Evening star., 1939-03-05
Continued from poss five

oluCA lOlIO" y0o 10y ySs~~ wa
open. Let Mullins and the crowd think
you're yellow. He'll get careless, like
many a smart business man who
thinks he has the world by the tail,
and then -" Mrs. Tupper took a
long breath just as the warning signal
announced the approach of the second
round. Then give him everything
you've got! You know your history,
sonny? Damn the torpedoes, eh?
Okay and good luck"
Battling Bolsky took deep breath
and opened his mouth for the guard.
He grinned again. Mrs. Tupper
nodded. The bell changed.
During the two rounds which fol-
lowed. MIR. Barney Case elected to
bury his round face in his hands rather
than watch what was going on in the
ring. Pm sorry ever let you in for this,
Abbie," he moaned. The guys got
yellow streak as wide as the Mlssis-
sippi. He's scared to death. Listen to
that crowd boo! It's marathon"
Young Bill reached over and patted
her big black sleeve. Its a tough
break for you, Abbie," he whispered,
but don't forget'I'm for you.
That's nice of you, Willie" Mrs.
Upper spoke over her shoulder. her
eyes still fixed firmly on The Mauler
as he sought to push his way out OF
clinch. But this fight isn't over yet.
ut will be-" the little man on her
other side prophesied grimly. as soon
as Mullins catches up with him..
In the fifth round the crowd began
to stamp the floor and clap their
hands in rhythmic derision. This
ought to settle the old girl for once
and ALL" one white shirt whispered to
another.
The other white blob answered: "A
razzberry to end all razzberries.
Listen to that crowd boo"
1t was toward the end of this round
that MIR. Barney Case had an in
spiration. How about THROWN in the
towel an endin' this farce, Abbie?'
Mrs. Tupper wiped her brow with
a mans size linen handkerchief.
There are some vitamins. she
rumbled malevolently, that only
God can give man, Barney. Where
we're you when they were passed
out?" But her eyes never left the ring.
The sixth round came up. Even the
referee seemed to have caught the
general feeling of dissatisfaction. In
tone plainly audible to those within
fifty feet of the ringside. he ordered
Battling Bolsky to get in and fight.
The rhythm of pounding feet grew
louder. 1t formed a barbaric back
ground for mighty symphony OF dis
content. Whistles rose above it. Jeers.
Against this rising wave OF popular
resentment, Mrs. Abbie Tupper sat
with her arms folded. her black eyes
never moving. She might have been
some huge upthrust black rock in
surge of angry water.
And then suddenly. as the uproar
seemed to reach a crescendo, she was
on her feet. Her voice rose hoarsely,
commandingly, imploring, above the
mighty din. "Okay. laddie! Damn the
torpedoes! Go ahead"
Assumed crowd listened to Battling
Bolsky speak briefly into the micro
phone. Then as police. camera men
and handlers milled about the canvas
in lightning storm of flash bulbs. the
hoarse voice of the official announcer
pushed back the steel beams: "Ladee-
eee-ees an Cent? men. we give you the
first an onleeee lady of the ring OF our
fair city - Mrs. Abbie Tupper?'
In the storm of applause which fol-
lowed, Mrs. Abbie Tupper hitched her
skirt away from her knees, grasped the
microphone with quick convulsive
jerk and smiled broadly.
II don't know much more about
talking into one of these things than l