The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-05-25

I'll take him. he said doubtfully,
and the gam began. Hi fitted on his
mask, II new importation and his PEI
culiar pride, md waited.
"uow do you like them?" asked the
Pilot.
"Hot" said HI. "I hain't got no
gloves to burn"
The Pilot turned his back, swung OFF
one foot on to the other and discharged
his ball.
Striker called the umpire.
"You bet!" said Hi with emphasis,
but his face was n picture Of amaze-
mont and dawning delight.
Again the Pilot went through the
maneuyer In his box and again the
umpire called:
"Strike!"
Hi stopped the ball without holding
1t and set himself for the third. Onco
more that disconcerting swing and the
whiplikc action of the arm, and for the
third time the umpire called:
Strike! Striker OUT
That's the hole yelled Hi.
The ~Porcupines were amazed. Hi
looked at Ii ball in his baud, then
at the slight figure of the Pilot.
II say, where do YOU get it?'
"What?' asked Moore in%noccntly.
"The gait"
"The what?"
"The gait, the speed, you known"
"Oh! L used to play in Princeton O
little"
did, ell? What the blank blank did
you quit for?"
He evidently regarded the exchange
Of the profession of baseball for the
study of theology as Il serious error in
Judgment. and in this opinion every
inning of the game confirmed him. At
the bat the Pilot did not shine, but he
made up for light hitting by his base
running. He was fleet as n deer, and
he knew the game thoroughly. He was
keen. eager, Intense in play, and before
the innings were half over he was rec
ogniZed as the best all round man on
the field. In the pitchers box he puZ-
Zled The ~Porcupincs till they grew dcs-
peratc and hit wildly and blindly,
amid the iccrs OF tho spectators. The
bewildermcnt OF the P~orcupincs was
equaled only by the enthusiasm Of Hi
and his nine, and when tho game was
over the score stood 81 to 7 in favor Of
the Home team. They carried the Pr
lot off the field.
From that day Moore was another
man. He had won the unqualified re-
spect of Hi Kendall and most of the
others. for he could beat them at their
w game and still be modest about
it. Once more his enthusiasm came
back and his brightness and his cour-
age. The Duke was not present to
witness his triumph, and, besides, he
rather despised the game. Bruce was
there, however, but took no part In
the general acclaim. Indeed, he
seemed rather disguised with Moore's
sudden leap into favor. Certainly his
hostility to the Pilot and to all that
he stood for was none the less open
and bitter.
The hostility was moro than usually
marked at the service held on the sun
day following. 1t was, perhaps,
thrown into stronger relief by the
open and delighted approval of Iii, who
was prepared to back up anything the
Pilot would Venture to say. Ril, who
had not witnessed the Pilots perform
ance in the pitchers box, but had only
HIS enthusiastic report to go upon,
still preserved his judicial air. 1t Is
fair to say, however, that there was
no mean spirited jealousy In Rilrs
heart even though Hi had frankly as
sured him that the Pilot was q de
mon" and conld give him points"
Rfll had proof 6donoa In uuo nnin
ion upon baseball, but he was not pre-.
pared TO surrender his right Of private
Judgment in matters theological, 80 be
waited for the sermon before commit,
ting himself to any enthusiastic an
prevail.
This service was an undoubted sue
cess. The singing was hearty, and In
Sensibly the men fell into a reverent
attitude during prayer The theme,
too, was one that gave little room for
skepticism. 1t was the story Of FAC.
cheus, and story telling was Moore's
strong point. The thing was well
done. Vivid portraitures of the out
cast, Sbrewd, converted publican and
tho superclhops, self c%omplacent, crit
ical Pharisee were drawn with q few
deft touches. A single sentence trans
ferred them to the foothills and ar
rayed them I'm cowboy garb. Bill
was non too sure OF himself, but HI,
with delightful winks, was indicating
Bruce as the Phorisee; to the latter's
scorpful disgust The preacher must
have noticed, for with a very clever
turn the Pbarlsee was shown to be the
| kind of man who likes to fit faults I'M
on others, Then Bill, digging his ell
bows into HIS ribs, said in an audible
whisper:
"Say, pardner, how does II at nowF"
"You git outl' answered iii Ipdigs
nantly, but his confidence In his inter-
probation of the application was shak-
en- When Moore came to describe the
Master and his place in that ancient
group, we In the Stopping Place papjor
fell under the spell of his eyes and
voice, and our hearts were moved
Within us: That great Personality was