The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-07-18

direction than toward the batter. and
the ball was presently poked out Of an
other tree.
"Why, thisis dreadful" said the bat
ter, whose nerves had been kept at a
pretty stiff tension.
Perfectly dreadful" chimed in the
catcher, with q long sigh.
IL think YOU had better get up in one
Of the trees" mildly suggested the
fielder to the batter.
These observations somewhat nettled
the pitcher, and she declared she would
not try again. Whereupon . change
was made with the fielder. She was
certainly more sensible. Just as soon
rs she was ready to let drive she shut
her eyes SO tight as to loosen two Of
her puffs and pull out her back comb,
and madly fired away. The ball flew
directly at the batter, which 80 startled
that lady, who had the bat clinched in
both hands with desperate grip, that
she involuntarily cried, "Oh, myr' and
let it drop, and ran. This movement
uncovered the catcher, who had both
hands extended about three feet apart,
in readiness for the catch, but being
intently absorbed in studying the coil
on the back of the batter's head, she
was not able to recover in time, and
the ball caught her with sufficient
force to deprive her of all her breath,
which left her lips with ear-piercing
shrillness. There was lull in the pro-
ceedings of ten minues to enable the
catcher to take some camphor and the
other members of the club to arrange
their hair.
The batter again took position, when
one of the party, discovering that she
was holding the bat very much as q
woman carries . broom when she is
after a cow in the garden, showed hel
that the tip must rest on the ground
and at her right side, with her body q
trifle inclined in that direction. The
suggester took the bat and showed just
how it was done, and brought arount
the bat with such vehemence as to al
most carry her from her feet, and tt
nearly brain the catcher. That party
shivered, and moved back some fifteeT
feet.
The batter took her place, and laii
the tip of the bat on the ground, ant
the pitcher shut her eyes again a.
tightly as before, and let drive. Thu
fielder had taken the precaution to ge
back of tree, or otherwise she mus
have been disfigured for life. The bal
was recovered. The pitcher looked
heated and vexed. She didn't throw
it this time. She just gave it pitching
motion, but, not letting go of it il
time, it went over her head, and caused
her to sit down with considerable un
expectedness.
Thereupon she declared she would
never throw another ball as long a.
she lived, and changed off with tn,
catcher. This young lady was some
what determined, which argued sue
cess. Then she looked in an altogether
different direction from that to tn,
batter.
And this did the business. The bat
ter was ready. She had tight hold o
the bat. just as soon as she saw tn,
ball start, she made a tremendou
lunge with the bat, let go of it, an,
turned around in time to catch the bal
in the small of her back, while the bat
being on its own hook, and seeing ,
stone figure holding a vase of flowers
neatly clipped off its arms at the Ell
bow and let the flowers to the ground
There was a chorus of screams, ant
some confusion Of skirts, and then tn,
following dialogue took place:
No. Let give up the nasty thing
No. 2.-Let's.
No. $50 say.
No. Ats horrid.
This being majority, the adjourn
ment was made.
The game was merely an experiment
and it is just as we'll it was. Had i
been q real game, it is likely that som'
one would have been killed outright.
| DG,abNru NesCs.