Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-05-07

fell to trying to get from him some
thing concerning his antecedents, each
asking him one or more questions. He
answered them In ive different Ian
guages. With bit of chalk he made
q caricature OF wilkins that set every
one who looked at 1t laughing. The
/ bluff baseball man against the versa
tile scholar was like bread club
against rapier OF Damascus steel
wilkins became furious at this I'M
known creature who had crossed his
path and who returned his thrusts with
satire. Courtenay did not seem to
mind Wilkins any more than he would
a gnat, never manifesting toward him
the slightest hostility.
Kate Hathaway was no less at sea
with regard to Mr.. Courtenay than
were the others. He seemed to like
her society, but never made love to
her, nor did he tell her more about
I himself than he told them. There was
certainly a fascination In the man she
could not account for. When listening
to what he said she felt lifted into u
different atmosphere. At times he
would chat with her about the poll
tics of their native land, but no sooner
had he interested her In the subject
than he would skim away like a bird
to ancient Greece, Rome or Egypt
Meanwhile the competing clubs were
making up and practicing. Paddock
had selected the better team, and VIII
kins, who knew his enemy's strength
| and the weakness of several of his
own men, was feeling very much dis
couraged. But during the term of
practice the Ringold team had streak
of bad luck. First their best inielder
was hit in the face by ball and In
capacitated, then their next strongest
man fell and broke his leg, and lastly
their pitcher was taken down with ty-
! phoid fever. Thus In the space of
month the Ringolds were reduced from
| the better to far inferior team.
"why don't you try Courtenay?"
asked man who was sympathizing
with Captain Paddock.
"Whatl That Miss Nancy7 What
could be do at baseball? He'd be all
right for tiddledewinks, but baseball
never"
"You can at least try him in prac-
tice game"
Eyes; | can do that. But what's the
user 1t would be time lost"
Paddock's friend insisted, and Cour-
tenay was invited to show what he
| could do. He accepted the invitation.
What he did on the diamond was kept
a secret. But on the day of the game
when the Ringold team was walking
out on to the oval Bertie conspicuous
in a crimson silk handkerchief around
his neck, was among them. wilkins
remarked him with unconcealed as
constituent.
"Great Scottr' he exclaimed "Is
! that all they could do in making up
their deficiency2 We've got them
sure" - ~,~
The game opened with inconspicuous
J play on the part of the Ringold team.
which had the inning. till 1t came
Courtenays turn at the bat. The
first ball sent him he knocked straight
up In the air, dropped the bat and
walked leisurely around the bases.
Every man of the opposing team stood
! looking up for the ball to come down,
but either 1t did not come down or IL
II did It landed In some other place.
Courtenay completed his walk. and
every one looked mystifed. Some
J maintained that the ball had gone
far out of bounds, but the majority
declared that 1t had gone up in a
straight line and should have fallen
on the plate.
| After ten minutes spent in hunting
all over the field for 1t the hit was
| declared foul. The next ball received
| by Courtenay he sent diagonally into
the corner of the fence inclosing the
field and again began his walk around
the bases. completing II before the ball
| was found.
During the game Captain Paddock
| put the substitute into various posi-
lions. and he did as well In one as In
another He would catch ball whetb-
er 1t came down In a curve or whether
1t was sent from the bat In a line par
allei to the ground. When he pitched
the batter never touched the ball.
When behind the batter no pitcher
could give a ball that he could not
catch. He declined to use body
protector; indeed, there seemed no
need for one. since he could catch any
ball.
when the game was over the hln-
Colds had scored largely. while the
Resigns had made but three or four
runs. Courtenay had carried the game
on his shoulders. and that without any
apparent effort. He had made but
few runs himself. and then 1t seemed
that he had been shot out of gun.
The Ringolds wanted to take him up
on their shoulders and carry him
around the oval. but he protested so
firmly that they desisted
Courtenay was last seen. with the
others. walking toward the dressing
rooms. No one could say that he had
seen him there or seen him leave
there. Some thought that he had tax
en- train that passed about the time
the game was over and gone to his
home, wherever that was. Neverthe-
less the fact remains that without a
word of farewell to any one he left
the oval and the town.
Months afterward Kate Hathaway
met a student of university, to
whom she told the story of Albert
Courtenay.
UOh 7 kpoxv who that tsi Hos Al