Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-08-12
SEVENTH INSTALLMENT

"AAo oSSANo l1S hClllClS OIL
fact, he visioned a greater, vaster
thing than all of the establishments
of the surrounding city.
Hubert Malcolm, his teacher, met
John n Saturday afternoon, quite
by accident. They were in Union
Square. John, l live over this way;
come in and have tea. Mrs. NAL
colin will be happy to see you. I've
been telling her of your progress"
1t was a flat, so clean and fresh,
so simple and pure. John dropped
spoons, .blushed, stammered. Enid
Malcolm seemed Ike an angel in her
Bingham dress, and the baby, tucked
in a crib, curled its pink hands about
his fingers. 1t had never occurred to
John that a baby could be so clean,
and could seem so happy.
Malcolm smoked a pipe, and John,
like a wild thing, sat tongue-tied.
"Are there many places like this?"
he finally asked, his tones harsh. Mrs.
Malcolm overheard the question.
Millions of them" she smiled,
"only much nicer than this"
John knew the quiet-voiced wo-
man was a liar. For the rest of the
visit he sat mute and i'll at ease, and
then his friend took him to the
Square and walked with him as far
as Fourteenth Street. John Rreen
headed back to the Bowery more be-
wildered than ever.
John Breen had lost his interest in
fighting, in the greater thrill of the
fight for that unknown prize, the
astonishment always lying just ahead.
He was spurred Or by curiosity, and
not by ambition. He was the pri-
mitive climbing to the top of a
mountain, not for food or treasure
but for a better view. Honor and
prizes, and prosperity, as Pug Malone
kept pointing out to John, lay be-
hind the direction he attempted. In
several clandestine bouts, John Breen
only held his own, in one, with the
Philadelphia scrapper Jerry Wilke,
he almost lost, until at the very rag
ged edge of his downfall, Pug plead
ed with him, cried to him, implored
him, literally throwing the handlers
from the ring, talking and arguing
with John who sat sullen and pre-
occupied.
The bell sounded and John Breen,
a sudden light in his eyes, his face
battered, stepped into the center of
the ring and knocked Wilke cold
with a single perfect blow to the
Jaw. A tremendous howl of ap-
proval greeted him; admirers tried to
carry him from the ring.
Leave him Alone" Pug cautioned.
"That kid was thinkin' of somethin'
when he hit Jerry, or he never would
of pulled that punch"
'What was you dreamin' about,
John, when you soaked that Quak-
err" Malone asked as they prepared
for bed.
II was knocking the whole prize
fight game in the eye. Pm through
Pug" John smiled sadly.
81 guess you're right" Malone a.
greed. THAT crack was toe good to
be true. He'll, wish 1 knew what to
do with you'll"
I'll leave" John stood looking out
of the window.
"Not if l know it," Pug jumped
up and grasped Johns hand. "You
stick around an finish that school.
I won't fight you any more, can't
risk it. The next time some low
brow scrapper will trim you good,
An then where will l be-"
So John Breen continued to tend
bar during the day, to work in the
Samson Club gym, to live with NAL
one. Another year drew its veil of
changes over the face of the growing
city. =,
':Judge Kelly says they'll stand
for anythin' an they'll pay-pay
we'll. The McManus looked yellow
and flabby in contrast with the
trainer: IF you work them guys
rough they'll fall for you," and then
looking up at Pug with veined blood
shot eyes, he spoke vehemently.
Kick 'em, beat 'em up, sweat tina
liver out of 'em. Judge Kelly's
watched you, Pug, knows what you
kin do, an he's lined up guys who'll
pay. But mind, Pug, you got to
turn tina trick, three at a time. It
you set 'em up right it means a big
thing for you, damn big thing, I
should say"
'what joint did you say it was?'
"Greenbough Farm, a fancy place
I guess, up in Westchester. Kelly
owns it: got it handed to him, or
somethin'."
..T,11 .o,J Rreer Malone snoke as