Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-10-20
Mariah to the Bat.

The boys were out practicing. and
the first and second mines were HAVING
a close contest.
"Three strikes and out" cried the
umpire.
Next man takes the bat. is mt ont
at first, No. 3, to the bat-"Foul
and out, shouts the umpire.
"Whitewashedp' yells the fielding
party.
She had been standing with the
spectators at first, but as the aame
progressed she had gradually drawn
nearer to the players, and now she
stood by the umpire. lie was made
aware of her pre- sence by hearty slap
on the shoulder, and a squeaky female
voice, rendered high by excitement
said:
"See here, mister, you seem to be
runin' this thing, I've been watching
the boys; they can't hit the ball and
1 kin. If you'll jest let me try it
wunst, III show you some of the tallest
an keenest runin' you ever saw"
lie turned and looked at her, and
his astonished gaze rested on a tall.
raw-boned female of about forty sum-
mers, encased in a loose wrapper of
some faded material, which was
sufficiently short enough TO display a
pair OF blue yarn stockings thrust in
side of couple of young calf hides, of
low cut. She held her bonnet in one
hand and umbrella in the other.
"See here, mister, ] mean biZness
and hain't no show picture for you to
stand there and gaze at"
He had no objections if the bows
were willing. They were willing.
"Gimmie one O them paddles"
She selected a bat, took it in both
hands; weighed it, shut one eye and
looked down at it, made several strikes
through the air at an imaginary ball.
spit on her hands and placing herself
astride the home base she yelled: "Sling
on your ball, mister; look out thar.
you fellars. Keep out Of the way
when hit"
"High or low ball?0 inquired The
umpire.
"ROund one, same size they PLAYED
with" she answered.
He explained to her about the ball.
"In take 'um anywhere" she said
''JeS so l can reach 'um.'
Three balls passed over The home
base, all of which she struck at Wig
orously but failed to hit any of them,
her body performing half circle at
every strike. The fourth ball came
even more swiftly than the others; this
she failed to hit with the bat, but
managed to strike it with her belt
buckle with such force that it bounded
back several PAGES and left her almost
breathless.
'Dead ball" shouted the umpire.
Eyes, and it's mighty nigh killed me
too," she gushed. Good grashus.
young man, what du you mean, can't
knock bullets. Now jist drap one
purity close to me an I'll show you"
The ball was sent as she directed
and she managed to hit one.
"Git out of my way" she said, rs she
landed under full sail on first base. Amid
the cheers of the spectators, she sailed
by second base on her way to third
She was greeted by ego it, old galv
u - OCS OAl Viz tbC. EDI1S
paused on third base, where she was
greeted by tremendous applause. She
waved her bonnet in token of recog-
milton.
"GO ahead; make a home runr'
they yelled, and she started. When in
about ten feet of the home base, some
of the boys yelled out, "Look out,
slide inr She knew what it ment,
she had seen some of the boys slide in
on the bases, knew that the ball was
coming and she was liable to be put
out; she accordingly jumped up, threw
both feet in the air, lit fair, and slid
square in over home base, jumped up,
busted herself, swung her bonnet three
times and yelled:
"Tally Mariarw