Middletown transcript., 1909-12-11
lam a show at end.

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far and away the most faithful
worker on the squad; you can
absolutely depend on him to do
as he's told, and best ofall, he's
got football sense.
There's something in what you
say, admitted Edwards, thought
fully. Then he laughed. What
do you think I saw him doing
yesterday noon2 Throwing a
football up on that sloping roof
at the west end of the dormitory,
and catching 1t as it came off. 1t
would bounce every way and
now and then he'd miss it; and
when he did, he'd fall on it every
time; he never picked it up once!
Oh, he loves the game, all right,
said the coach.
That afternoon, when the coach
lined up the first eleven for sig
nal practice, he called'
Pinkham, you take right end |!
The boy actually jumped.
What, sir-I? he said.
Hurry up! answered the
coach. And Pinkham's eyes
shone like the candles he was
named for as he trotted to his
place.
The game that week was with
Neoka. The field was wet and
the ball slippery. The first time
Tommy Horton was given the
ball, he squeezed it out of his
arms before he was fairly
started.
There was a wild scramble.
When the players of both sides
were untangled, at the bottom
was Candle Pinkham the ball
hugged tight to his stomach.
Valleyside made three more fun.
bles in the first ten minutes, and
in two out of three little Pinkham
saved the ball. Then Valleyside
braced and scored.
Rah, rah, rah, Horton yelled
the crowd; and then, after a mo-
ment, Rah. rah, rah, Pinkham!
Through the dirt on bis face the
boys embarrassed smile made
its way.
Neoka kicked off, and the run
ming ard smashing began agHiff.
So, also, did the fumbling. At
last Valleyside's right half
got the ball, circled the opposing
end, but was caught by the de.
fensive half back; and as he was
tackled the ball flew high and
wide. Pinkham, racing behind,
canght it on lucky bound, and
pushed on: but the opposing full
back tackled him squarely, and
down they went in a b cap.
Neoka's captain and right tackle,
a boy weighing a hundred and
seventy pounds, came up, and
just as the referees whistle blew,
hurled himself squarely upon
Pinkham and the full back. There
was a roar and a hiss from the
stands. When Horton and the
referee pulled the men apart,
little Pinkham did not move.
Dirty Take him out |! yelled
the stands. The umpire slapped
the Neoka captain on the
shoulder. Get of the field he said,
curtly, Quick, now!
What for? asked the boy, an
grily.
You know very well, said the
umpire. You heard the whistle.
didn't your won't have any
dirty play here. You get out.
The Valleyside coach was work
ing over Pinkham. The boy
gasped and drew his legs up to
his body; then he shook himself
and opened his eyes.
I'm-I'm all right, sir, he said.
! guess l had my wind knocked
out, that's all.
Can you standH asked the
coach.
OF course ! can, said Pinkham,
getting unsteadily to his feet.
I'm all right.
1t was dirty play, said the
coach. They've ruled him off.
Who? asked Pinkham, won
deringly-
Briggs, the man who jumped
on you after you were down.
Oh, but, cried Pinkham, eager
ly, that's not fair! He ought
not to be ruled of. I wasn't
down-not stopped, anyway. !
think-I'm pretty sure | could
have got free. / was trying aw-
fully hard.
But the whistle blew, said the
coach.
/ didn't hear il, said Pinkham,
and / don't think they ought To.