The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-05-07
A Baseball Romance.

In the bulk window Of Chestnut
street auction-house is exposed . mag
nifcent mahogany mace, tipped With
acknowledgement silver. For over Al
hour very seedy individual, with red
hair and broken nose, fingered about
the window with such a mysterious
manner as to lead the officer on the
corner to believe that his intentions
we're not good, SO he "took him in" on
general principles.
When the officer related to the court
bis ground for the arrest, and, finding
themnot tenable, the magistrate quizzed
the prisoner as to who and what he was.
what where you doing thereT
queried the Court.
Nothing, ledge simply admiring
and meditating."
"Admiring what?"
That bat, ledge the beautiful base
ball bat" ,
"You are evidently an admirer of the
game of baseball" interposed the
court. -@ @s e
"No more, Squire. Was once. I'm
o martyr, I am. I'm no good any more.
It's gone down now, has the game.
! How could scoop in Ay-scraper?
Shy tibet inkstand at me, ledge. Toss
her sharp. Bounce her now. Hot, me
boy, an I'll show yer how to stop her.
| No, they won't have me no more; I'm
played, they say. Gimme something.
BUST off that table-leg and gimme q
smack at that inlstand. Fire her this
way hot, and if I don't show yer q
homer yer Can send me down for good.
Ten years ago was big crab on the
field; short-stop, you know. All broke
up now. Couldn't get a job now scrap
ing the stick. I could skin over the
bases like creased lightning runs.
| Throw open that door once. Just hold
her open two minutes, and see me get
up and git. But, I reckon, I'm no
account now days, though"
"You don't look as though you'd
bring price," put in the court. Il
"Not for beauty, no. But for scars,
ledge; for scars I'm prime cheese; head
of the heap. I'm martyr, L am, but
nobody would guess it, II. Gs
"A martyr to what?" said the court
"To sky-scrapers, ledge; daisy;cut'
ters-homers, yer know. Taking 'em
hot, right off the tip of the bat. Oh
yes, I'm martyr. Do you see that
hand?" and he exposed palm about Of
broad as deal-table, with five horribly
damaged fingers starting from it's edges
"Them tells the tale. All of then
busted time and again. Had 'em dru,
in clear up to the second tint, and
pulled out with tweezers dozens Of
times. Every finger broke in six places
five times six, thirty; thirty breaks on
the right hand, thirty busted on the
left Twice thirty, sixty; five twelves
sixty. Five dozen broken fingers in
the cause, and amt worth continental
Pulled in for gazing and meditating or
prize bat. This is too hard!"
ut is indeed hard" said the court.
"Do you see that smelling apparatus
on my countenance? Looks as thougI
it was too big for the face, don't it?
sacrificed her. Once it was the beauti
fullest nose as ever your eyes sot on
but ball took her on fly, with three
fingers. But I'm no good. Oh! no,
don't understand the game. Can't ever
gaze on prize bat, or mediate, but an
run in. All right, ledge. Sock 'er tx
me. Send it hot. I'm on the home run
and you might as we'll put me out"
He vas put out in the street, and wa
heard to say, as he went through til,
door, that he knew he would be callet
upon to die for the cause some time, t,
save it from disgrace.->Philadelphit
Record. - -. 80