Imperial Valley press., 1911-11-13
WON AT
FOOTBALL
By CARL SARGENT CHASE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
? 9 eEee

''You are too young, my dear, to
marry, by several years, and so is
Billy, who graduated only last year
and Is at the foot of the second lieu
tenants"
The words were spoken by Mrs. Bax-
ter, wife Of Major Baxter, instructor
at West ROint, to her daughter, An
nette, aged seventeen years and eight
months and engaged to Lieutenant
Billy Dolman of the -th infantry.
Besides" continued Mrs. Baxter,
with teasing sparkle in her eye.
"Billy is coaching the football team for
the annual game with the middies
and has all he can do to fit them for
the struggle. He has no time to de-
vote to preparation for matrimony."
II wish you were not so devoted to
our boys winning. mamma" said the
daughter.
"And wish Billy to have his mind
or HIS nnch.rr cvo'u-'-o'r"
Perhaps if he knew that you had
consented to our marriage it would
make him SO happy that he would pull
tie boys through He thinks about
Your refusal all the time"
I'll tell you what III do" said Mrs.
Baxter after some thought. IF Billy's
team wins I'll consent to your wedding
! the minute the game is over"
May l say that to him?''
hot hn
! you must wait year."
Annette rushed off to the telephone.
called up her lover and announced the
conditions.
Mother Is demented about our boys
winning the annual game this year,
and that has induced her to yield what
she has yielded. l never dreamed that
she would ever give us chance. She
has persistently said that l shouldn't
marry before am twenty"
| Billy was so excited over the news
that he told his chum. who told his
other chum, and Annette told her
bosom friend. who told her other
bosom friend. and the result was that
within few days every one knew
"as great secret" that if Billy Dol
man brought the army team up to an
efficiency that would enable them to
beat the middies he was to win a wife.
IF not he would have to wait a year.
Besides the waiting there's many
slip twixt the cup and the lip. Then.
since all the post knew it, Billy told
the team. adding that his cup Of joy
or misery was in their hands.
| All the world loves lover. and the
spirit the announcement infused into
the team was something remarkable.
Every man went into more steady
training than before and not man
shirked moment of practice when
the team was being coached. Billy
worked with them like Titan. In
deed. so hard did he make it for them
! that every man who was not physical
| ly up to his work got out and gave
place to a better. The result was
| that when the last few days before
the game came round Billy was con-
| scious of having as good a team as
could he turned out Of the material at
his disposal
training went out to view the practice
game. but her appearance was marked
by a cheer. which brought the blush
of maidenly modesty to her cheek. and
she did not venture on the field again.
Then came the day of the fight.
which that year took place at West
Point. The president Of the United
States. the chief Of the general staff
and hosts Of others in authority were
spectators. The middies marched on
to the ground headed by their band.
while the cadets kept step to the
strains Of their own martial music.
Annette. conscious that she. being the
prize Of the day. would attract un-
bounded attention. refused to be pres
ent, but the captain of the army team
sent word to her that If she did not
come to cheer his boys he would not
answer for the consequences. This
brought her to terms. and when Lieu
tenant Dolman escorted her to her
seat she was received by huzza
from the army team and the waving
of handkerchiefs from the spectators.
In the first half the middies made
one touchdown. distinguishing them
selves by brilliant play. The army
men showed as much vigor and de-
termination at the end of the half as
at the beginning. In the second half
that esprit born of the feeling that the
fate OF a pair Of lovers depended on
their efforts began to tell on the army
men. while the elan of the earlier
part Of the game shown by the MID
dies began to give way. Billy Dolman
kept himself constantly before their
notice. And from her seat Annette
Baxter waved to them. When time