The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-10-22

grins OF his think could have stood
it; but this grin was even worse than
the other, and I was simply boiling
with rage when went back to the
bench. / had time to investigate only
called to the field. Ihad whispered my
loss, however, to most of our fellows,
and we had agreed that it was likely
my watch was at this moment in the
pocket of one of the DEMO crowd,
probably one of the players, as they
had all been swarming around Ber-
rian Turing our outings"
The ninth inning found US neck and
neck Their first baseman had hurt
his hand, and my friend Turner had
been called in from the field to occupy
first base. We were tired and hot and
frightfully excited, and they pulled"
four runs from us in that inning, leav-
ing the score seven to three in their
favor, when we finally "outed" them.
Could we make five runs in that last
little inning? We all set our teeth and
steadied our nerves with fresh gum
lmuch to our mothers horror, and
went to bat with blood in our eyes.
They felt sure that they "had u.s."
That proved good thing. Worthley
happened to have his turn at bat to
open. He made magnificent hit, one
of those grand liners which just escape
the short and second, and scare both
right field and center into running.
Now they both ran, in spite of their
captains yell Of ''Center! Centerl"
bumped together, giving each of them
black eye, the ball skated off serenely
between them, and Worthley made the
first home run OF the afternoon.
Our next fellow, Gardner, batted q
fiy-off which sent him to first base.
The next two got out. The next made
two-bagger, and on his hit we added
one to Worthley's run. Oh, If the next
fellow only wouldn't get out! Every
fiber in my body was a-tingle as he
made a base hit, and Wells, our two
Dagger, slid home, scraping six inches
of cuticle off his right arm, but count
ing the sacrifice nothing but fun.
Three runs-one on first base, and two
out. This was the situation when I
came to bat; and as Turner, now on
first base, gave me one of his most aw-
full grins, vowed to make my base IL
I broke both my arms to do 1t.
wanted to give grounder, but one
can't always manage that. If one gets
any sort of hit of such a pitcher az
Clennan one may be thankful. Inever
experienced such fierce joy as when I
felt my bat hit the ball hard and
square; but had a revulsion when I
saw that 1t was going straight ahead of
me as 1 ran for my base with all my
dead might. 1t was high flyer; but
Turner had already shown that he
could jump like very jack. and I
grew faint as thought he would prob
ably get it. With all the speed could
muster, / forged up to the first base
just in time to see him jump, as it
seemed to my excited vision. six feet, or
more nearly, half mile, in the air;
but he missed Tie ball, which sailed
calmly over the head of the right field
er also, and my base was safe. But
what was that round glittering thing
which reposed lirectly on top of the
sand-bag which formed our base?
ducked like lightning and picked it up.
1t was my watch! In twinkling it
was in my pocket, and, as dashed on
to second, / saw Turner, who had been
cursing and muttering at the right
4 o1dor so that h. bo1 rox <h.n~rol -
motions in the least, put his hand up to
the breast pocket of his blouse-which
hung open, having burst its button
hole-and then begin to stare wildly
III over the ground.
"You can stare, old gargoyle!" I
to myself, as l stopped at
second Though I might have made
third If it hadn't been for the watch).
That watch is IN my trousers pocket
Ind you will never see it again."
The fellow who came after me made |
! great hit, and that was our saliva
ion. He never went further than
'econd, but the fellow ahead of me
md got in, and the score stood eight
o seven, so that the game closed there.
After the train had gone the doctor
anne around to congratulate us. His
ace was as red as anybody's, and he
lmost shook our hands off. II never
vas no proud of you, never!" he cried.
You not only played ball, but your
manners never showed to better adj
antage. You seemed like angels be-
ide those rude. profane rorvdies
bought score of times of Tennyson's
His strength is as the strength Of ten.
Because his heart is pure
"You beat them fairly ,magnificently;
nd it was a victory of good morals as
Tell as of good tactics. But did you
yer see anybody jump like that fielder
I theirs who afterward played first
ase? I never imagined anything
Ike it."
"a