The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-27

NO star in the hull baseball fTma-
ment would be brighter than me if I
had me rights. No name would be
shouted louder, nobody's achieve
ments'd be cheered longer than mfue,
if they wasn't UsWped by another.
aIas"'
The speaker was the Crumbiest look
in hobo I ever seem all matted hair
an w'iSkeTs an rags and whisky smell.
The listeners were me an Pinch
Hobbs.
The place was d box car OH a slow
freight. goin' through Iowa. The night
before I had backed Pinch in a poker
game, and he had used up all our mon
Py to buy four queens. himself hoIdin'
four tours. So we had continued our
search for the famous UNDETERMINED
shortstOp and Ieather-handed ketcher
with our sltcheIs ard 81 cents. and by
way Of freight. instead O the smoker Of
a fast passenger train.
We had met our hobo when we got
into the car an when we told him who
We was he says:
NO star I'm the hull baseball firma-
ment would he brighter than me if I
had me rights. No name would be
shouted louder. nObody's achieve
meBts'd be Cheered longer. than mine
if they wasn't Usurped by another.
Alas"
He nut his head in his hands. then.
an gave g hVin' picture of the heart
bowed down. snif1in' all the while. So
Pinch says, to cheer him 10:
Don't worry. poGner. Tell us who's
UsuTped your rights
Alas says the hobo. It's a long,
sad story-a story o genius Unrecog-
niZed. Of talent Unregarded, of a poor
guy who never got chanst. But, as
said. if 7 had me rights I'd be the
greatest twirler on the greatest ball
team i'm Americs-which is the New
York Giants. All the glory. ali the
Iackslappin' all the new suits O
pushed out O. my Ov-~ by a upstart He
gifts $500 a week. sit handouts for
savin' wood. He gifts applause from
mon an worship I'm females wherever
he steps onto a ball field git run af-
ter by farmers with pitchforks. and
have dogs sicked on to me. He lives
in a marble palace. with servants to
watch Ets every CALI live in a box
car sleep in a haystaCk, an press me
uatrician lips on the jagged edge O. a
tOmater can when I drink. Ohr'-an'
he rolled his eyes so we seen the first
white that had showed on his FACET
could shout aloud to high heaven at the
injustice Of it."
Hard luck says Pinch: who is
this usuper on the New Yorks-who is
this who is doin' you out O your
rights?"
LISTEN saws the hobo. He got up.
put his hands onto his heart. looked up
at the car roof and struck a fine at
titGde just like a actor.
Hear me-" he says. hear me. Won
blue dome Of heaN en- Hear Il poor
downtrodden heart pour forth it's tale
OF deception an gettin' done out of its
rights. Unjust tell am the orig
inal Nathewson-"
Well, we both opened our eyes at
that.
Gentlemen" says the hobo. takin'
one hand off his heart SOS he cd shove
a knuckle into his eyes. Gentlemen.
weep to tell it-but am Christy Math-
eD sons elder bToJneT. I teached him
his curves: I teached him that wonder
full drop: 7 learned him how to fool the
batteTs: my patient practice brought
him his bIindin' speed. Now. as I said
he gifts the applause o the multitude
an 7 git a crust O bread in d box car.
Is this a country O. justice? Do you
call this square deal?" an with that
he sits down an weeps.
Think Of it, Christy Mathewson's
older brother in the same box car with
you. Me an Pinch was overpOwered
with the feelin' o greatness. We was
about to cheer him w when from a
pile of straw In the dark end of a car
there came another hobo. He walks to
where the original Mathewson sets. his
head bent over, an folds his arms an
looks down at him.
''Matty," says he. ''Matty, YOU amt
the only one that's got his troubles.
You amt the only one that's ben drove
from high estate an crimson glory an
such You amt the only crushed-dow-n
scion o fame an nobility whose heart
is ct up with the gnawin's O. jealousy
when he sees gold comm to others
what's due him I amt kickin'. but
if I had me rights I'd be as high up "
the baseball armament as YOU If I
hadn't been reviled an prosecuted an
trUn out I'd a been-but what's the usp.
A few more years o tonater cans an
ties: a few more years O. crusts an
kicks; a few more winters in jail,
few more summers o. starvation an
this proud heart will stop, this noble
head lay down. Alssi'
An he began to sniff1e, too. alongside
o the original Mathewson, who now
looked at him out o the corner o. lis
eye in a gloomy way an says: