Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-11-28

IL can never think or speak Of my
efforts to encourage Arthur to win the
game for his college without suffering.
If any one who knew OF his weakness
had told me OF II Arthur might have
been alive today. ] don't blame him,
but do blame them.
arthur carried his team through all
the games preliminary to the one for
the championship successfully, and
when the two colleges which were to
play the final game went out on to the
gridIron they were our college and
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. 1t 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 | knew
not, and | wished our team would give
Yale the game without contest.
1.-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 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 head above his fellows.
Indeed. before the kickoff he came
very near where | sat and waved his
hand to me. He looked as well as
had ever seen him. and when ] smiled
mt him | could see that 1t affected him
like some invigorating draft.
while the ball was In play at
critical moment something's piece OF
timber. | believe broke In the stand
where | was sitting. For n moment It
caused some commotion among those
sitting on the boards The teams were
fighting for the ball Just below us, and
Arthur herring the crack or seeing the
stir, thinking | was In danger. turned
his attention TO me. Seeing him stand
ing regardless of his work. | arose in
my seat and waved to him. This turn
ed him back to the game just In time.
"Our team was certainly II wonder
for so small II college and from the
very beginning gave its opponents
ali 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 II touchdown. Soon after
this heavy. wintry clouds changed the
face of the day, and since the game
had begun at a late hour 1t was diff
cult for the spectators to see what
was going on on the field. A fierce
tusslc 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 ! could
see little OF what was taking place,
"A chin. whether from the over
hanging clouds or the accident, seemed
to sweep across the field like a breeze
from m iceberg. Nothing was done
for some minutes, Then the game
recommended But by this time II
was So dark that 1t was impossible for
us spectators to see what was happen,
! Ing on the gridiron. One gigantic
form | could discern. which | took to
be Arthur's In the thick of the fight,
i and whenever he threw himself against
his opponents they gave way. | re-
marked to girl sitting beside me
! that Arthur was doing herculean
feats She gave me singular look, n
! look | shall never forget
Don't you see himY | 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 n
touchdown and kicked goal and
some one cried. The only game ever
won by so small college against So
large one" Then everybody arose,
and the throng poured out of the in
closure
81 couldn't understand why | was
me, II | spoke to any OF them | was
answered in monosyllables. What did
It mean? One thing | missed | ex-
pected to hear persons enthusiastically
giving Arthur credit for having by his
prowcss 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 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
at was Arthur who was carried of
the field During n scrimmage he was
seen to fall and lie still. his face white
rs n sheet. The play was stopped, A
physician put his hand on Arthur's
heart, and II was found to have stopped
beating"
The speaker paused. and her niece
asked: