The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-09

team, probably won't come to bat until
the second inning. We can't stop the
game before then, And if Bill doesn
swat that Williamson pitcher he ought to
be jailed for breaking the Sabbath and
also for being an all-around lobster
Both the Sunday School superintendent
and the minister looked as if they thought
the deacons language wasn't exactly that
of an ardent reformer, but just then the
umpire called the game and the deacon
became too occupied to pay much atten-
tion to the effect Of his speech.
The first inning both teams failed to
score. In the first half of the second,
Williamson succeeded in getting man
around the circuit of the bases, to the
evident disgust OF the deacon. In the sec
ond half. after two of the home players
had been retired, the third got his base on
balls. Then Bill Medford lined the ball
to deep left for three bases, bringing in
the man on first. The next minute Bill
scored on a wild pitch
'Woh, woh, woh, yelled the worthy
deacon, forgetting the reason he had come
to the game. Good boy, Rill. Wen
show those Williamson gaZaboos how 20
play ball. It's a disgusting spectacle lie
added, suddenly Tccollecring with whom
he was sitting and turning to the minis
ter and the Sunday School supcriptend-
ent, a sight to make a man ashamed OF
his fellow beings. But that certainly was
a peach of a hit he added, emphatically.
Z" Hadn't we better assert our author
ity and have the game stopped? inquired
the superintendent.
NO USE TO STOP THE GAME.
g Well, l don't know that there is any
more sin in five innings than there is in
two replied the deacon, doubtfully. The
game won't count if we stop it now Our
boys are ahead. Let them play out the
five innings. Then we can assert the
sanctity of the Sabbath and clinch the
championship at the same time
But when the fifth inning was finished
Williamson was two runs to the good
The deacon wouldn't listen to any propo-
sition to stop the game.
- man needs to use gumption,' he
growled in reply to the arguments of the
grieved minister and Sunday School SUI
perintendent even if he is filled with the
ambition to be a reformer and stop an
interesting exhibition of the national
game. If you two are looking TO 10 a
truly righteous action you'll shoot that
blind robber who thinks he's performing
the duties of an umpire If he had given
us half a show we would have had these
muffs from Williamson beaten clear out
of sight by this time
THE minister and the Sunday School
superintendent were shocked at the
worldly expressions used by the deacon
but as he was in charge they didn't like
to take the responsibility of stopping the
game contrary to his directions.
when the ninth inning came William
son was three runs ahead The visitors
came first TO the bat and were retired in
one, two, three order. For the home
team, a base hit, an error at third, and
four balls filled the bases. Then Bill
Medford, the captain of the home team
the pride of every rooter and the hest
batter in the county, came TO bat. The
Sunday School superintendent. who didn't
understand the game, was shocked at TIE
shout which went up as Bill picked up his
bat
Oh, it's dreadful to have the calm
of the Sabbath interrupted Dy such
noises, he urged the deacon. Wouldn't
this be good time to stop the game?'
But the good deacon had been carried
away by his revived enthusiasm over
baseball, and instead of affirming this
pious plan, was enraged at the superin-
tendents suggestion.