The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-26
MISS HARR1s's BASEBALL NINE.
Dusky Dolly vardens of Chester Give an
Exhibition.

Exhibition.
Philadelphia Times.
A reporter to-day found number of per-
sons, white and black, lounging under
the naples in the Lamokin woods, when
suddenly dusky damsel, with red and
white jockey cap stuck upon her head
short tightftting pink and white sheeny
calico dress enveloping her form, and pair
of cricket shoes on her feet suddenly
emerged upon the scene. She carried base
ball bat over her right shoulder, and she
strobe over the greensward with many
strides. All the loungers reused themselves
to stare at her. A poorly dressed young
colorec woman planted herself with arms
akimbo in front of the apparition in the
flaming cap, and said:
Fob de Lords sake am dat you, Ella
Harrs?
1t was indeed Ella. As the scarlet ribbon
Suspended on the bosom of her calico denoted,
she was the captain of woman's colored
baseball nine called the Dolly Warden,
No. l." She paid no attention to the ques-
ton, but said in loud theatrical ''aside:"
well, nevah 1 declare them Phiadel-
phians amt come yet, and we wont be able
to have dat match nohow. l will 60 to the
station and fetch 'em right hyar."
Then she shouldered her bat again and
stalked down through the maple glade and
disappeared in the direction of the Lamokin
station. At o'clock the woods were sud-
denly startled by the yells OF half hundred
hoorahl" they cried, as they rushed to the
edge of the wood. Presently there appeared
a group of colored girls as gaudily dressed as
their captain. One wore a calico scarlet
dress trimmed with blue, another pink
trimmed with white, another cardinal-red
trimmed with yellow, another blue trimmed
with white, and all wore red and white
peaked caps, Some carried bats, some cro-
Quet hoops and mallets, and one or two
ropes, which impaired the stateliness of their
triumphal progress. They marched down to
a hollow in the glade, and there held an in-
dignation meeting. 1t was unanimously
agreed it was shame that the Philadelphia
colored famae baseball nine known as the
Dolly Vardens No. had not come to the
scratch.
Its my belief for sartin," said Captain
Ella Harris, "dat dem dar Philadelphia fe-
male wimmen has missed the train on pur-
pose and took water" The ground was
marked, however, with a rope, lest the Phil
adelphia champions should arrive, and Cap
tain Ella Harris placed her men as follows
Cord Patten, you.stand dar kase we wants
YOU to be our umpire" rll stand hyar ,kase
Pm goin' to be short stop. Mollie Johnson.
you'll be fust base; Sallie Jonstone, you be
second base; Lizzie Waters, you don't move
away from dar, for youse third base; Rhoda
Scholl, you'll be de lief field; Agnes Holdings
worth, youse be right field, and Ella Thomp-
son, youse be catcher-d'ye see?' When the
rope was discovered Captain Ella Harris
promptly took razor out of her stockingand
cut the knot To give thePhladel phia Dolly
Vardens time to come up game of skipping
rope was organized, and the nine unbent
themselves and hoped over the rope with a
vigor that delighted their male admirers.
The onlookers were not so well pleased, how
ever. They were plainly jealous of their re-
respondent sisters, and kept up a running
fire of comment
Let's jine them girls and play wild 'em,"
said one dark female to her companion, who
replied in most contem ptuous tone: No,
suah, l amt high toned enough for de like
of DEM" "Oh," cried another, pointing to
Catcher Ella Thompson. "Jes you look at
her trying to show her shape. Amt she jest
lovely" "Tell you what it is" another lady
said, "if was a man and had my girl gwine
foolin' and monkeyin like dem 1 would hab
muffin to do wild her"
When the skipping was over the Dollie
Vardens No. l amused themselves by pitch
ing the ball at each other. One lady got hit
in the upper lip but it did not seem to swell
any bigger than it was before. The Philadel-
phia Dollie Vardens did not put in an appear
ance until late hour, and as they did not
send an apology to their colored Chester sis
tiers, much indignation was expressed against
them in the woods of Lamokin.