Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-09-08
RUNNING AWAY.

Matt had made up his mind to rul
away.
II was the third afternoon that he hat
been kept in after school that week
and there was to be a match-game o
baseball between his club, the Excel
siOrs, and the Plumtown club, ard h,
did wantstoshageushi side fbext VIII
would take his place Is first base, b.
wondered; and the esnter1ielder ais
would be away.
There sat the miserable center-helde
at the other end of the bench, his bool
before him, and fearful frown upoI
his brow.
Matt returned to his definitions, ant
wrote fiercely:
''Baker--One who bakes.
Artist-One who arts.
Spinster-One who spirs."
"Don't care" muttered Matt. IL won'
look word out. Fingers Just stiff, wri
ting so long; and sides, it's SO mean tt
keep a feller in and make him lose !
match gamel"
Tlu1npl came something upon the
book. A piece of paper wound up tignt
ly, evidently thrown by the center-field-
er. Matt unrolled it promptly, and read
DEAR MATT: think its awful mean; and
besides, this morning had to get up ano kill
potato bugs. Let's run away. Boa.
i oblisious of stiff fingers, Matt gfasped
his pen, and wrote with characteristic
breyity:
DEAR BOB: As soon as We get out. Yours,
MATT.
"Time up," said the master, with a
look at his watch, in his compassion
making the delinquents present of five
minutes.
Bob and Matt found Sdelegation of
boys in the yard. waiting for them.
"The Plumtown fellers have just got
here" said Marcus Clark. Hurry up,
and you'll be in time for the next inn
ing"
The first base and the center-lielder
locked at each other.
Lets have the game first" signaled
play-loying Matt; and Bob nodded a
prompt assent. EliSIE
Now Matt was the only son of his
mother, and she a, widow. The neigh
bors said the good woman had but a sim
q
gence of her son Matt; and yet they
never suspected how far she went in
pampering that bey-how she ran'up
stairs and down stairs at his beck and
call, and brushed his clothes and blacked
his boots how she got up and gave him
the most comfortable chair when he
came into the room; how she allowed
him to rule over the -man-servant and
the maid-servant, and even the stranger
within her gates. 1t was wonder that
Matt was not a disagreeable despot, in
stead of jolly, play-loying, good-tem-
pered urclin, with but now and then
occasional moods Of imperiousness and
self-will. lsa - -aesi'a1 l-l'i'+''.i
1t was only upon one point that Matt
could not have his own way. That her
boy shoald go regularly 10 school, his
mother insisted with unflinching firm
ness. Matt's tears in this case had n.
effect. Even shutting himself in his
room and refusing his meals WAS in
vain, although 1T worked well in other
cases. Every morning saw Matt, with
good lessons or bad,on his way TO scheol
He felt himself abused. and fully justi-
fed iii running away from systematic
cruelty. His forehead aclied with study,
and his fingers were lame with holding
the pen.
:, As for Bob, his life was made upN of
unpleasantness; of chOpping wood, of
wedding and hoeing, and study. All was
a somber, dark monotony of duties; and
no baseball to speak of crept into the
desulativn of his days. His back ached
with work, and his legs were ready to
drop-at least, that was Bobs story;
and he was determined to live no long
er ON the farm. Once in the city. he
could enter some big mercantile house,
like the smart boys he was so fond of
reading about, and soon become Junior
partner and marry-no he wouldn't mar
ry the old fellows daughter he hated
girls, anyhow, and he would leave that
part out.
When the boys reached the baseball
ground, they found the Exeelsiors in
fair way to defeat They had but one
inning, and already the Plumtown boys
scored six to their nothing. -,.-e..
Matt slipped into tile game with the
determinationt to win the victory OF per-
ish in the fray. Oh, how that boy work.
ed You would never have suspected
that his head was aching and his fingers
lame. To watch his stout young legs
scud from base to base, who would have
supposed that he had been too weary to
bear him to farmer Browns that morn
ing for milk? 1lf giag il4god sff
1t was the last inning. and the scere'
of both, clubs was the same. Matt stood,
bat in hand, watching for the ball. His
eyes were bright with determinations and
he was sure he would not miss it. Al.
ready it was hurled through the air ,and
seeing it come toward him he swung his
bat-and then a faintness came over
him, and the crowd around the fence
seemed multiplied by thousands, The
ball had struck him right above the
bright blue eyes, leaving huge white
swelling In its place. Poor, fond moth
erl 1t was mercy that she was not
among the crowd that saw the boyish
figure drop to the ground. ~ e
Both clubs few at once to his side.
Bob, help me raise him." said Mar
Gus, leaning over Matt's PROSTATE form.
How could have let that bah slipi 1t
is SO hard it may have killed him, for all
l known
Some of the spectators had now made |
their way to the frightened group.
"It's the widow Dunn's lad" said one. |
He has tainted, boys fetch some wa
teri / wonder these baseball players
have awhole head among 'emf
A hatful Of water brought poor Matt
hack to copscioasness. 1t takes great
leal of baseball to kill boy, and many
, hr0kan finger will the Widnw nunn