The Portland daily press., 1867-08-05
MiSceuany.a
A MUFFIN's EXPERIENCE.

1t came about thus. The doctor said 1
needed exercise. Doctor knows. Hetold me
TO join base ball; l joined. Bought book
of instructions and for five days studied it
wisely, il not too well. Then bought SUI
gar-scoop cap, red belt, green shirt, yellow
trousers, pumpkin cololed shoes, a paper col
lar and purple neck-tie, and, with lot of 9TH
er delegates, moved gently to the ground.
There were two mines. These zines were
antagonists. The bail is pretty bttie drop
OF soitness, the size OF a goose-egg, and iVc
degrees harder than brick. The two niles
play against each other. IL is quiet came
much like chess, only little more choSe thaii
chess. ilF iH't
There was an umpire. His position rs
hard one. He leans on a bat and yels
foul His duty is severe.
L took the bat. IL IS a murderous play
thing, descended from Pocahontas to tIe
head of John smith. The man in front of
me was nice pitcher, but he sent the halls
hot. The man behind me was a catcher He
caught it too!
The umpire said Hplay." 1t is the most
radical play know of, this base ball. Saw
ing cordwood Is moonlight rambles beside
base ball. So the pitcher sent ball toward
me- me 1t looked pretty coming, SO let it come.
Inen ne sent another. [ hit 1t with the club.
ana move it gently upward Then / started
10 walk to the first base The ball lit in the
pitcher, or his hands, and somebody said he
caught fly. Alas, poor fly! l walked eis-
urely toward the base. Another man took
the bat. turned to see how ne was making
1t, and mule kicked me ON the cheek. The
man said it was the ball. 1t felt like mule,
and reposed on the grass The bail went
onl ~ d.
Pretty soon there were two more flies, and
three of us flew out Then the other nine
came in, and our nine went out This was
better Just as was standing on my digni-
ty in the lett field, hot ball, as they called
it, came skyrockoting toward me. NV can
tain yelled take it," 80 ~"f
fastened gently forward to where the hall
was aiming to descend l have good eve
TO measure distances, and saw at a glance
where the little aerolite was to light. mi
up my hands. How sweetlv the hall de-
scended Everybody looked felt some
thing warm in my eye! -'Muffin p yelled
ninety fellows. Muffin be bowed! It's a
cannon ball. For three days I've had two
pounds OF raw eeef on that eye, and yet it
Then wanted to 60 home, but nv gentle
captain said may" So mayed and STAYED.
fretty soon it was my strike "Snit6 TO
DatE yelled the umpire. 1 went. but not Mt
all serene as was my wont. The pitcher
sent In one hip high. / missed it. He sent
III announcer neck nigh. 1t struck me in the
Sullet "Foulw yelled the umplre. 7 sent in
the ball again. This time l took il snuare
and sent it down. the right field. thronoh a
parlor window kerosene lamp. and rim nm
against the head of an infant who was ol,;of az
ly taxing its-nap in his or lie mothors ',',s
Then slung the bat and meandered forth to
the first base. l heard hiob words and inoi "
cd. when l slung the bat had with II
broken the law of the umpire and was f;naJ
ten cents. ' ''''' wa "''' = ''''0'
The game went on. I liked # rrtis co
much fun to run from base TO base me, =,
time to be put out. or to chase ha, .i,,o ~
fourths of mile down hilI. while al, lin tbo
spectators yell muffin! 7, ssgo n !, .boy,o
run" go round again y or go round a do
en- times" 49,. .
Base ball is sweet little game. When II
came my turn to bat again, 1 noticed everv-
body moved back about ten rods! The lew
umpire retreated twelve rods. He was timid
The pitcher sent 'em in hot. Hot halls in
time of war are good. But don't like 'em
too hot for fun. After a while I cot . t. i
clip at it, and you bet it went. cuffin@ t1a
daisies down the right field. A al,
his dog sat in the -sJaatlre an oak eniovna
tae game. The ball broke one leo Of tbe
QOg and landed like rrIpaxua,r o,,.;,, 4,