The Tupelo journal., 1912-12-20

appOln Qer. MalSlo S was OH u SH00t
Of pad paper, but contained a pitiful
little plea.
Honest. Ralph" 1t read. "Fd not
care much what happened II l couldn't
come to 9 you play. but l get tired
roofing when 1 can't tell you after
wards how proud ] I'm of@-our star
pitcher. Please come"
On one side was Maisie with the
possibilities of influential assistance.
combined with the girls brilliant At
tractiveness: ON the other. sweet.
faithful, devoted Bessie. fitted by
training aud inclination to help = man
IN playing not only baseball. but any
game Of life. willing to sit and root
for him II afterwards no would come
to her for comfort and congratular
tions. No wonder that his arm went
back ON him, and that his eyes mis-
judged. Thurston was playing . big
ger game than he realized.
Hes gone STALE" groaned the
grand stand. while the bleachers toot-
ed horns and rang huge cowbeils to
show their disapproval.
Pull him Quit" some yelled as
Thurston continued his blunders; but
as there was no one to take his place,
the captain contented himself with
coaching with all his might, while the
manager tried to stimulate interest by
betting heavily against the Yellow
Feet, covering his money by %judicious-
ly placed bets on the other side, made
by those in his employ.
Finally the first half of the ninth
was reached. The score stood 4 to l,
in favor of the visitors. Instead of
the usual cheering and applause which
had greeted Thurston az he ran to the
box, there came a dead silence more
expressive than any demonstration. AS
he had left the bench, he had caught
girls, and he wished that a hole would
open up before his feet, in which he
might hide from them and the mock
ing crowd. He gritted his teeth.
clenched his fists until the fingers bit
into the palms of his hands, then
began pitching with all his old-time
vigor. AS In the first inning. he put
the men out In one. two. three order,
and the grand stand went wild with
Joy. The Yellow Feet ere not wor.
ried, however, and indinerently trot-
ted out into the field. A e disfg-
ured Compton's face as he swung his
arm. but 1t changed tosaomething else
when Gryce, the captain Of the Black
Flags, struck out q homo run. This
ratified the man In tho box. for he
let the next man get to second on q
line drive that easily passed left field,
and the third took his base on balls.
Thurston then came to bat. His two
Dagger brought in another run and
put a man on second. The next man
hunted, and three bases were filled.
The score was now 4 to 3, with all.
bases filled. The manager, Gordon,
was the next man st bat bot ne
famed out, as did tie Rext. Then
came Burchell. vho always managed
a t~wo-baggers bali rose grace
fully, scared out and ever the head
of right field, aud the men began eat
ing up the ground to get home. Just
as the man from third began to slide,
the ball fell into the glove of the
right fielder, and the pennant be-
longed to the Yellow Feet.
The work of all the Black Flags had
been good. They had assisted again
and again in keeping down the score
of the Yellow Feet when Thurston had
gone t o pieces, and naturally blamed
their defeat ON him. The man said
nothing. Sullenly he changed to his
street clothes, then wrote his resig-
nation. The manager took it, saying
tartly:
"All right, if you feel that way"
81 guess all of you feel that my
room is better than my company"
Thurston said sourly, as he slouched
out of the club house, hands deep in
his pockets, head bent down. Just as
he emerged an automobile dashed by.
In it were several of the cheering
Yellow Feet and Maisie. In the Sec
ond of passing she tossed her head,
looking at him with unbared con-
tempt.
AS he turned to make his way to
the street cars, a soft voice said at
his elbow:
Don't run over me, Ralph" and
starting, he say Bessie smiling up
at him, although her eyes were red
with tears of disappointment.
"They expect too much of you,
working you until your arm goes
stale; it's a shame" she said com.
fortingly.
"Bess," Ralph said, catching her
hand and gripping it hard, I'm a
piker; I went up in the air on this
game, honest"
Everyone does that sometimes"
she said softly.
81 say, Bess," he asked sheepishly.
II wonder if you'd be afraid OF mo
in another kind of gamer" and Bes-
sic understood. She answered. as they
walked slowly towards the street cars:
Not yet, Ralph; I'll root for YOU
always"
Copyright. 1912, by W. @. chapman)