The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-23
OLD TIMEY BALL GAME.
Mr.. Pulley. Mr.. Debnam and the Lady's
Three Front Teeth--Stirring End
of Game at Rolesyille-Eagle
Rock and New Light on
Hand.

Arrivals in the city yesterday from
the Rolesville section were bearers of
tidings of great joy. Their eyes flashed
in the telling. They lived again in
moments of excited warfare. They
gloried in the spunk of combatants
wild with rage and fired with hard
cider. 1t was a stirring tale.
Near Rolesville the clans had gath
cred from the country side. From
New Light thew came. from Eagle
Rock. A little aloof, a little apart,
with e-blade eyes and black broWs
and bearded chins there. stood wait
ing for the fray even some of those
who call the "Harricans" their home.
There had been barbecue before with
hard cider. Faces were red and hearts
af1ame. The whole community sat
about to see, stood on the lines run
with a plow-share to mark the bases,
waited breathlessly in center field.
RoleSville trotted to the field; the
first champion from Eagle Rock took
position at the bat. 1t was a moment
of suspense as little to be compared
with that preceding CRANE on the
big circuit as hawk posing for the
drop with chattering sparrow on a
limb. There We're some cheers. Mostly
the people were quiet. The Hurricanes
twitched nervously. The first up for
Eagle Rock hit the ball smash. 1t
went between the shOrt-StOp'S legs
There was a tumult of grOans and
cheers. Still there was the suspense.
Wait" seemed the crowd to say ''un-
til the fighting begins
1t was not long in beginning. Some
where about the third inning young
Mr.. Allen walked up to one Mr.. Cecil
Pulley, not knowing his name:
Say" remarked Mr.. Allen, I'm
thirty years old and / want to die a
violent death. Do you know where
there's a man named Pulley near
he's fighter"
Mr.. Pulley eyed Mr.. Allen intently.
He had his intentions, but they were
not centered on Mr.. Allen for the mo-
ment. Nav" said Mr.. Pulley, Il
know him motor words to that eff
feet.
But Mr.. Debnam had seen the play
and he thought to understand it, Mr..
Debnam occupied a reserved seat on
a pile of logs, between him and Mr..
Pulley number of women and chill
dren. From time to time Mr.. Debnam,
who is considerable of a rooter,
passed remarks to Mr.. Pulley. For a
while the latter was quiescent But
rage ate into his soul his neck swelled
up, his jaws champed, from between
his teeth came a grind as the Scrape
of one milestone above another. How,
under these conditions, could Mr.. Pull
lev see the ball? Three times he
sWiped at it and missed-and Mr.. Deb
nam from his pile of logs made a
curious whistling sound and raised de-
risive fingers to his nose. That fin
ished Mr.. Pulley With a face like
an autumn sunset, with fire in his
eyes that swelled and blood in the
veins of his neck that turned them
into knotted cords of purple. he start
ed for Mr.. Debnam. The women gave
a shrek and tried to run. Little boys
and tiny girls tripped themselves up
in their haste to get away. Mr.. Deb
nam fell backwards from his perch.
AS he lifted with warning cries ring
ing in his ears, he saw the raging
orbs of Mr.. PULLEY; saw his red face
and his brawny hand With bat which
he waved as a feather saw the i'm
gers of his left hand clutching the air
with the passion of a bird of prey.
Mr.. Debnam did not wait Picking
himself up, he turned and fled incon-
tinently. Had it not been for the Wo-
men and children, Mr.. Pulley might
have caught Mr.. Debnam. AS it was
he played havoc with the calico, get
ting woman-like every moment in the
way in the effort to escape. BuXom
DANES went down before his rush like
ten-pins his giant arms threw grand
fathers into the laps of maidens of
sixteen years: his feet trompled on
squirming little boys crawling for
cover, scrunched the holiday white
| dresses of little girls. And just ahead
of him, just as he was fighting his
way through the crush was Mr.. Deb
nam scrambling to his feet from his
| fall from off the pile of logs. With a
giant effort, Mr.. Pulley threw himself
| towards his enemy and as he did sc
| another woman rose in his path, there
was a collision that could be heard the
breadth of the grounds, wild scream
and a gush of blood. The lady was
splitting out teeth!
1 Then Mr.. Pulley heard behind him