Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15
CITY DISCOYERER
MEETS A PLAYER

Last Sunday afternoon the City Discoy-
erer was returning homeward through Rock
Creek Park from long and pleasant ram
BILE about the country side. when he came
upon a large. brutal-looking young man
with an aggressive jaw and doorwide shout
ders. who was sitting by the roadside read
Ing a book. The Discoverer was about to
pass on when the stranger glanced up
from his book sprang to his feet. took
OF his hat and bowed.
My dear sir" the stranger cried won't
YOU stop a moment and sit down You
look quite tired and this Is very pleasant
spot. And your shoes are very dusty. May
not have the honor OF busting them with
my handkerchief? And would you care to
look at my bookf I have plenty OF time
| and can read it after you are through"
Goodness cried the Discovcrer IN
amazement, as he stared at the young and
brutai-looking person. his mild blue eyes
round with wonder behind his gold-rimmed
glasses. You are certainly the most polite
person l ever met. Are you this way all
the tlmes"
The young man blushed and looked I'M
comfortable. No" he finally admitted,
II am not"
The City Discoverer laid a fatherly hand
on the shoulder of the husky individual
he said his blue eyes bright with curiosity.
Well said the big stranger. hesitating
ly. as he looked uncomfortable once more.
Il was just practising. I saw you coming
along and as l didn't know you, and you
appeared to be above middle age. l thought
there would be no harm in practising"
why. of course not, assented the Dis
coverer. with an amused smile. But what
were you practising for?'
so will be able to act like a gentleman
under the most trying circumstances" re-
piled the big person. swelling out his chest
until his shirt bosom cracked. II want to
be able to hold my temper In check 50 that
when a man smashes in the jaw and
knocks out few teeth, or swats me over
| the back of the head with gas pipe. or
sticks his shoe spikes In my hand, I won't
| swear at him or hit back"
Gracious" said the City Discoverer sit
ting up straight and staring at the young
| that happen to you very often?"
Pretty nearly every day. replied the
brutal-looking person. "Of course. they
happen to everybody who plays the game
lose their temper under trying conditions.
That is what brings the sport into dis
repute."
What is your business" Inquired the Dis
coverer after he had stared at the young
man some more.
II haven't any," replied the young man
| quickly, I'm a foot bail player"
And do the players fight as terribly as
CURED anxiousy.
We'll. that's Just the trouble" the big
| man replied And 1t Is just what we're
| trying to remedy. There has been so much
| fighting in foot ball games this year that
President Roosevelt sent for a lot Of us
| from the leading colleges and gave his views
| on how the game should be played. The
| President realizes that the game is rough
and that 1t can't be made otherwise. but
| he objects to unnecessary brutality and dis
plays OF temper during a game. So since
ha Int x-invr xs-syt
new rules and regulations have been forrnu-
| lated and things have already improved
wonderfully"
Have any games been played under the
new TegulationS?' the DiScoverer inquired
with interest,
Just one" the big stranger replied, land
! l must say that considering the short time
| for practice under the changed conditions
| things went off very well indeed
Tel! me about it," said the Discoverer
wen, said the big stranger, things
went along in the routine way for a few
minutes and then, just as a signal was com
pleted. l saw Charlie Jones of the opposing
team haul off and hand Bill Smith, our big
guard. a stiff one, on esmastoid process"
me WhatT interrupted the Discoverer.
THE mastoid process" replied the big
stranger. It's bone back of the ear and
a good place to land a punch"
oh. said the Discoverer
Well continued the brutal-Iookfnp
young man. Smith was down and out for
aWhlle and when he regained consciousness
| ne looked around and asked what had hit
| him. And just then Jones stepped up and
| begged pardon for his clumsiness men
tioning that IL he hadn't been so awkward
| Lhe accident would never have happened
| oInitn accepted the apology with g smile
and everybody agreed that the spirit of
| the game had been greatly improved by th,
new regula TONS
"A few minutes later" the big man CON
tinued. the game got going good again
| and L saw Smith catch Jones under tho
| chin with his leather-guarded knee smash
him In the face with his fist and kick him
| IN the ribs with his spiked boot. But Smith
was also willing to do the proper thing
and when Jones came out of his franc,
| Smith explained that he had slipped on the
| wet ground at an unfortunate moment AMI
was too sorry for anything that he had run
| into JONES'
| Were there any more accidents of that
kind?" inquired the Discoverer family.
We'll, replied the big stranger with con-
siderable reluctance. 4 stumbled at a
! shoe spikes through the hand of Tom
| Brown. who was the best man on the other
| size. But apologized for it and, of course
! II was all right. And a few minutes later
| one of Browns friends fell feet first IN
| my head and put out of business for
| the day. But he explained how 1t hap
| pened and was mighty regretful about it,
Did any more men have to leave the
gamer" the Discoverer inquired.
Well" replied the brutal-looking young
person, eight of US went to the hospital
| all on account of accidents of the kind I've
mentioned But 1t was very remarkable
| game-in fact the first I've ever seen from
which every particle of roughness and ILL
| feeling was eliminated L tell you the
President has done great work in getting
US together. making US promise to have no
more brutality. But 1t was mighty hard in
that first game to restrain our feelings
and play an entirely different game from
what we were accustomed to. And I've
got another game tomorrow I'm study
Ing up on politeness and gentle conduct.
And what Is that you are reading2" In
aured the Discoyerer as he edged away
from the young man with the door-wide
shoulders.
The Simple Life" replied the young
man as he turned to his book again.
who would have thought it?" muttered
the Discoverer. shaking his head wonder
In civ as he trudped YEARLY homeward