The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-24

again met at the Bolton house. only
two days after the first call.
She awaited an opportunity to apol-
ogize for her fathers conduct.
Mr.. Upton, l hope you won't mind
what father said,' she said with some
embarrassment.
When was that?" he asked, with a
successful effort to appear to be in
the dark.
THE other evening-when you were
out at the house. was horribly NOR
titled when he began to say all those
mean things about people who have
their photographs taken
"Oh that was all right"
1T was not! And you had sent me
photograph that very day. Mamma
and 1 were afraid that you would be
offended"
ct will be observed that Miss Crouch
speaks of one parent as mamma" and
of the other as "father.O
II didn't mind that" said Mr.. Lip
ton, heartily.
"You know, father is an awful crank
about some things" continued Sadie.
I'VE don't pay any attention to him at
home, but, of course, strangers don't
always understand him. And Louie is
so aggravating! He is forever trying
to get father started, especially when
we have company"
That's too bad" said Mr.. Upton.
Sadie continued her explanations and
apologies and Mr.. Upton perceived
that this lovable creature was being
prosecuted Systematically by a heart
less father and a thoughtless brother,
and that she needed a defender. At
least we are justified in believing that
he came to This conclusion, i'll view NJ
what took place Saturday afternoon.
Mr. Upton came over to the Crouch
cottage in Elm avenue, Borealis Park,
arriving full half-hopr ahead of Mr..
Crouch and Louie, who usually travel
on the 1850 train, due in Porealis at
1:20.
Mr.. Upton carried leather case
swung from his shoulder by a strap
do you see this?" he asked, as soon
as Mrs. Crouch and Sadie had greeted
him.
ITS a camera, isn't it?" asked Mrs.
Crouch.
Exactly. I'm going to get a good
picture of Mr.. Crouch this afternoon"
Sadie looked at him in trembling ad-
miration.
"Really?" she asked.
"You watch me. I heard what he
said, Mrs. Crouch, about people who
are photographed, so l am going to
snapshot him, and send you the pic
ture, just to induce him to change his
views"
You never can talk him into 1t,
said Mrs. Crouch, when he gets his
head set there's no moving him"
HE won't know anything about 1t.
I'll take him out on the lawn, where
there's a good strong light. and I'll
get him before he suspects anything.
I'll hide the camera back of these
Nytna "a time
Mr. Crouch little suspected, when he
shook hands with Mr.. Upton, that he
was to be the victim of one of the
most despicable conspiracies ever
planned. Neither did Louie know that.
although Mr.. Upton gave cordial
smile and was straining himself to be
amiable, he still was awaiting an OPP
portunity to punish and avenge. The
opportunity came by merest chance.
There was a baseball lying on the
veranda. Louie had brought it out
from town in order to play catch,
but after one or two trials with his
father and Sadie had given up in des-
pair. They could not get them up or
put them in hot" and 1T was no fun
to catch a toss-up. Mr.. Upton found
the ball and craftily began playing with
it in a careless manner.
do you want to catch few" asked
Louie.
IT don't mind" said Mr. Upton,
modestly. as he removed his coat.
Sadie looked on apprehensively.
She knew that Louie was an expert
ball player, who could pick up any
kind of a hot "grounder" and throw
with terrific pace, because he had
boosted of his abilities frequently. He
had given the family many learned
opinions on the national game and
wished that he could find some one
good enough to afford him hard prac-
tice. No wonder that Sadie feared for
Mr.. Upton, because Louie was the kind
of young man who would attempt to
cripple a visitor as a proof of hospital
ity.
But Louie and his sister had not
watched the records of the college
game or they would have known that
at a certain Wisconsin college last
year there was a star pitcher named
Upton who was the terror of catchers
and batters.
Louie and Mr.. Upton were about so
feet apart on the long strip of clear
lawn. The other Grouches formed a
gallery on the veranda. Louie wore
smile of cool and easy confidence. Mr..
Upton was calm and unconcerned
Louie threw the ball at Mr.. Upton.
Mr.. Upton picked it out of the air as
IL ~ WCtO d apple anu sent IL
back. He did not seem to put any
great effort into the throw, but when
Louie caught the elmer" he gave an
audible grunt. A look of surprise came
into his eyes.
He gripped the ball and leaned away
back and sent it straight at Mr.. Lip
tons cravat. Mr.. Upton took it with
provoking ease and then hurled it back,
putting the swing of his body into the
throw.
The ball whistled in the air. Mr..
Louis Agassiz Crouch would have CIV
en- IS to avoid it. but the family was
watching. He caught it and went over
backward.
He arose and returned the ball Mr..
Upton lightly plucked 1t from its
course and whipped it away with
long overland movement.
Louis lodged it. His sister shrieked
with delight. Mrs. Crouch was BEAM
ing. Mr.. Crouch wore a saturnine grin
of deep satisfaction.
Oh, how we rejoice in the downfall
of the forward relative!
Louie "fielded" the ball and came
back, slowly, nursing a swollen finger.
He was very much afraid that he would
have to stop catching.
did l put them in too hard?" asked
Mr.. Upton, with gentle solicitude.