The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-01-16

u lAA--..--lI-.---.. sFSssEzc..---..---..!
"Im pcrD So'TU," Iiurwonh wid de-
| 1nurC7B.
time. The ball had gone rs IIarwood
| said. The concuSSlon of 1T had tnrrcd
Colonel from finger tips to shoulder
| blades.
"lf you'd only put on the mttS,"
lIarwood said, with n tantnlizng grin,
I'D like to throw you II few speedy
ones. Otherwise I'm really afraid
might hurt YOU"
"lIurt me" Coloncl's tone was nh.
| 1cct. "And them paws feeling Hike
full crockcry crate had smashed 'rm
I'm no glutton parSon. know when
Eve had enough But. say, you're the
dcceivinRcst package ever struck"
"Mr. Ilarwood," said Potter, "lf YOU
don't mind I'll 90 get Bill Reed to com"
and catch for you.'
II should like it OF oil things" said
lInrwood. '"rhc little have done
makes me feel new man."
"Mc, too, and a d"rnrh poor one"
Colonel added, but he pluclicd up spirit
to grin heartily when Potter came back
with Bill Reed. catcher to The Gailins.
two or three other members and soy
cral cans" besides.
When IIarwood suggested gloves,
| Bill Sni(fcd even more diSdainfully than
Colonel had done. Ilarwnoh SEnlrd rs
he took position In the box and said
softly: "Say where YOU want the balls,
Mr.. Reed. III try to put them over the
plate about right"
Bill Suuattcd back OF the plate. Spnt
tobacco juice Oh his hands and said,
"Glvc Ms Il low ball"
lIarwood grippcd the lcathcrn sphere,
, lrapcd the length OF the box, gave q
twist Of the wrist and let drive Il
, straight drop over thr middle Of TIE
;. plate. Reed put up hia hands: but. to
his amaZrmrnt, the thing duclird un-
- der his fingers ana went Slilppiu, down
. the alley. lie was chagrinch, Of course
y but when llarwood again named gloves
!. | ne said almost roughly: "Don't you lay
!, nWak" nights thlnkin' q Bill Reed. lie
' don't need no gloves to catch no preach.
= cr's pitchin'."
IIarwood nodded ana pitched thr
!, same inshoot he had Scnt tu Colonel
l'ill lcnprd to this side and that In II
. vain attempt to get behind the ball
! AS it passed hin and went hu&tlin%
l through the dust hc cried
"F"ilows, did YOU see tnai thing: II
: | hadn't Quit drinkin', ia swear had
. 'rm again!'
!, Potter lined up his forces behind the
rarson. llarwood winkcd at Potter;
then, with motion like the uncoiling
or Il steel spring, he sent another in.
\ shoot to Reed SO swift That Reed had
no time to dodge It. Bill managed io
y get his hands up In the instructive
Il movement OF self defense. He caught
> ana hung TO the piEskin cannon bail,
= though his fingers did not feel II, they
we're 20 Jared and numb.
y 'WhoOp!" roarrd Bill, sitting down
suddenly and staring wild eyed ut the
i parSon. "Bo!S." he went on Solcmnly
? that Wuz close shave. If hadn't
cnught the durnrh thing 'twuuld n.gonr
plumb through my !nliHr,lS. Say" look.
Ing rucfully at his hands. mo more
Dali today. than. YOU. I've got to see
Doe johnson about them things"
I'm very S"iry." IIarWood said de-
murrly. ";ut y"n wouldn't put on
gloves for n parsons pitching, YOU
know. Soak your hands IN very hot
water; 1t Will SO; them all right Now,
is thcr" an other gentleman who cares
to play hal,?"
III the soft, warm twilight of that
cvrntful day IInrwond sat atlcss and
comfortable IN the parsonage study.
He wns smoking and trying hard to
keep coCI lie was also very lonely
and. 1t mnst be confessed, blue frsm
staying alone I'm the deserted house.
so he was genuinely glad to hear heavy
steps upon the gravel and Il little later
70 welcome Potter, Colonel. Reed and
some more men he did not know.
IhlS Isn't exactly Il social call" Pot
ter began, 'yct We can't exactly call IL
business. and the fact is we're ali afraid
to begin"
ION, no! Somebody going to commit
matrimnny2 who Is it--Coloncl or my
friend RccdT' IIarwood asked his eyes
! tWinkllng. Reed grinncd broadly. The
day before he would have thraShcd tho
man who had named him friend TO a
! parson. But man who could play such
ball-that was another matter nltogcth-
I cr.
"You'rc dead wrong, parson. That
! sort OF thing comes right In your line.
! ana ours IS way Off it," Potter said.
/ 1--WE arc in q hole. We want your help,
| but we don't know how you'n take our
| proposition"
J 'Hut you do kn0w-.at least YOU ought
! to-that If can lcgitimatcly help YOU
! or any one In this town shall be both
proud and happy to do It," said IIar
| wood.
"Hut this Is clean outside ministerial
! duty Potter began. IIarwo0G smiled.
Il am man as well rs Il Minister"
he said.
Bill Reed broke in: "Now, looky !
here. 'Alnt no use chawin' longer on