EAST WIND!

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 116, 6 August 1927, Page 11

EAST WIND!

Barney O’Toole was a luckless "ghter. He incessantly bewailed the fact. Poor purses, bad decisions, postponed and cancelled matches had soured Barney’s already pessimistic His frequent wail was “Everything is against me—even the wind.” Barney had acquired a new trainermanager, an optimist who had a winD *ng way with men and events. Prospects were not very rosy at first, for Barney’s drawing-power, as a fighter, bad depreciated. But Barney could fl ?ht when he was in the mood, and since he had come under the banner McGurn his services were in increasing demand. Judicious matchmaking and careful training had enabled him to add a string of victories to his record. But still he snimbled. Now Barney had an idea that one fighter of his acquaintance was a “jinx,” a “hoodoo.” He had beaten *everal men who had beaten Carrigan, the “jinx,” but never could he flatten the “hoodoo.” On the principle that “a nettle must firmly,” McGurn matched 0 Toole, with Carrigan, despite Barfisy’s protestations. That “Indianmgii” must be overcome. “Everything's against me,” groaned Barney, “even the wind.” After a gruelling contest Barney, this time, was declared winner. But his happiness was not unalloyed. There was “a fly in the ointment.” He had broken a thumb. The “jinx” was still operative. The wind was still against him. During the enforced holiday, McGurn made use of the lime by welldirected “press-agenting,” and Barney , en ready for action, found himself famous. .Promoters, strangely enough, were Wdding for him. McGurn became a

dictator, instead of a suppliant. “The wind has changed, Barney,” he gloated. “Yes, and it’ll change again,” gloomed the pessimist. A full house greeted them on Barney’s next appearance. Prospects had begun to smile on them. McGurn was jubilant. “Win this match and we’re made,” he promised. But Barney did not win. A sudden change in the betting had aroused the suspicion of the crowd,, and when the unfortunate fellow, after leading for several rounds, committed an unintentional foul, Bedlam broke loose. The crowd rushed the stage, but Barney and McGurn escaped through the window of the dressing-room. Hurriedly dressing in the alley outside, the two martyrs made their way out of town —McGurn’s optimism undaunted, O’Toole, as usual, despondent. “Cheer up, Barney,” warbled McGurn, “We’ll soon meet the rising sun, and this east wind in our faces is refreshing.” “You noticed it too, did you,” snarled Barney.