was the Lion, pulling his
fright stun. No good. AS they were reaching
he tried a sudden blow with the heel Of his
hand. Ah-h-h! No. Burke beat him to it.
Knocked his face up then cuffed him half
round the ring Say, the boy was good! The
Lion looked indignant In confused way.
Shook his head and deliberately stepped half
through the ropes. Trying to clear that
cuffed head. The crowd was yelling with
delight.
Pat was ordering him back in but not
hurrying him. But Burke it began to ap-
pear, knew all about Pat He leaped
the quickest thing! caught the Sur-
prised Lion by the head and yanked him in
himself. Just with his hands. Burke actually
gave him a whsrl. sort Of waved him around
by the head Wow! Tossed him to the hcor
with thump. But he didn't jump on him.
Just backed to the ropes and waited in that
quiet way.
Slowly, warily, the Lion got himself up..
They we're jeering and beoinG him now. Jeer-