Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-25
The Argus Daily Story
A Football Mystery-By F. A. Mitchell.
Copyrighted 1919. by Associated Literary Bureau


Yale. There had been enough honor
in our having achieved such position
without this meeting. for no one ex-
pected that we could beat Yale In
deed. il was partly luck that had en-
abled us TO beat Princeton. which gave
us the right to play the game for the
championship. A presentiment of evil
came over me. from whence l knew
not. and wished our team would give
Yale the game without a contest.
The afternoon. late in November.
that the game was played was bright
and the air crisp, just the conditions
for trial Of physical strength and
skill. When our boys went out on TO
the field a great shout arose from the
spectators. for all sympathized with
college comprising but thousand stu
dents matched against one comprising
several thousand. | could see Arthur,
standing a head above his fellows.
Indeed. before the kickoff he came
very near where | sat and waved his
hand to me. He looked as we'll as |
had ever seen him, and when smiled
at him could see that 1t affected him
like some invigorating draft.
while the ball was in play at
critical moment something-a piece of
timber. | believe-broke in the stand
where was sitting For a moment it
caused some commotion among those
sitting on the boards. The teams We're
fighting for the ball just below US. and
Arthur hearing the crack or seeing the
stir. thinking l was in danger. turned
his attention to me. Seeing him stand
ing regardless of his work, l arose in
my seat and waved to him. This turn
ed him back to the game Just in time.
Our team was certainly a wonder
for so small a college and from the
very beginning gave its opponents
all they could do to prevent our boys
from scoring, to say nothing of scor-
ing themselves. Indeed, neither side
scored during the early part of the
struggle But just before the first rest
Yale made a touchdown. Soon after
this heavy. wintry clouds changed the
face of the day. and since the game
had begun at late hour 1t was diff
cult for the spectators to see what
tussle was In progress for the ball
when everything suddenly stopped.
knew that an accident had occurred
and was quite sure some one was be-
ing carried off the gridiron. But so
! many persons interviewed between me
and those removing him that l could
| see little of what was taking place.
"A chill. whether from the over
hanging clouds or the accident seemed
to sweep across the field like breeze
from an iceberg. Nothing was done
for some minutes Then the game
recommended. But by this time 1t
was so dark that 1t was impossible for
US spectators to see what was happen
Ing on the gridiron. Ole gigantic
form l could discern. which | took to
be Arthurs in the thick of the fight.
and whenever he threw himself against
his opponents they gave way. l re-
! marked to a girl sitting beside me
that Arthur was doing herculean
feats. She gave me a singular look. a
look l shall never forget.
Don't you see himT | asked.
Isn't that big man driving through
those fellows Arthur?
"She gave me another of those looks.
but made no reply.
AT that moment our boys made
touchdown and kicked a goal. and
some one cried. The only game ever
won by so small college against so
large a one Then every body arose,
and the throng poured out of the in
closure.
81 couldn't understand why I was
looked ut SO strangely by all who knew
me- If | spoke to any of them | was
answered in monosyllables. What did
1t mean? One thing J missed. | ex-
| pected to hear persons enthusiastically
| giving Arthur credit for having by his
prowess turned the scale in favor of
our college. His name was not men
toned by my friends. who surrounded
me and seemed to be forming a sort of
guard about me to keep me from the
others When | got home | went up
to my room to lay aside my wraps.
Then my mother came In. saw that
something awful had happened
1T was Arthur who was carried OF
| the held. During Scrimmage he was
seen to fall and lie stil. his face white
as a sheet. The play was stopped. A
physician put his hand on Arthur's
heart. and IL WAS found to have stopped
beating"
The speaker paused. and her niece
asked
who was the large figure In the
game you thought was Arthur after he
had fallen:'
Il don't know. | was the only per
son present, so far as could learn.
who saw him. believed that he was
Arthur in spirit and that he remained
on the field 10 help Ms comrades In
the flesh But that was some years
ago. Now don't know what to think
about It Yet with my own eyes |
saw him. and ! knew that had 1t not
been for him his team would not have
performed the remarkable work Of
winning against the college that have
always considered stands highest OF
all American universities in athletics -
"Aunty, can understand why you
do not marry"