Middletown transcript., 1909-10-23
5THE GIRL FROM THE WEST
BY W. 3. ROSE

And then ne remembered tna6 1t
was quite likely the girl knew no
more about fouls than she did
about Sanscrit.
Do you think ! ought to be
afraid /? she mildly asked.
He assured her that the danger
was slight, and after they were
seated he looked around in the
hope thai he was out Of .earshot
of his friends. To his relief he
failed to discover any personal
acquaintance in his immediate
neighborhood.
Here, he thought, was an ad-
m1rable opportunity to give the
girl q few instructions in the art
of playing the game.
Her big black eyes were taking
in the field, the stands, the COM
ing crowd, the big seoreboard--
and she nodded in admiration.
It's a beautiful scene, she said.
And then he gently called her
attention to the details Of the
game and the rules.
He did this in painstaking
manner, making it as clear as
possible and speaking in guard.
ed voice.
She listened attentively.
Youare very good and patient,
she said, and Twill try hard to
remember all you have told me.
And if l dom t remember | will do
my best to keep still.
No, no, he said, you must ask. !.
all the questions you care to ask
I don't want to spoil your enjoy
ment, and it would be spoiled if
things happened that you
Couldn't understand.
John felt that he was very
magnanimous in this, his magma
unity being considera bly,
strengthened by the fact that the
people about him were strang
ers.
Very well, said the girl. And
if I ask anything too dreadful
you must give me a barbarian
look and scare me back into
silence.
The out-of-town team came on
the field and went through its
practice; and John pointe e d
out the players and explained
their special lines ofskill, and the
girl gave him close attention.
/ have seen the names Of these
men in the papers, she said, and
it's certainly pleasure to have
them pointed out, I want to tell
you, Mr.. Remington, that I am
enjoying all this more than | can
say. There is a charm about the
scene, q hypnotic attraction. |
don't wonder that men are drawn
here-and under the circum.
stances it is very good Of them to
let the ladies come too.
AS long as she talked like this
John was contented. He was
afraid Of what might happen after
the play began.
Then the gong sounded and
the home team had its practice,
and again John pointed out The
players and the girl listened
closely.
Do you know the tall young
man who is just opposite US ?
she asked.
John looked at the player and
then stared at his score card.
That must be the young West
ern pitcher who has just joined
the club and who gets his first
chance in big game to-day. His
name is Garth and he is what is
called a phenomenon-that is a
player who has done wonderful
things.
/ hope he will do wonderful
things to day, said the girl.
That's scarcely to be hoped,
laughed John. He will be up
against the heaviest hitting team
in the league, and the chances
are that be will lose his nerve
long before the game is over.
That would be too bad, said
the girl. He looks so young and
hopeful.
According to the papers, John
went on, he should be good for
about six innings. In the seventh
heis altogether likely togo to
pieces.
Let's hope The papers are
wrong. said the girl, sympathet-
ically. ! can see that the game
will mean so much to him.
/ will. John answered. If he
makes 3 good showing his place
In the league is assured. If he
falls down hard there is no pres
ent hope for him. He will have