The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-04-12
RANDOM WRITINGS


vet confess with the misrvings which the Thought
of neglected social duties give rise toy that until
beheld her on the grand stand at the base ball match
last week had never seen her before. Dainty,
pretty, charming, she certainly was, and inwardly
Kicked myself for not making so pleasurabe an
acquaintance before. Fortune favored me, by their
selection OF a seat alongside mine, and Jack intro
duced her at once. | saw from the interest she
evidenced In the sport that 1t was new TO her, and
she presently told me 1t was her first appearance AT
abase ball game, although she had frequently glanced
over the newspaper accounts. "You Often
statements In the press about the inability OF women
to grasp the idea and rules OF the national sport"
she continued; "now am going to give the subject
some attention, SO won't have TO sit dumb while
Jacks friends launch out into q discussion of the
subject. mean TO cultivate critical knowledge,
too" "Jack," she said suddenly, "the last years
rules must have been changed. 1 read about some
OF the players being caught mapping between bases
last season, but notice those pillows out in the
held are put on the bases now. I suppose,
however, player sometimes takes a pillow
OFF the bases and is caught taking nap be-
tween them" "What did you say his name was?"
pointing to the back-mustached catcher. "Oh,
yes. remember now-Baker. Why don't he put his
pillow down on the base where the batter stands in
stead of hanging 1t around his neck, that all the
bases may have pillow? 1tsnot pillow, you say?
Well, 1t looks like pillow, and 1t ought to have
clean pow-case on 1t anyway TO hide the dirt. And
you say he's the captain OF the nine, too! It's a
shame! He ought to wear some other badge in-
dicative of his rank. Why, that pad hung around
his neck looks more like tag of humility, 1t bears
such a close resemblance to the trodden dust" She
paused breathlessly, in anticipation of approving
smile from Jack, but he looked embarrassed and
murmured something about Its being time to go.
"Do you KNOW she continued, addressing me, as
she bestirred herself in good-natured obedience TO
her husband "if those runners didn't have habit
OF tramping on the pillows when they run around
| the bases would have our Dorcas Society present
the club with nicely worked set of plow-shams? ~
"Come," said Jack desperately, and the entertain
| ing conversationast was gone.
| While strolng through Central Park last year
with friend, also from Washington, we came across
two small boys intent upon the reading of juvenile
story paper adorned with startling Illustrations AS
usual, noticed "a fact would like some one to eX-
plain) that his heroic boyshlp covered the villain
with his pistol which he carried In his left hand. AS
we slowly sauntered by one of the boys read aloud:
'The girl boldly walked along the edge of the cliff
with apparent unconcern for her safety, but those
who watched her from the inn declared the venture
to be the height of folly" The other boy broke In
at this point Of the story by the simple question,
asked in all seriousness: "How high is the height
of folly?" do not believe the boy will ever get
|
or guratvely. The height Of folly varies according
to the different standards of morality, and in the in
dvidual by the standards of his estimation of his
own moral height. My friend, dlvnng my unuitered
thoughts and measuring folly's height In me by my
superior physical height, he said "The height OF
folly embodied in you, for instance Is considerably
greater than my modest altude;' at which sally
my friends face broadened cheerly. Although re.
talatcd, VIC were both conscious of the fact that
was yanquished on the personal aspect OF th D., qucs
ton, and was compelled to fall back .din into
generalities. The moral nonheatre-goer may moi
think 1t the height of folly to 60 to the theatre, hut
in his estimation stock In the French mutuals at the
spring trOtting meeting Is the apex OF foly's mount
Again, there are professional horsemen, owners OF
horsehesh, who keep their stock solely for betting
purposes-their calculation as TO the height o
folly is somewhat more extreme. My own opinion
to the height of folly Is no abstraction, give
II in concrete form. Idrcw the moral from secont
| encounter with the two boys we had previously met
| The same juvenile paper was sticking from th'
pockets OF one Of the boys. engaged the attention
Of the one who had asked the question by saying
that in passing them some time ago overheard hin
PROFOUND the inquiry as to the height of folly. Ill
was all attention. i explained Its ngurativc mean
ing. told them both 1t was the height Of folly Il
read such literature The Impression made upol
| them was soon to be made apparent. "Come along
BILL" said the hoy, "these 'cre fellows Is tryin Il
guy US. we amt green, we amt Beslucs Blll her
and me was entlced away to Sunday school ons'-
wasn't we, Bill ?-and spruce young man came NJ
and asked us II we didn't want book to read w
were greeable, but that book went on to tell of
boy as didn't know how to stand up for his rights
did he, ?and he let the boys peck on him wthou
showin' spunk. Come along,' he added again 4
Bill, sour readings plenty good enough for US
Dude-ookin' fellows like you IL don't get on easy IL
this paper anyhow" And so say the height o
folly is to give advice to the readers of sensatlOna
boy literature.