The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-10-09
dait and 9umor,
The Old Ball Player and His Son.

PIunkins was a champion baseballist
when the national game first came into prom
inence, night twentyyears ago. Both hands
are crippled up and he has some sixteen
different kinds of rheumatism, so he doesn't
20 out to see game very often now, but
there is spark of the old fire LETT IN him
yvU.
The other day he learned that his young
est SON, Johnny, had played hockey from
school, and, whip in hand, he awaited the
lads return, resolved toadminister salutary
chastisement. At length he caught him
slipping warily into the back yard, accom-
panied by base ball club taller than he is
"Aha !" said Plunkins, trying to get a
frmer grip on the rawhide with his stiff
fened fingers, "been running away from
school, have ye? Don't want to let the
schoolmaster teach your young ideas how
to get 'emselves off properly, Ell? As the
twig is bent the trees inclined, but you're
bent on fooling away your time, l see, and
you amt inclined to study. But if you
don't want to be taught at school (spitting
on his hand as he grabs him by the collar)
I'll teach ye."
Johnny began to whimper and moan,
"Can't have any fun"
s'Fun r' roared his father, "what dye
call fun ?" and he raised his whip to strike.
"Pla-playin base ball, " sobbed Johnny.
'sBase ball ?" said Plunkins, suspending
his arm in the air, "where did you learn to
play base ball ?"
"Oh, l know'd ever so long ago.
"And you belong to a nine ?" The arm
dropped to his side.
dyes, the Daisy Cutters And we've
been playin' the 'High-Lows,' of Harlem"
"But it's wrong to run away from school,
Johnny Couldn't you have put in a
subj"
''Nary SUBJ" said Johnny, emboldened
by seeing his father sit down on the saw
buck, and the rawhide lying at his feet
"I'm short-stop. You see, it was just this
way. The 'High-Lows' took the bat, and
Snub-teed Joe led off with a corking hit
into the right field. Pinky Jones put fly
to center field, which Slit-nosed Mike got
under and muffed."
"He muffed it, did he ?" sneered Plum
kins, as he breathed hard and his eyes be-
gan to glisten.
eyes, but the ball split his finger"
"Good enough. But go on
"Fog-horn Pete drove pretty one into
left field and filed the bases. Frenchy
made wild pitch and Grid-iron Sam scored
and the two Harlems advanced bag"
IA bag? What's that?'
"Oh, you amt fly, dad. A bags base,
don cher know?"
eyes, yes, might have known. Go OIL"
"Furgy drove moving machine"
'Mowing machine p
ayes, grass cutter-about half foot
out of Slim Jim's potato grabbers, and the
two High-Lows crossed the silver ware"
''The silver ware?''
eyes, the plate. Furgy was doubled
with Skinny on his line fly to Little Red
and Dickey Bird give up the ghost on a
swift bounder to Plunkey."
"Plunkey?"
eyes," said the boy with grin, "that's
me-"
"And you took it in?" cried the father.
"Out of the wet" said the boy placidly
"Come to my arms, my sonE' exclaimed
Plunkins, springing to his feet and en-
bracing him pleasantly. II was afraid
you was foolin' away your time at school
and gettin' no edication, but l see l was
mistaken. Why, boy, you are fit to enter
college this very minute Come right
along into the house and tell about the
rest of the game to your mother and me"
and they went in together locked in fond
embrace.