Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1883-11-15
MEXICO. MISSOURI. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15 1883
Girls Playing Base Bali.

best method OF taking cheap and
heathful out of door exercise for the
promotion of, and building up their
muscular system. Walking matches,
horseback riding, and several other
plans and methods were discussed,
but all were voted too commonplace.
Finally one of the young ladies who
had been to Boston, and for that rea-
SON was considered authority, propos-
ed that they organize base ball nine,
saying that she would see to it that
the girls Of a neighboring town did
the same and then they would COM
bine business with pleasure by chal-
longing the rival club to play match
game. She knew that her club could
"everlastingly pulserize" the other
girls and thus they would not only be
gaining health ana glory to them
selves but would bring their little vii
lage into an enyious notoriety and
prosperity. The scheme took. and
in less than a month the two clubs
had been organized and were practi-
cling before the friends of the MEM
bers of the club were fairly aware of
it. In fact the organizations were
not known to exist until it was an
nounced that match game between
the two clubs was to be played.
The day of the game arrived. Old
Sol arose bright and early, evidently
determined to see the fun, as not a
cloud of trouble crossed +his silent
path. In fact, he did exactly what
lots of otherold sports did-arranged
himself in smiles and took the game
in. The first club organized was
called the Blondes but why, no.
body could exactly tell, as two-thirds
of the members were brunettes. It
may have been so named on account
of the captainess having hair of rath-
er a fashy color, and was what is now
called terracotta blonde. The rival
club was called the sYellow Jackets"
probably because the members wore
blue basques. The time set to play
arrived, and so did big crowd. The
pitcheress proved her sex by firing
the ball at the catcheress and hitting
All orphan on the other side of the
left field. The ball was recovered,
and with a motion like hitting bella
ted husband with broom, she sent
it forward with peculiar curve that
sent it into the mouth of the umpir-
ess. Foul" shouted the umpiress.
s'You mean, hateful thing" excitedly
exclaimed the catcheress, as she ran
over to wipe the blood off the um-
piress' nose. 'sYou ought to be
ashamed to call her an old hen; she
did not mean to hit you." ''You
hateful thing I didn't call her an old
hen. I shouted foul, just as the men
do when they play, because the um-
pire always does when such foul
caper as that pesky pltcheress cut ur
by throwing the ball at me-" Finally
the pitcheress sent ball through and
the batteress hit it and sent a Iinel
toward center, and started on rur
for first base. It was an inspiring
sight to see her blue stockings hop
ping toward second base and toeing
in with the violence of her emotions
while every girl on the bases wa:
jumping up and down and screaming
wildly and swinging their arms like
windmill. By this time the pitcheress
sent the ball toward the catcheress
again but the girl at the bat hit the
ball clip that sent it high into tht
air and the center fielderess caugh
it in her apron, while the crowd va!
yelling "catch that hy!" This rather
aroused the curiosity of the umpires'
who asked: "Where is the fly, any
way? 1 don't see any fly. It's tot
late for flies to be out doors anyhow
A gentleman standing near tried tt
explain but retired in a humble franz
of mind when told that he needn'
bother himself about the game. Thei
one of the favorites went to bat ant
several of the girls crowded arount
to encourage her. She swung tn
club around in great style and hat
she hit the ball it would have knock
ed the cover off. She hit girl tina
was standing by, on her hustle, near
ly knocking her down, and all he
friends congratulated her splendi'
base hit. The next time the bal
came she hit it and sent it agains
the belt of the short stop who like
to choked herself to death by gettini
a lump of gum she was chewing, int
her throat. As quick as she coul
speak she called judgement" an
the umpiress declared the girl at tn
bat "out." This raised a row an
the whole nine took after the umpiI
ess and chased her down to the othe
end of the fair ground where sh
lodged through hole in the fene
lust as o cow came around buildin
and scared her pursuers OH. Th
game and bets were declared off,
Peck's Sun.
Sentiment and poetry are really nj
necessary in conducting a love ANAL
q l - n