Audubon County journal., 1911-06-08
CHAPTER TX.
4 Win a canltal Prize.

Win Capital Prize.
When the season of 1875 opened l
did not even dream that 1t was to be
my last in Philadelphia. Ny salary
of $1,000 was satisfactory to me, and
had every reason to believe that my
work was satisfactory to the manage
ment Of the Athletics. More than
that-a whole lot more 1t seemed to
me-my love affair was going on
swimmingly. and Just then Philadel-
phia seemed nearer paradise than any
other spot on earth.
That year baseball took . remark.
able spurt. Thirteen clubs entered
the championship arena. OF these the
Quaker city came to the front with
three. and st. Louis, Just opening her
eyes TO the beauties Of the game, put
two into the field. The series that
year consisted Of ten games, six to
be played as the legal requirement.
At the end Of the season only seven Of
of the original 18 would-be champions
had fulfilled the conditions. Three Of
them had fallen by the wayside before
the season was half over. For tho
fourth successive season the Bostons
carried off the honors, with a record
that beat anything that had ever been
done in baseball-out of 70 games
they won II and lost but eight.
The Athletics cltmed back to sec
ond place that year, playing 73 games
in all, winning SO and losing 20. That
WAS satisfactory to the Athletic man
agement, but 1t was not altogether so
to A. O. Anson. had strong hank
ering to belong to a championship
team, and had 1t not been for my little
romance under way in Philadelphia
should have been looking about to
see how could work it. AS it was,
didn't worry a great deal over any
thing else until l had brought the
courtship to the engagement point.
Then l drew long breath and began
to look around little.
But first let me tell you about that
romance. If it's true that "All the
world loves lover" you'll be glad to
hear about 1t; anyhow, like to talk
about 1t once in a while. just to re-
fresh my memory. And I'm going to
start right out by saying that If mar
riage is lottery, as has been said,
won the capital prize when got the
woman who has been my constant
companion for the past IS years.
Her name was Virginia NJ illegal,
and the first Ime ever saw her was
at ball given by the National Guards
soon after my arrival in Philadelphia.
At that time she was fair-haired,
blue-eyed maiden of not more than
thirteen years, and as demure and shy
as little Quakeress on First day.
have never been able to get the
slightest evidence that she was con-
scious Of my existence on that partic-
ular evening, but before 1t was over
discovered that she had made de-
cided impression on me. 1t seemed
absurd, and l couldn't explain 1t, but
1t was done, just the same.
BY this time, guess, you must
have pretty fair idea of what was
in those days. If you haven't, don't
mind telling you that wasn't whole
lot to look at-just a husky, long
legged chap, somewhat after the big
kid order, with hide that no amount
of sun and weather could make blush
proof and hair that just escaped be-
ing brindle Tough proposition to put
up against little woman of the only
dauehter order, wasn't it?
Well, there wasn't anything swift
about our acquaintance. 1t was
months after that night before l saw
her again, and she had grown almost
out Of my recollection. In the interim
she had passed into the long dress
stage, and couldn't help thinking she
had improved nightly. l also felt
certain that had parted with some
OF my uncouthness, although had by
no means graduated from the awk-
ward squad. remember that as l
was prleented to her for the second
time | congratulated myself interiorly
that | was wearing my best necktie, q
gorgeous affair of saffron colored satin
literally besprinkled with deep blue
polka dots.
She saw me all right On that oc-
casion: she couldn't help 1t. That
necktie did the business. She told me
long afterward that 1t was revela-
ton to her; that she had never seen
anything SO rank in the way of haber-
dashery, and that she was seized with
q burning desire to exchange few
words with the wearer of such a dan
ger signal. 1 gave her every oppor-
tunity to do SO. and plucked up my
courage and tried to make myself
agreeable. Strange as 1t may seem. she