The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-06-26
In the Arena
Then and
Now.

The lobby was crowded with yell
ing, cheering. excited crowd and the
xir yibrated with the shut-in pulsations
NJ drum corps trying to snow ap
probation and earn their wage. One
io0tball team had beaten another. A
saag suffering friend had paid his
good money and had patiently tried to
explain to me the intricacies OF the
glme, and had been three hours out
in the biting cold and witnessed the
euntest. The crowd about me was
mad, but kept my temper. would
mt even have struck the umpire. To
he sure, l was little disappointed
mat they didn't kill anyone-at least,
1nne died on the place"
] fed early from the lobby and in
10 the cafe, so as to be ahead of the
crowd. and I was, just lap. They
we're all at the bar filling their sys-
iems with strange booze samples, and
hzrling their money at the bartend-
Krs
Leaving the shouted inquiries OF
Who's All Right" that pervaded the
front of the bar, some eight Of the
young fellows came over and surround
e1 table near me. Several of them
Affected those economical postage
stamp caps that do stick to the back
ii their heads, though you can't ever
understand how. Down at the end was
= Jonathan with large feet and ears,
wearing back of his large label re-
firing forehead and an expression OF
anxiety. Looking through him 1 could
nee an old couple back on the farm
NTH anxiety that matched his as they
wandered at the increasing cost Of
text books. He was game, however,
md resolutely again and again swal-
1Dving the beer and high balls that
we're working so rebelliously in and
against him, he inserted large, dan
geFous looking cigar in his face, and
z.0ked about counting approval.
Next him was the cherished son of
wealthy and about-to-be disappointed
RRrents, whose aim in life was to
EAow his worth by demonstrating his
1klity to scatter his dads surplus.
Aever having had occasion to earn a
AsiIar, he had 10 idea there could be
sxu1ble in annexing it. He is now
studying division and subtraction In
ms mathematics. Later on you opine
Ae will have trouble with his addition
and multiplication. Two others are
@ostly out of sight behind the badge
and emblems they wear, and might
n well be passed anyway. as the fell
~ who has to fasten labels to him.
1ek to remember who he is for, is
saly good as placard, anyway. II
st's all outside, there's no use and no
probability of anything inside.
. frequent yells, and "'rah," 'rahs"
eame over from the crowd in the beer
md in front of the bar. They are
- full Of the barkeeper's foam and Of
s1efr own fun and their own super
Haous life, that they have taken pos
session In full. It's their night, and
xAdr eleven have indicated them. It's
~ old thing over again, eleven do
me- work and eleven hundred do the
xeiling.
can't help but think Of the other
eleven, though l know l ought not
10 one wastes thought on the van
1Eiehed. but I can not help but think
4 the poor fellows they carried OF
ne field: particularly OF the poor chap
~ith one eye Kicked black and the
sthcr all bloody, and who fought to
stiu stay in the scrimmage. He was
1gUh bruised and beaten, and his
fhoughts, II he be conscious, must be
but happy.
Involuntarily, my mind carries me
lack to the time I stood at the arena
u the old Coliseum in Rome and pic
hred to myself the fifty thou
mna that used to populate It ana
yhuk down on its tragedies. turning
Mumbs down to see the vanquished
lie. The times aren't so different. Tho
spirit is much the same. In the quiet
q our homes we deplore rough work
N the gridiron, but in the arena we
IN emergency mutter, kill him."
History repeats itself. / opine that
II those old times. after the arena,
he old Roman Charlie Boys" used
70 gather at the thirst dispensary and
throw their surplus at the polite at
sendants and 'rah. 'rah and ask,
What's the matter with Claudius?"
md answer their own question then
inst as they do NOW. ID. Gates In
The Clay Worker.
WHERE TO BUILD.