Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10

rs Ss,E s5;.5' BRAIN s55
one day he set Chopemout Got His Great
down and says Brain workin'.
to me Saw
yer, old sport, do you b'lieve in witches an
ghosts and magic aid them things?"
said did some; but they'd never paid me
any ready money.
well, l do" says Chopemout, "a witch
once told me was never goin' to git married;
and l amt. She said my father would die
and not leave me anything; that came right.
She said I'd bat four hundred average the next
year: and l did that, too. You got to believe
people who can tell you them things.
Il wish one would tell me | would lead the
league pitchin, " says |.
You chumpl they would if you really be-
lieved in EN-. Now, look here l want to help
our fellers to be fast on bases. How'll you
do it"
Give it up" says I very prompt, Dwarf
Duffy havin' lost me a game the day before
through gettin' caught tryin' to score from
third on a two-base hit
"I'll tell YOU" says he. You'll admit
nothin physicalll do it-no amount o trainin'
down'n make them freight-cars any faster.
An science can't do any good-brains can't
make 'em work them number seventeen shoes
any quicker.
| nodded.
Then" says he, we've got to go to magic;
and I've been readin' a story of man in the
OiQen tunes WHO udu q cap, al whichever lie
put it on nobody could see him. He'd walk
out in the street bareheaded and put on that
little thing-an snapl you couldn't see him.
Now, what's to prevent us gittin' one o
them caps for our team. Say I'm coachin',
and Dwarf Duffy gifts his base. Two out, say,
and we need to win. l hand Dwarf the
cap as he gets on first, and he puts it on.
He's gone. The pitcher dun no where he IS;
the catcher don't know where he is. They
boiler and look under the base bags, and throw
,o1,~ G.,
utes, or as long it takes him to git to second,
Dwarf snatches the cap off, and there he is,
foot on the bag and ninety feet nearer home.
Same way goin' to third. They're dunn
founded; we're quiet an contented, like holdin'
aces back to back When he gifts to third he
ketcher may take the ball, and camps on the
pan; but Duffy just walks up, plants his spikes
in the rubber an takes off the cap-and we
win. Can you imagine anything that would
that jar EN- when they can't keep us from
gettin' runs no way? l think l can see who Ii
win the pennant this year and get all the GRIM
son glory and undyin' fame hereabouts."
And then Chopemout Clancy pulled up, an
lit butt and settled back with the finest
satisfied look on his face you ever saw.
But you amt got the cap yet Chop"
says l. That's all fine; but where's the
cap?"
why, the witch has got it. I'll get it -
a day or so later ChOpeTnout comes bounding
in, his face Smilin like manager lookin' at a
crowded grand stand an says: 81 got it 1
got itl
Got WHAT" says l.
why, the invisible cap"
"Shucks!" says |. Go an get your clothes
on We got to beat the Swattburgs this after
noon, an there amt time for any foolin :"
You see was down to pitch, and wanted to
wi my game.
But Chopemout wouldn't stop. 81 tell you,
| got the thing that's goin' to make win a
at me-"
He takes off his hat, and puts little round
cap on his head-and scatl Right in front o
my eyes he just melted-faded out. No
Chopemout He was gone
l dropped on my hands and knees an hung
onto the floor, / was SO scared, and yelled for