The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-23
A BASEBALL ROMANCE.
How Gertrude O'Brien and Meyerhasm
i Were United at Last.


Washington's fair women. He was Meyer
hasm, the great ball tosser of the home
team. They stood in the conservatory of
the villa De O'Brien in a fashionable
quarter Of New Hampshire avenue while
the deepening shadows of the March even
ing closed soberly yet softly around them.
They needed not the perfume of those
priceless exotics which had cost Boru
O'Brien so 1sany doubloons; they were
lost in the fragrance of deep, mutual
love.
''When we are welded, dearest Ger
trude,' he 1nurmured, 'life with me will
be one perpetual home rum
The lovely girl blushed to the tips of
her shell-like ears.
sfAnd do you really love me, Meyer
hasm?' and her tones had a soft, cooling
inshoot that set his soul aglow.
'fIf my heart is not wholly yours, . he
said, may never get a base on balls
again.
The lips of Gertrude O'Brien and her
lover met in a long, clinging kiss
THAT was three Dagger, dearest" he
said, smacking his lips following the soft
and dulcet ceremony, and his voice, which
was as the roar of a lion to the tumultu-
Gus bleachers, was as gentle as the note Of
a dove.
'sLet US go back to the parlor, love-"
said Gertrude O Brien, disengaging her
self from his embrace. cit is becoming
overdark IN the conservatory, and Boru
O'Brien, my father, will call strikes on
our intimacy unless we conduct ourselves
with circumspection. "
CHAPTER II
It was jocund June The season was
only third played through. Washington
had put up sad and wretched ball. The
club stood a disgusting tenth on the
League list. Only such failures as ST.
Louis and such utilities as Louisville
ranked lower. AS for the great Meyer
hasm, he had played yellow ball from the
first. Gertrude O. Brien's heart was bro
ken.
~ will never marry now" said Ger
trude O'Brien, bursting into tears. 81
could never bear to have the world point
to my husband as one of an aggregation
! of tail enders. -
At last, however, her sorrow settled into
stony resentment.
| CHAPTER III.
| "All is over between us, - observed Ger
| trude O'Brien to Meyerhasm when the
home club returned from it's tour Her
tones wero cold and hard. "Leave me,
! false 1nuffer, butter fingered wretch.
| Never dare to look upon my face again
Meyerhasm cou1dn t believe his ears. He
! laughed nervously and attempted to ravish
! a kiss from her lips of dew. She swiped
| him on his sun Drowned cheek with her
open hand with force enough to splinter a
bat and evaded the carass.
william! Don't try to steal base on
me, y she said scornfully. eff you attempt
that again, I'll make you think that
| you We been struck by pitched ball
Gertrude O'Brien stepped to a cabinet,
and selecting a eatcher's mask adjusted it
| to her beautiful cOuntenanco.
Before I drive you from my presence
forever she said, land now that L m safe
! from your loathsome endearments, I will
ask you what excuse you can make for
your conduct
''What conduct?'' demanded Meyer
hasln, while his tone showed pain and ag-
grieved amazement. ''When l left you,
woman of the marble heart, you declared
| you loved me. I return and am told my
| dream is DER. Our engagement is broken
/ off in the first half of the third inning, as
it were, and the game decided against me
| to 0. 1t is of you, perjured woman, an
explanation should be demanded"
you ask an explanations said Ger
trude O'Brien bitterly. civilian Meyer
hasm, will give you one. How long is it
since you made first base? How many
times have you famed out? When have
you held a fly or stopped a grounder?
Oh, Meyerhasm, you have forgotten the
way to first base. You have broken my
heart with your rotten BALL" And the
sorrowing girl burst into torrent of tears.
Meyerhas1n was speeches., for he felt
the justice of Gertrude o Brien's position.
Hesitating yet tender, he drew near to
console her and promise amends.
'Wretched fumbIer, do not touch me, -
cried Gertrude O'Brien. Gam I to be
called queen of the rooters and then link
my life to man who couldn't hit a bal
loon OF catch a ball in clothesbasket;
Neverl Come no more near me, Meyer
hasm, until you are redeemed"
CHAPTER ".
ST will win her yet, - muttered Meyer
hasm as he turned from the villa De
O'Brien after the interview. Il will wiz
her and wear the pennant as champion o.
her heart or call life's game forever on ac
count of darkness. Gertrude O Brien shall
yet be my wife, or my next home plate
shall be q tombstone, my next umpire ar
undertaken
| CHAPTER Y.
It was a cold, gloomy day, the last o.
the season. The home club, by steady
skill and team work like the perfect &C
ton of clock, had attained place side
by side with rival club in the League
lead. The world said it was through tn,
1natchless work of Meyerhasm. Gertrude
O'Brien thought so, too, and her hear
went out to him in forgiveness and love.
sit was for me my darling batted ant
Aelded the home team into the from
rank thought Gertrude O Brien, and he
soul melted in longing for his return.
when 1 can stand before her tn,
crowned monarch of the diamond, then
will GOMEZ thought Meyerhasm an(
waited the close of the season in stern 81
lence.
CHAPTER VI.
Today was to decide the League cham
pionship. The home club and its rival haG
lost and won an equal number of. games.
PLAY balll'' said the umpire, and thu
game began.
Inning after inning went by without {