The Dolores star., 1909-10-01
BUM .O'REILLY
AT THE BAT
DY LUCY coPINCER


Luz SOfl ~ u + Il
l Copyright by }. b. Lppincott Coz
Aissis Loosely pies Excuse Jimmy he had
TWO mine the baby wot wux sic missis
l ofeiiiy
Thus wrote Mrs. O'Reilly after one
q Buns frequent absences. Having
Rad the note and smiled at It's queer
spelling. Miss Lucy dropped It into
the waste basket.
few days later Bum stayed home
again. 1t was at that season when
| the thoughts Of the youth turn to
love. and those Of his younger brother
% baseball. Knowing the impulses Of
hh yagrant heart, Miss Lucy frowned
% Bum suspiciously upon his return.
but she was again silenced BY the
n0te Of parental excuse. This time
che carelessly stuck the note In the
Deges Of her roll book. and when Il
received large blot upon its greasy
esrface she threw this one also into
TIE waste basket. The next week Bum
| Vas absent once more.
It's his stummik." he explained.
s4dly. Hes that dilikit in his STUN
nh"
I'm sorry" began Miss Lucy.
when something familiar in the note
caught her eye. Over Mrs. ORielly's
modest signature was Q large blot.
James" said Miss Lucy, pained At
this proof of her favorite's perfidy,
't0n't tell me it's his 'stummik.'
You've been hooking"
! a fiery color ran over BUNS
freckled face. losing itself In his red
hsir; for = moment he hung bis head.
| ahashed.
You might a. well tell me what II
-" said Miss Lucy. severely. "It's
~ late for h00ky. and too early for
1lss anAs nAsswtnaning.s
rs the match games. miss, = ex.
plained Bum, eagerly. Were the
Ortole Amerchers. and ws're playing
| agtn the Southport Stars. We each
got two. and we're eoin' to play one
more. and it's goin' to be . winner. -
he finished. enthusiastically.
In spite Of herself. Miss Lucys
sternness relaxed.
And what do you play?" she In.
quired, with elaborate indifference.
Pitcher" said Bum, proudly. I'm
the youngest feller on the team, and
can't bat wuth nothin'. but got
speed Ill right
They amt got no kind of pitch
err" Bum continued, vaingloriously
Hes 6oapy Jones. and he Jest come
out OF the House o. Refuse, and he's
an out o practice. ! amt afraid 81
him."
Why, James! Do you associate
with such boys?" exclaimed Miss
Lucy snobbtshly.
Hes . purity good fighter
though" Bum conceded fairly. "He
give me thfs"-touching carefully q
swollen eye. He had previously ex
piained the lsrgeness Of this organ
W the circumstance Of collision with
door while running for the .dilikit''
baby's medicine.
WhatT exclaimed Miss Lucy.
Was II fight?"
We allus has one." said Bum calm.
~. When we git through we all has
q night That ain't nothin'."
7 am very much grieved at your
conduct" Miss Lucy said. with sud.
den return to . sense OF pedagogical
duty. "and / hope It will never occur
AGAIN. negiecting to specify hooky
or nghting. s
But. miss-" began Bum.
II 1t does. you will be reported. .
said Miss Lucy. with . finality all the
more severe because Of her secret
sympathy.
In spite Of this threat she was NOT
surprised ON the next Thursday to ses
Buns seat vacant. She unrelentinx.
ly made out report Of the case and
inserted It IN the truancy fle. to be
investigated the NEXT morning. Then,
having pulled the last struggling mem.
Der Of class A into his coat. she went
out
Class A had been unusually good
that day, the air was soothing and
balmy. and Miss Lucy had ON her new
spring suit, . delicate and becoming
shade Of gray. For these several rea.
sons she fslt particularly at peace
! with the world - she wandered aim.
lessly along. Not noticing her direo.
ton. she suddenly found herself in a
queer region Of half built houses,
odorous dumps. and freight sidinga.
In getk1ng round one Of the dumps shs
suddenly chine upon couple of oid
freight card sidetracked near an empty
lot. On tol Of the cars was seated !
miscAl1aneons crowd devotees Of the
railruad ties and the wander life.
RAGGED youasstsrs, and few callow
and sis1rstto4mokfng youths. Am6nf
the cFewa ehe eaw thres q the
OReilay clan- Patrick. aged nine: