Evening star., 1897-05-08

red Dress but whether young or old 10 not
known, who poses on lofty chimney, and
seemingly never stirs from Play BALI to
Game
A small forest of trees extending at In
tervals back Of the center field fence from
extreme right to far left fields is boon 60
small and large boys. too. not possessed Of
the price required to pass the door
keeper stationed at the entrance to the
bleacher seats.
From his post in the press box and in the
grand stand back of the catcher, for sew
eral years past. a reporter has often won
dered how the game appears when viewed
from far beyond the range of the umpire's
and coachers' voices. the points OF van
lower five" Curiosity was followed by en-
irresistible desire to investigate, and during
a recent series with the Brooklyn club the
reporter set forth for the realm Of the
lower five.
A seven-Cent Seat.
With safety passing through LIE Drdt
Park, the Camp" to the north, was
reached. The pinnacle Of the church seem
ed somewhat perilous, and that structure
was passed after merely a cursory glance
Moving onward and northward, the atten-
ton of the wanderer was arrested by q
buzz of activity in The immediate neigh
bOrhood of the big tree, several hundred
feet east Of the base ball park, In q line
With the far end of the score board and
the tree looked as though q swarm Of
buman locusts, for the most part barefoot
ed. and In many instant es bareheaded, had
taken possession thereof. The swarm was
of overwhelmingly dark complexion.
An offcious individual with loud voice
ard big club guarded a ladder that COZ
stituted the only means of reaching the
lowest limb Of the tree. By observation 1t
was seen that the loud and officious party
held sort of controlling interest in the
outcome of some far-back arbor day cele-
bration and was making selfish use OF It.
Close study made the system pursued plain.
Places on the limbs farthest from the park
scld for two cents. while the more desirable
branches called for higher prices. which
arose by easy stages to a supposed limit of
five cents. Cautiously approaching the
guardian of the ladder, the reporter made
respectful request for permission to ascend
and the former. probably thinking that he
had an easy thing. declared that the only
seat that then remained vacant was the
most desirable in the leafy bower. All
rights to it fer two hours and thirty min
utes. he said. would be Internationally
transferred for the sum of seven cents
Money being no object to the visitor, the
price demanded was paid and the ascent
begun. Amid the curious looks of the other
occupants OF the tree, and with only one
small tear of the trousers, a safe landing
was finally made on a big and hard knot
with the main trunk of the tree on one
side and small. ragged and unkempt
young colOred rooter on the other. This
individual proved rooter in more senses
than one. and the reporter was forced to
clasp the friendly tree trunk almost con-
tinuously to save himself from being root
ed from his position
From a Distance.
Looking toward the ball grounds, the
grand stand. with its sea of faces, formed
a background for an aggregation of SEEM
ing dwarfs. Some were clad in white and
others in material of dark hue. They
waved their arms and ran about in pursuit
of a tiny speck. about the size Of small
bird. that was passed to and fro through the
air At length something black appeared.
1t was the umpire. The men in white, the
Washington players, took the field. and
the others went to bat, and it was evident