Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-12-02
A FOOTBALL SUBSTITUTE.
rCopyright, 1911
CASCADE SCHOOL was all agog ovel

CASCADE SCHOOL was all agog over
} the coming tableaux. There was a
minor chord of excitement among the
boys who were to become, for the even
ing, Washingtonso or Napoleons or Polish
martyrs; but the great interest CEN
tered in the election of a master of
ceremonies for the entertainment. This
was a post of great honor and respon-
siDility, and it usually fell to the most
popular boy in school, since it was de-
cided by an election in which every stu
dent had vote. This year there were
two very evenly-matched candidates,
and the election promised to be very
close. It was, in fact, hard matter
for the Cascade boys to decide between
them. Phil Morton was the captain of
the football team, a thoroughly good
fellow, admired by every boy in school.
On the other hand, Harry Coward was
the colonel of the school regiment, and
by all odds the best-dressed man there
While scarcely so well liked as Phil, it
was felt that he could carry the enter
tainment through in a way that nobody
else could equal. The two had always
been warm friends, but so keen had
their rivalry become in this affair that
it seemed likely to break up their
friendship, and to interfere seriously
with the success of the tableaux as
well.
The only boy in Cascade school who
didn't care jot about the coming en-
tertainment, or who presided over it,
was Stubby Fields. Stubby, so nick
named for his short stature, had really
very little to do with the inner affairs
of the school. He was a day boy, the
son of a farmer, who lived two miles
out of town, and he walked back and
forth to the school. He was a homely
boy, with faded red hair and a wide
mouth. He realized plainly that his
clothes were not as new or his pockets
so well supplied with money as were
those of the other boys, and he Kept
apart from them as much as possible.
He smiled sardonicaliy to himself at
the advances of the rival candidates,
and thought of the distant mods with
which they usually greeted him. He
had made up his mind to vote for Phil,
but he gave no encouragement to either
aspirant.
Of course the contest did not dwarf
the interest in football. The Cascade
son, and on the Saturday before enter
tainment they were to have a great
final struggle with the boys of Wilton
school, which was situated in a larger
town 20 miles down the river.
Stubby Fields had as little share in
football as in the amateur theatricals,
but his interest in the subject was con-
siderably greater. Stubby would have
loved to play football if only he had
had time. But the farm was large and
there was work for everyone, including
Stubby; so every afternoon, when
school was over and the other bows
started for the athletic field. Stubby
had to hurry away to his daily chores
But all the way along his two-mile
tramp his mind was busy with rush
line formations and new schemes of in
reference. After the work at home was
done he often lined up his five brothers
and the hired man into one team,
while he himself, as the opposing
eleven, tried to break through or Dodge
past them, carrying an old rubber ball
which he had managed to pick up.
Stubby was scarcely of athletic build,
and his attacks on the sturdy home
made rush line were always futile. But
he had one accomplishment which was
valuable, and often enabled him to
score touchdowns in these one-sided
contests. He could run like deer and
dodge like cat, and he never felt a
keener pleasure than when, with the
ball tucked tightly under his arm, he
dashed from side to side through the
whole array of them.
The Cascade boys had arranged to go
In body to the final game at Wilton,
but a practical joke which they played
on the senior monitor upset their plans
AS a punishment for the breach of dis
cipiine they were required to stay at
home and put in an extra hour at drill.
Not even the football substitutes were
allowed to go. and the Cascade contin-