The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-06-26

kLX TOU can't never tell what's goin'
to happen. When me an the
Alfalfa team started one
night for wiregrass to close the season
with three-game series. we didn't have
no dire forebodings OF disaster Not a
forbode. We just stepped onto the Al
falfa, Wiregrass an Southern train.
captured the smolzin' car. slowed away
our buds an began smokin and playin
cards an sleepin.' Just as we Had done
countless times before
1T was a wild night 1t was late
in September. an il rained and blew
an Numbered an Hghtened somethin'
fierce. Me an Pinch was slxlnnin'
Pete Brown and Reggie at pinochle.
Merritt an Hennessy was chockln' dice.
an the rest O. the gang was asleep. l
was just goin' 70 meld a hundred an
take the game an pot when there
came a fierce jolt, an then a fiercer
jolt. an then a lot o. little jolts an |
knew we were bumpin' the ties an then
the cars behind us got uhcoupled. an
US an the engine went 8tearin' along
20 beat the band swa--in' from side
Jc side, an all the while the noise un-
der the wheels was terrific, an the
jclts was enough to send the car
TRUCKS through the MOOR
Storm Beaten.
Josh Hapgood run out an hollered to
the engineer, but the storm beat him
back. He yanked the bell rope, an
we damned on the brakes. but II was
useless. an finally Pinch Hobbs an me,
old railroaders. clumb over the tender
an into the cab. an found It empty!
The throttle was busted an we wasn't
on no tracks at ADJUST plowIn' across
the prairie,
That was n ride to make your hair
gray. CriclSs an gravel banks an gull
lies an bitches didn't cut no ice with
that engine. As Reggie remarked, we
stayed not for brake Cthey were turned
on, rs ] said an we stopped not for
stone. You bet we didn't. But every
rock we hit we thought II was the
hrst snort o Gabreel's horn. We Jest
hung on an waited like a Teller does
when he's just Dropped a lighted lamp
into bari Of benzine We were rea-
sonable sure somethin' would happen
soon. an so IL did
In the gray light o. the early morn
in I sung out. for I saw water ahead
an though she was swingin' for Il at
a fast pace, we all dropped of, grips
an bat bags an all, when the blame
train went snortin' straight into the
water, an was swallowed up-tender
smoker. Tflot. smokestack an whistle
an we was left wetchin the tracks
where they stopped at the waters
edge.
Called the Roll.
Josh dug the sand out o. his whis-
kers-he didn't know now to git OF
trains-and called the roll. We were all
present Ne. ketcher; Reggie an Dan.
Delaney, pitchers; Pete Brown first;
Johnny Harrison. second: Pinch Hobbs
short; Jim Harrison, third; an Hen
messy, Sam Merritt an Billings, field
ers. We had been the only ones in the
smoker an we knew Just who we had
TO account FOR.
The country was desolate. We
walked briskly for over an hour in
direction Josh said was south, when we
saw smoke ahead an then sighted a
lot Of little houses. an soon we came
up TO EN- an it was a mining camp
were they dig gold an every man in
town was Chinee or Jap except one
the boss
He was a big, blusterin' pirate. an as
soon as he seen us movin' up he came
out with a gun stickin' out O. each
pocket an wanted 10 know who we
were. an when we said ball-players he
cursed a BIT an said ne thought we
might be a gang he was expectin'
TO try an jump him. but maybe we was
all right. We give pretty good proof.
an finally got him 90 get us a place
whore we could snooze an have a bite
20 eat
He had the Chimes bring US some
bum grub. an then he came in an
questioned US. stru' lin up an down 10
>
white men he'd seen in eighteen months
he said. an he'd be glad 10 see US. only
ne wasn't morc'n half sure we wasn't
the aforesaid jumpers. An II you was
says ne, blow the daylight through
the bunch, and he hOurished his gun an
swore horrible
Better Graft.
% Stow that talk SAYS Josh. we
don't want your gold. We wouldn't take
your mine a gift. We got better
graft But tell us. what league is this
here town in? An where's the ball
grounds? o.
g Oh yes. says the big guy. settin'
down an crossin' his legs You fell
lers are ball players. The famous Al
fsIfaS. eh2 l never heard o. them. Can
YOU beat the Boston an Detroits7'
we told him we could. easy
I thought you'd say that. says he
Every ball nine 7 ever saw says 81 kin
trim another nine before the game But
kid you trim my nine o. heather China
men? Would you like 10 take fan out
O the great selestyal empire fore you
&c back TO Alfalfa?'
AT how much fang says Josh.
pullin' out his wallet
% 'Oho' Want 10 bet. eh?' SAYS the
boss, pulIin' bag 0 gold dust Bet
You anything I'm fifty TO FIVE thousand
right now.
We all Clipped IN an bet him FIVE /
hundred. And then ne set an looked |
us all over an all Of sudden he slap
ped his pant legs an says:
/ do believe. by all the Chimes in !
the Delvin Desert o. DoubIedee. tnat
] forgot 20 mention H.
Chinee Rules.
E" Mention wot2' says Josh
% oh. these durn Chlnee rules. 7 for /
got 20 mention 81 20 YOU. but these here
heathens o. mine don't do nothin' like
we do. Everything we do Is backwards 1
20 them. Ny name IS Ezry Watson. u
was a Chinee IL would be Watson