Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-09
Oh, Johnny, 1 told you he didn't forgive

''oh, Johnny, told you he didn't forgive
easily
demanded Johnny. turning on her sharply.
Jean nodded. Yes, l do"
so do t. whispered Bert. softly. TT
would be just the sort OF thing Elt would
do-nowadays, l mean, he used to be all
right" he added, regretfully.
Johnny Strengthened up. His gray eyes
grew dark. as they had when Elton had
called him sneak.
Say. fellows" he called, cheerily, there's
no denying we're in a fix. But we have
to win that game, no matter what happens.
Now don't dare let Phil pitch at first; u
must save him until the later innings.
Jim Brown. you'll have to pitch. first off,"
Tall. lanky Jim actually shuddered.
"Oh, 1 say, Johnny, l can't pitch against
the Essex fellows They'd have a cinch
with me in the box
"Oh. yes you can" said Johnny per-
suasively. in pleasant voice. You're a
good pitcher, only you haven't enough nerve.
Once you get in the box you'll puzzle those
fellows"
Jim was pleased.
well. can try, anyhow. Here. Bert.
you get down. to the end of the car. and
we'll practice Bit
Naturally this ended In broken window
and an angry conductor. and the rest Of the
way the captain harangued his team.
At Essex they were met by stage and
driven off in state, which greatly soothed
their ruffied feelings but did not allay their
excitement, which increased as they saw
the field. 1t was large for school field.
and possessed a grand stand. which now
was filed with 'hfs sisters and his cousins
and his aunts;" every Essex fellow had In
vtted every one he owned. Johnny won the
tess, chose to come to the bat last, and. as
the boys scattered to their places, after
few minutes of practice play, 1t seemed as
II a million eyes were upon them A min
ute later cheer greeted the first Essex
man to the bat.
Jim was white as a sheet, but cool. He
ora1 Rn-f 1,aI NfSn f~nI ND
were up on their signals. He pitched the
first ball wild. and the crowd yelled. while
the Essex batter pretended to seek 1t in the
zenith
Jim set his teeth, and that batter and the
next one struck out in short order.
The crowd stopped yelling. and the next
man went to the bat He was tall, strong
fellow. and he hit the ball over the left field,
a high fly far above Billy McCormick's
reach. He ran for it, backward. but STUN
bled, wrenching his ankle painfully, and
failed to catch the ball.
MAN SAFE" shouted the umpire; the man
slid over the plate as Bert caught the ball.
The next man got safely to third but the
fifth. the captain Of the Essexes. hit a swift
liner Into Jfm's glove and the side was out.
The pitcher Of the Essexes was a tall fel-
low, and HIS curves were too much for the
Ellens. who retired without getting beyond
second base.
The second inning Jim was weaker and
the Essexes scored two runs more. and the
Ellens only one: Johnny got to third on
high fly and home on Micky McCormick's
sacrifice.
Three to one. Oh. dear. OH de-ar!"
moaned Jean, high on the seat of the stage
which without its horses stood near the
grand stand.
Go it. Jim. you're doing fine" said
Johnny to that half-discouraged pitcher.
who. always responsive to little praise at
the right moment, marched out and sent
the Essexes flying without single hit. But
they scored again in the fourth and at the
beginning of the fifth the game stood 4-3
in Essexs favor.
Jim had given out. being unused to such
steady work. and with many misgivings
Johnny put Phil in.
For an inning he puzzled them, and the
El!ens tied the score. but IN the sixth they
began to hit the ball freely, hammerng
left field until Billy's ankle gave out en-
tirely, and he was left grumbling in the
dressing room. while Jose Aiverez. his
black eyes swapping with excitement, took
his place at left field, and little Hugh
LOOMS played shOrtstop. Ned Loomis, of
course, had been playing right field.
In the seventh Phil regained his form. but
the Essexes hit often and hard. and only
good fielding kept the score down. Appar
emily nothing could get past Ned. while
Pinky Trennam's red legs seemed to fairly
twinkle they got over the ground so fast
Johnny and Jack Nelson both got home,
making the score ca.
Then-Phil always insists that he saw 1t
In the fellows eye-a swift swing of the
Dat, CTd-d-dCh-dS ne SITuCh the Dali, ana
the pitcher rolling on the ground Girls
screamed, boys yelled, and in an instant
the diamond was crowded with the spec
tators. while the man who had done the
damage stood still, looking doubtfully at
his bat.
y couple of professors from the high
school raised the lad but he protested he
could stand.
It's the bad arm, of course" said he
through set teeth to his captain, who had
put an arm around him to help him to
the dressing room; I'm awfully sorry,
Johnny"
Johnny only shook his head. Time was
called to ascertain the extent of the dam
age, and while the arm was being bound
up. Johnny. with knitted brows. listened to
various suggestions from the team
mo good" he said to all. There's not
another one of us can hold those fellows an
inning They're about twice as big as we
are, anyway. l believe they all banted for
a week before they got up that weight
average"
Sure they may have grown since
chuckled Denny Mccormick, who found 1t
impossible to keep solemn long.
Then a timid voice was heard.
Say. Johnny, 1 can pitch some
1t was the new mascot OF the Ellens
Johnny turned swiftly to meet his depre-
eating eye
Honest, I can" Adolf went on more
courageously. You know my uncle's Red