The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-11-11

rde AcaueluS '
smiled.
.Roduey w. Pinkham, sir"
ayou want to play football?"
"Yes, sir,
nwhy" said the coach good ma
,o,edlv "youre no bigger than
christmas candle!"
The boys who heard him laughed,
,rt pinkham was not disturbed.
81 weigh more than you'd think,
Al, he said. 81 weigh one hundred
,rd eight and one-quarter pounds,
'rd most of it is muscle, sir"
The coach smiled again.
swell, Mr.. Christmas Candle Pink
ham he said, II like your spirit,
anyway and wen see what you can
DO"
The first day there were exactly
,hirty.four men at practice, and when
he three elevens lined up for signal
prsetice, Pinkham found himself the
me left over But he trotted along
beside the coach. without the least
sign of annoyance, looking up at him
seriously and listening attentively to
what he said. The coach put him in
at end for the last five minutes of
formation work.
When 1t was over, he had all the
candidates run from one end of the
field to the other. Little Pinkham
finished sixth. "Hello!" said the
coach. "You can run, can't you?"
"Yes, sir" said Pinkham.
The next day was rainy, and only
about twenty boys came out. One
Of them was Pinkham.
Hello, Candle!" said Tommy Hor-
ton, the halfback, winking to big
Sloan, the centre. Aren't you afraid
the rain'll melt you?"
"No, sir" answered Pinkham.
After a moment he smiled, a shy,
embarrassed smile. II guess that was
joke, wasn't it?" he said. Sloan
and Horton doubled themselves up
with laughter. After that every one
called him Candle" Pinkham.
He appeared on the field every day,
rain or shine. Football was his pas
sion. When he got a chance in the
scrimmage, which he soon did, he
showed that his size was not alto
gether a disadvantage, for he could
wrlggle through a hole that nobody
else on the squad could find, and he
was very difficult person to dodge.
ID TWO weeks he was playing end on
The scrub and was the proudest
boy in Valleyside.
There's one thing about you, Can
de- said the coach, one d. Its a
real pleasure to see you play, you
enjoy It so much"
Why, don't you think it's fun,
slr! asked Pinkham, wonderingly.
Valleyside had excellent prospects
tnat year. Sloan, the centre; Jimmy
Edwards, the quarterback and cap
laln, and Horton, the left half, were
oil remarkable players, and the rest
Vi the eleven were at least average,
WIN the exception of the right end.
A''ef three weeks the makeup of the
'eam mad been practically settled,
save ior that end position. After the
MouhlIort game, Edwards and the
'Oacn were talking it over.
Ihere's Just one man in Valley
slue VINO could make good there, I'm
perfectly sure, said Edwards. THAT s
naOD, But he won't come out, con-
IUunu hlm! You know he played for
o'ount School last season, and he was
a stsr When l heard he was coming
mere | gave up worrying about one
say. .nu. But I've talked to him a dozen
try
WHAT'S the matter with him?'
asked the coach.
mes got a bee in his bonnet,
IaS ha seFed Edwards, GROSSLY. He says
Nc doesn't like the game"
Why not?"
says it's bad for a man. He isn't
ss sslaiu OF getting hurt, either; but you
~ ne was ruled off twice for hittinl
nan last year, and he has never got
n,'. % IT. don't think he's a dirt,
% ~ they say he had provocatioI
u times. But he's a queer chap;
eau make him out. He says thai
fuses his temper when he plays
70 ]S uoes things he has no business
NJ, NO. ana SO he has made up his mint
koor ne q better make up his mind tC
sSrt uis temper said the coach.
,on,, uals what told him." Edward,
ths, !, But he said he had an ides
sis, II You found you couldn't re
vas 'emptation, the next best thin,
moo. VS. 70 avoid it, and that was what h,
tbina 70 90. And can't get anotheI
"lng out OF him"
o.. we'll said the coach. aif we can,
Slim a. nini' we can't. Now III tell yo,
,ne.hing, 10 Jimmy. I'm half-inclinet
ana s"e young Pinkham a show a
candle!" Ia"aros' I'M
ush, ,us. 80. OF course he's awful,
nsso as, Dut he's wiry and fast. an,
Ana ma seems to get hurt. He's fa
ON :, away the most faithful worke
pena squad; you can absolutely de
bss, On him to do as he's told, an,
=, s,r9 ~ all, he's got football sense y
sav "eses something In what yo,
" admitted Edwards, thoughtful
w., Ihen he laughed. aWhat a,
no. .nink saw him doing yesterda,
tbs, Throwing football up Of
ths noping roof at the west END q
ess uormitory. and catching 1t as ,
ana on. II would bounce every way
wha now and then he'd miss II: an,
~en ne did, he'd fall on n ave.