The Cairo bulletin., 1907-08-17
EXPLAINING
BASEBALL

4 Ii was at prOIeSSiOndi phSeDdil
lpamc in Philadelphia On the great
TERED, half-moon benches 5000 people
made so slight showing that one
heard their number with surprise.
| Only the hleachers were full. They.
with their solid alienation OF coats
and faces, looked like dark blanket
thickly polka dotted with dingy
white.
up in the second story OF the
grand stand, where you pay 70 cents
and don't care who knows II, sat rank
and fashion, indicated by the presence
here and there Of fiowery hats, That
the wearers Of the hats were familiars
of the place would have impressed
even detective, for when a stray pan
hot from the bat shot straight ID
| among them, striking the boards with
a fearsome crash, not q shrek, not
| saueal, SCARED the tense silence OF
the throng.s
Down on the floor below, In the
very front row, and Just beyond the
screen behind the bat, sat q woman
who had never seen ball game Pc
fore. Beside her sat friend.
You nay only so cents In the lesser
glory, but you really see better than
from anywhere else, and you really
feel that you are one Of us, Flowery
hats count for nothing there, All dis
tinctions sink unnoticed under
happy haze of ball.
The woman had been curious to see
the national game and the friend had
been obliging
But he had asked "wili you have
1t college or professional? The dit
ference is that college teams some
times play real ball, while profession
ais play 1t always
Now, don't try to explain things"
said the woman yirtuously as they
settled into their places. II know
what a nuisance 1t would be. Just
watch the game and enjoy yourself,
and let me look"
And vet she asked questions Cues.
lions like: They don't run very well,
do they? What makes them fall
down SO often when they Stop or
why does he make such angry faces
al that other man with the mu2zle on
his head2"
Next her, on the other side from
the friend, sat a red-headed youth,
alone; a youth OF the proletariat, lib
erai minded, gregarious. The fate
that gave him that day no mate had
been unkind. He suffered for some
one to talk to.
The first time that the friend an
swered query OF the woman's with
II don't know this young man sup
piled the facts from an evident spe-
cialist's depth Of information. lie did
srr sny1y, Knocking his hat further
back from his freckled brow, shifting
his cigarette hard apOrt, and with his
eyes answering from the game.
But he might never have spoken,
might never have existed, for af the
recognition the friend vouchsafed
The friend was no snob. but he con-
sidered that youth excessive In local
color when one had lady In charge.
Again and again it happened. A
less genial one would have concealed.
But the red-headed one too truly
ahounded in good fellowship easily to
believe in an intention to rebuff.
Nevertheless, he felt certain
something, and his remarks grew
rarer and more rare. The woman was
sorry But this was the friends party,
and he knew best.
Tha game progressed. Innings
waxed and waned Then came mo-
ment when the visiting pitcher, given
heretofore to pyrotechnic sweep and
velocity in his play, stood suddenly
with the ball held close
before his face.
Seconds few, and still he stood,
with never a shift from that queer
attitude
What is he doing? Whatever can
he be waiting for?' cried the woman.
now keen after the idea of the game.
I'm sure | can't guess" answered
the friend,
The rcd headed youth stored I'M
easily Mental stress showed in the
very tn 81 Of hrs shoulders.
He had meant not TO speak again.
But this was too muchl His resolu.
ton shook and fell.
Ostensibly apostrophizing the pitch /
er. toward whom his face was turned,
but with his mouth so wrenched awry !
that it spoke straight into the wo-
mans ear, he jerked out. deep and
hoarse, this brief. enlightening truth:
"A.a.h, you, Maggie, Stop spittin on
dat BALI"
Eennintrr Privilege or Tears.