Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-06-30
Among the
Apple Trees
II Story Of Farm
Life
BY CLIFFORD v. GREGORY
By CLIFFORD v. GREGORY
Copyright. 1910. by American
Press Association

cnalr up 10 the taDle ana reached TOT
the cards. The boys gathered around
and watched breathlessly. for some
thing in Harold's tense face and la
bored breathing told them that more
than the mere money was at stake.
They had seen him lose larger
amounts than that with careless
smile on his face.
But again the fates were against
him, and again his plays were I'M
lucky. With a groan he pushed back
his chair and rushed from the room
to pass a sleepless night tossing to
and fro and living over again those
few brief hours of the evening be-
fore
His chum met him at the foot Of the
stairs as, haggard and worn. he came
down to breakfast the next morning.
Here's a chance 10 make good yet"
he whispered minnesota has sent
up $500 to place on the game. We've
all agreed to give you the first chance
at it,"
"I'll take It," said Harold quickly.
1.-The fates may be against me, but
In a football game I'm not afraid Of
even fate"
Long before o'clock the crowd be-
gan to flow through the gate and up
on TO the long bleachers. Beth had
secured seats near the center, and the
girls were waiting excitedly for the
appearance of the contending teams.
At about fifteen minutes of 2 the Min
nesota team trotted on to the field.
"Oh, seev cried Mabel. catching
Gladys by the arm. There's JEFF"
But Gladys had already seen him
and was waving a Minnesota pennant
with all her might
JEFF saw them at almost the same
instant and waved his hand.
Doesn't he look big and strong in
those football things? cried Mabel.
"And oh. see. there's Harold" as the
Iowa team came running out. The
crowd was on its feet in an instant,
and the Iowa yell echoed across the
campus as the two teams lined up.
Then the whistle blew, and the great
game was on. Mabel put her hand
kerchief to her eyes as the two lines
came together with thud that shook
the tense air. Gladys only wished that
she had more eyes in order that she
might see more Of IL
"Seew she cried, Selling Beth by the
arm as Jeff, who was playing quarter,
broke away for twenty yard run
down the field toward Iowa's goal 1t
looked for u moment as If he had got
clear away, and then with a long
jump Harold tackled him. and they
went down together.
Play followed play in quick success
sion, but it seemed to the girls that it
was largely a fight between the two
opposing quarterbacks, with the rest
of the players to lend color to the
scene.
The first half passed with no score.
and the whistles called the men up for
the final struggle. Minnesota secured
the ball on the kickoff. and their ia
nous flying wedge" took them back
nearly to the center of the field. Then
JEFF got away with the ball and ad-
vanced it to lowa's forty yard line.
A line smash took 1t five yards far
Their, and there it stuck. Twice the
great human machines came together.
and twice Minnesota failed to gain.
AS a last resort Jeff dropped back to
kick goal. 1t was a magnificent kick,
and the ball sailed squarely between
the posts.
The handful OF Minnesota supporters
went wild with delight, and when
Gladys came to herself she was wav-
ing a plug hat with one hand and her
pennant In the other, while the bald
headed old gentleman who sat in the
seat ahead looked up at her In panied
surprise.
Again the teams lined up. Minnesota
flushed with victory, Iowa doggedly
determined. Harold backed up Iowa's
KICKOFF with a great run and a mag
nifcent tackle, and Iowa held the ball
on Minnesota's thirty 1--we yard line.
The Iowa supporters went wild yell
Ing for q touchdown, but Minnesota's
line was like a stone wall. and Iowa
had no alternative but to kick. The
ball was quickly passed back to Har.
old. but the hard game and the sleep
less night were beginning to tell on
him. and be fumbled. He immediate
ly recovered and kicked. but the Min.
nesota men were on top Of him. and
the chance for score was lost Min
nesota kicked the ball out Of danger
and then followed ten minutes o.
steady hammering. with no apparent
advantage on either side
Harold was getting desperate. The
disgrace OF defeat and the dis
grace OF whole years straight liv
ing thrown away In single nights
dissipation stared him I'm the face.
They must not lose. He clinched
his teeth as he called the signal for
a quarterback run. lie put the last
ounce of desperate strength he had
left into that run. Ten yards. TWEEN.
ty. thirty. he went Only fifteen more
m, 81 ~. Col n