Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-12-12
CASTOR AND POLLUX
IOriginal. |

students spoke of them as gemlni 1.-THE
Latin for twins and called them Cas-
tor and Pollux. They were both on the
university football team and were con
sidered the best amateur players in
New England. | don't propose to give
away their identity here. so l shall
designate them by their college sobri-
quets. They were both faxen haired.
blue eyed giants. Every one knows
that the affection between twins is re-
markable, and these two were no ex-
ception to the rule. Indeed when after
seek his fortune, Pollux remaining at
the university to take post graduate
course. the separation very nearly
broke the brothers down. Everybody
wondered how they dared strike out in
different directions.
Pollux was wanted OH the university
team, but it was some time before he
| consented to go on. He could not bear
the thought of playing without his
brother However, he consented at
last, and that made his team the stron-
gest college team In the country for
that year. I'm not going to even locate
1t by giving the college teams that
fought the champion game that year.
I'll call them A. and Il. l can only as
sert what everybody knew happened.
AS to the details Of the game. | give
them from the account given me by
member Of the A. team. was not
present myself
When the \. team got into the tally
no to drive to the grounds 1t was dis
covered that POllux was missing. The
captain cursed and Numbered, making
the air hot with his remarks. but it
| didn't do any good. Pollux did not ap-
pear. Some one suggested that he
| might have gone direct to the grounds.
and the captain finally decided to drive
on, hoping to find him there. But he
didn't.
When the team lined up POlluX was
still wanting. A substitute was in his
| place and the game about to conf
| mence There was fence about TWEEN
| ty feet high around the Enclosure, and
| at the calling Of the game an immense
figure in football garb appeared on
| its top with one leg over. Then it
| jumped down and walked toward the
| gridlron. A shout arose, "PolluX to
the rescue" as the figure strobe on
| and took his position in the line. His
| captain went up to him and asked for
an explanation, but the big fellow mo-
| toned him to proceed with the game.
I>oSt
| deal mixed, for now that the missing
man had come no one knew whether
he was going to do great things or lit
| tie things. He played as he had been
used to playing. though not eXertinS
| himself as much as usual, except at
| critical moments. At such times HE
would contrlve to secure the ball and
on several occasions got it to goal
| There was nothing brilliant about the
way he did it. The singular feature
was that no one could explain how he
| did it. The men would be massed, the
b. men on the ball. Then suddenly
| PolluX would be found to have got 1t
and trying to get through the guards
with it, When there was an open
game and everybody could see what
was going on he did nothing. At the
end he brought his college in for two
points ahead and the champion game
| was won.
You may say there was nothing re-
markable about this. Well, there
| wasn't. When the game was finished
the A. captain turned to thank Pollux
for his work and didn't see him.
"Where's PolluxY' he asked.
"Why, he was here a moment ago.
He can't have gone In"
"He must have gone in. If he thinks
he can bother me as he did today with
out IN explanation he's mistaken"
The captain went inside, where sew
eral Of the team had already arrived,
and, not seeing the man he looked for.
asked:
"Has Pollux been here;"
mo-" said substitute. "And I've
been here half an hour"
Nor was there n person on the field
| who had seen Pollux leave 1t.
singular" said his captain. 'IIe
came over the fence-how he got up
| there | can't imagine-and now he's
disappeared"
When the captain Of the AS went
| to his hotel the clerk handed him a
telegram. 1t was from Pollux and
read
Cant play today"
Well" remarked the captain, I'm
glad he got there after all. We'd have
been gone up without him."
The rest of the story-that Is, how it
came out. or, rather how 1t didn't come
out. for Pollux declared that any
friend OF his who spoke of 1t would
he his friend no longer-ls rather misty.
Pollux was sweet on girl and the
day before the game came off he
Travelled hundred miles to see her.
She was Delilah and purposely kept
him till after the only train on which
he could reach the athletic grounds in
time had gone. Pollux. filled with
shame at his treatment Of his fellows,
sent the message to his captain, took
the next train for college and on ar
rival went TO his rooms. There he
found telegram announcing the
death Of his brother.
The story given out was that POllux
thought he would not be able to play.
but reached the grounds In time.
was an A. student myself, roomed