The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-04-10

not say muCn, DuC Wnen ne ulu launCn Il
remark it whizzed through the air like
one of his masterly Sin shoots" and
left sulphurous trail behind it. Not
that Paddy was bad boy; no, indeed;
he was full of amiable qualities which
had never been developed. He ad-
hered to his own standard of morality
with admirable fidelity, and it was GER
tainly not his fault that the standard
was no better. He considered himself
bound in honor to please Harry Bangs
in everything, and it was he who first
solved the difficulty presented by his
peculiarities of conversation which
suited so i'll with the character of Law
renee Bangs the student.
"See here, Mr.. Bangs" he said one
day when Harry had been looping off
few eXcrescences from the South
Cove dialect, ''every time l open me
trap you jumps on me neck. 1 can't
learn that dago that you want me to
talk. What's der matter wild me closin'
me jaw for keeps? I'm willin' You
just call time on me, see? An any
body what gets a word out o me after
that is beaut? Does it go?"
But you've got to have something
to say when you get cornered."
"What's der matter wild yes an no?
Dem two words will carry fellie a
long ways, I'm t'inking?"
''Some fellow may nail you on the
field and try to get points out of you
on the studies. Remember that Larry
is a great grind. He's supposed to know
fa11o,.y ch0,,1l
aalz you to translate a line Of Greek?"
'1'd say, very perlitely: Don't be
after botherin me wild that dago.
knows it meself, see? An l amt
givin' it away to the likes of youse.
How would that strike him? Do yer
t'ink he'd be after me on that lay
again?'
mo, 1 don't think he would" re-
Joined Harry, "but you'd lose your job
and I'd have to skip the country"
''Would he tumble to me just from
them few words?"
"Well. should say he would. But
your suggestion is good one, and
believe you're the man to stick by it,.
I'll give you just one sentence to say
and we'll spend the next month in get
ting it down fine. Just use it every
time you get stuck, and don't say any
thing else on any consideration"
"All right. You can gamble on me.
What's the sentence?"
Harry thought few minutes and
then he said: Its hard to decide. 1t
must be something high toned to fit
Larry's reputation. l should say it
ought to be something like this: i
never permit my studies to encroach
upon my hours of recreation
Say, that's great. That'll be three
strikes and out for any gillie that faces
me. Just let me learn them words.
How does they go, nowFh
Bangs repeated them; and he kept
right On repeating them about five
hundred times day for the next
month till Paddy knew them much bet
: ter than he knew the alphabet.
In January the makeup of the nine
began to be the principal subject Of in
terest throughout the college. Of
course the name Of Lawrence Bangs
was never mentioned in that connec-
ton. In fact, it was rarely mentioned
anywhere except in the class room. He
was one of the least known men in the
college.
But one day there came change.
Harry Bangs took Paddy by the arm
and led him to that great center of in
terest, the baseball cage.
John Wilkes, the famous catcher,
was captain of the nine that year.
Johnny" said Bangs, :4've brought
my brother over. He wants to try for
the nine"
If Capt. Wilkes had not been leaning
on bat he would have fallen down.
He had heard of Lawrence Bangs as a
grind of the bluest description. Also,
it must be remembered, Paddy was
made up to fit that character. He wore
spectacles with perfectly plain glasses),
and had withal the studious air of a
young man who meditates studying
for the ministry.
II - I'm delighted" stammered
Wilkes.
Then he grasped Paddy cordially by
the hand.
I'm mighty glad you've come out"
he said. I'VE want every man who
plays ball to show up here, and do
it right now. Harvard is going to have
a mighty strong nine this year, and all
Yale must get up and hustle if we're
going to beat them"
YES" said Paddy, in that calm and
studious. tone which he had learned
from Lawrence.
1t was all he dared to say-all he was
permitted to say under the contract.
Neither the reply nor Paddy's manner
impressed Capt. Wilkes as being per-
meated with that enthusiasm which
should characterize o candidate for the
nine.
'What position do you play?" asked
the captain. This question could not
be answered by yes or no, and Paddy
r tnrned an appealing eye upon Bangs.
He pitches-a little" said Bangs.
'iGood," responded Wilkes. Were
weak in the box. I'll give him trial
r have the fellows bat around"
Paddy removed his spectacles, and
wiped them carefully as he had seen
Lawrence do. Then he handed them
to Bangs for safe keeping, and went
to the pitchers position. The can
didates for the nine looked at him and
smiled. His face still wore the alb
sorbed and ministerial air which he
had copied from Lawrence. He looked
like anything else on this terrestrial
sphere more than he did like a ball
player.
Capt. Wilkes put on his mask and
gloves. and got behind the plate.