The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-10-09

a short vacation among the Green Noun
tains.
Win was nervous as he advanced to meet
them.
SIS this-the-Trampet?" he finally
stanmered out.
"What did you say" inquired the
young man.
Il mean corrected the stammering
catcher, sis this the baseball editor of the
Trumpet"
The young man finished lighting a cigar,
blew a Whit of smoke, and acknowledged
his identity with a nod.
'tWell, sir. we want the curves please,
said eager Win.
The achat q asked the young man 0
d~eringly, while Jack sidled toward the
door.
at seems to me | never was SO stupid
replied Win, hastily. why, we came to
ask if you wouldn't show our pitcher how
to curve EN-. We're to play a match game
next Saturday, and we've got to do some
thing desperate or we'l get beaten out of
our boots. Can't you show him how to
curve?''
The now enlightened baseball editor
smiled, blew another Whit of smoke, wink
ed, and asked. sWhere is he p
"Who?" inquired Win.
"Your pitcher, of course. You don't
want the right fielder to curve, do you?'
s'Of course not" said Win, laughing.
.'Here's our pitcher. Jack, this is the
baseball editor of the Trumpet"
Jack bowed and the baseball editor held
out his hand and looked carefully at Jacks.
care You strong in the wrist ?" he f.
nally asked.
"Yes, sir, | think so,' said Jack.
Let me feel your arm
Jack extended it toward him, saying: Il
ought to have some muscle; I've worked
on the farm all summer"
you didn't get that bunch there, in
working on the farm" observed the base
ball editor, pressing the muscle on the out
side of Jacks forearm, near the elbow.
mo, sir, | didn't" said Jack, in a sur
prised tone.
"Yon got that by pitching, continued
the young man. You must have pitched
a good deal, for a youngster.'
YES, sir, . responded Jack, in unfeign-
ed establishment.
"Well, my young friends. = said the base
ball editor, after smoking a minute III 81
lence, Il take you to be in earnest, and
I'll tell you what I'll do. Out behind the
hotel is an empty piano box. Isaw it from
my window this morning. Go and prop
that up on its side, measure off fifty feet
from it and mark the spot. Then, at about
halfway between the box and the marked
spot, drive a stake five or six feet high into
the ground. BY the time you shall have
done that, I'll have finished my cigar, and
will come out and see if we can meet the
emergency"
Fifteen minutes later, the two eager
boys. having carried out the young mans
directions, saw the tall form of their new
friend emerge from the back doorway of
the hotel.
'Now that piano box" remarked the
baseball editor, taking a league ball from
his pocket, ''we'il say, is resting on the
home base. This spot, fifty feet away, is
the pitchers place. | will stand here fac
ing the box and hold out my arm with
the ball in my hand) at right angles with
a line running straight from here to the
box. Now, one of you stand here behind
me and take a squint over the ball, with
the stake as a sight and let the other
mark the place on the box, which the
%'squinter' says is in a straight line from the
ball, as l am holding it,"
Win ''squinted,'' and Jack made a
straight marx, toward the ground, on the
piano box. Both boys were decidedly
mysti6ed.
"Now," asked the baseball editor, "a
ball going straight from my hand and just
missing the stake will hit the chalk-mark
on the box; will it?
'sYes, sir" replied Win, promptly.
.Then, if it strikes to the left of the
mark, it will have to curve; will ii ?" was
the next question.
"Yes, SIR answered Win, again.
Then, here goes!' said the baseball
editor; and taking the bail i'll his right
hand, he pressed it all instant with his left,
and then threw it sharply. The ball passed
about six inches to the right of the stake,
and yet struck the box two or three inches
to the lett of the chalk-mark.
1T must haze curved eight inches, OBJ
served Win with scientific" accuracy.
Jack tossed back the ball and the young
man threw it again. This time the ball
Just missed the stake on the right, and
struck at least a foot to the left of the
mark.
'That was better" remarked the base
ball editor, in a satisfied tone. 'Now,
come here, Mr.. Young Pitcher, and I'll
show you how to do it,"
Il don't believe l ever can responded
Jack, but with a face as eager as a
child's.
"oh, yes, you ean!' said the young
man. There's nothing like knowing how
First, take the ball between your thumb
and finger. Correct! Now, pinch it tighl
with thn end of vour thumb and throw