Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-09-05

locked, for it was nearly midnight
and was about to retire. A heavy
thunder storm, with ftful dashes of
rain, was raging without. I was
meditatlng, l need hardly say, Of
next days game. "Just my luck" /
said, half aloud; "the biggest match
we ever played in, and l have no
chance Of playing. But" 1 contin-
ued, bitterly, "what difference does
that make, after all If 1 played l
should only play badly. Upon my
word, think I'd give my soul to be
crack player just for one year."
There was at that instant fearful
crash Of thunder and a blaze of
lightning so intensely vivid that for
a'few seconds l was literally blinded.
The little clock on the mantel piece
tinkled twelve. At this moment
heard voice saying: "Excuse me-"
and felt hand laid lightly on my
shoulder. Looking around l saw u
stranger.
The visitor had peculiarly weird
appearance, and seemed to have trav-
eled long distance. In fact, his
personal appearance filled my ideal
of his Satanic Majesty. Addressing
me, he said: 81 have heard your se-
cret wish and what you are willing
to give to be a great ball player for
one season. Will you sign this ?"
AS he spoke he handed me docu-
ment to read. l clutched it ner-
vously, ran my eyes over the "agree-
ment." 1t provided that in consid-
Grafton of being given the power of a
first class professional for one season,
the mysterious visitor should come
into full possession of my soul. Fas-
cinated with the idea of being q
great player and with no thought for
the future, l grasped pen and ex-
ultantly affixed my signature to the
agreement, and was then handed a
bat of symmetrical workmanship.
| looked at my name as it stood
at the bottom of that paper, and it
appeared to be written in blood.
81 guess that I've dipped my pen
into the red ink by mistake" said l.
"Never mind, never mind" said he;
"that will do. Would you oblige me
with the time? My eyes are not as
good as they used to be-"
I arose and went to The clock.
When | turned around there was no
one IN the room. My strange visitor
had vanished as suddenly as he had
entered.
"Mighty odd," 1 soliloquised,
"mlghty odd" The bat was there,
however, and once Or twice when l
woke in the night, l saw it CLEAN in
the flashes OF lightning
III.
| awoke early on the morning of
the fateful Fourth, and at first
thought the odd events of the night
was only a dream. The bat, how.
ever, stood where 1 had left it over
night. Taking it end my travelling
| bag, l started for the train. "Hul-
To-" aaid I, as I tried the door, "the
doors IL, ,ked. How did my friend
get in last NJ? Perhaps, though,
I locked it after he went out
That must have been l.. a Jew
minutes later 1 was on the trail. VIII
my companions, and we were fyins
toward Somerville.
The new bat came in for notice
and favorable comment. Of course l
told them nothing of how came by
it. "Good bat, that" said Thomp-
son, our short-stop, "good bat; now,
Smithers, just you get player to
MATCH" and at this small wit they
all laughed. "Sorry you won't have
a chance to use it." said Morton, our
captain and catcher. Gas usual, I
was only a substitute, the spare man
kept in case of accidents.)
1t was near two o'clock when the
cars glided into Somerville. Just as
We were stepping from the platform
some one from behind pressed too
closely upon Thompson, and he fell
forward heavily, trying to break his
fall with his hands. A cry of pain
broke from him as we picked him up;
he had sprained his wrist.
"This is pleasant" said Norton.
'Well, Smithers, it let's you IN and
you'll have a chance of using the
new bat after ALL"