davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

1t and then get back to the bag be-
fore the runner.
Nor would "Smoke-b balp' have time
to run over and Cover first base.
Clearly, he must field the ball and
make the throw to FATTY" who. hav-
ing come to his decision. had rushed
back to his base.
But, mind you, the ball was bound
ing along a step or two in front of
Smoke BALI and he, leaning down as
he ran, did not seem to be able to
catch up with it. In the meantime
and far quicker, of course than 1t
takes to tell about it-Bert was near
ing first base, while Hal was but a
few steps from the home plate, with
Frank already turned third"
Then-then came the luck. the
"break" that Tucked out" for the
Red Lots in the ninth inning. But,
don't forget there was also the head
work"
Smoke ball" as he reached for the
elusive sphere gave one fieeting
glance over his shoulder and realized
instantly that he would not have time
to capture the ball and throw 1t to
Fatty" ahead of Bert. So, taking
the one desperate chance that remain
ed, and the one that, mark you, he
thought of, he gave a quick leap after
the ball and-kicked it toward first,
trusting blindly that IL would go
straight or thereabouts.
1t did, too-the rankest kind OF
luck-for you can try kicking such a
ball toward base a hundred times
and you will be lucky If it rolls true
three times out of hundred
And "Fatty?" Well, Fatty" also
had real gray matter under his
tousled head.
He saw the kick and the ball com.
ing his way. Quick as a flash he
measured the angle with his eye and
realized that he would not be able
to stand on the bag, stoop down and
pick up the ball. There was but one
chance for him, for the "kick" was
trifle wide.
| So digging his spikes in the cush-
ion he threw himself full length on
the ground and reached out for the
now rapidly moving sphere.
And he caught it, too, holding II
up SO the umpire could see it and
still retaining his foothold on the bag
"Out!" yelled the umpire, as the
flying Bert touched the base one ster
too late.
The game was overl The Red Lot.
had won by lone to nothing" score
Luck? Indeed yes! But!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

as he drew his hand away to escape
the hatchet. And-well, then Tommy
lost his balance and disappeared from
sight. The children could hear him
fall to the ground on the other side
of the fence-and he said something
awful too, as he hit the ground.
Hurrahl' cried the Indian braves
and 'Hurrahl' echoed their squaws.
Put that hatchet downl' yelled
Tommy, from the other side of the
fence. Dare you to put that hatchei
down'
You climb UP there again. Tom.
my Jones' answered Frank, and
and I'll-Ill cut your fingers off
and your arm-and-and your head
too!'
'Wait'll I get you outside called
Tommy, as he made off. to bully boyi
not armed with hatchets. no doubt
'Waitll 1 catch you without thai
hatchetp
But Frank wasn't In the leas
afraid-for how could any boy b,
afraid of a boy who was himseli
afraid of hatchsh made of paper?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07
81 OyPpUZZLE|
OOPNER
HIDDEN TOOLS.

HIDDEN TOOLS.
l. The ham merchant came II
town.
2. The sound of thunder was aw
full.
3. Harv is eternally teasing his sis
ter.
a. How much is electricity worth
5. Up lanes and down hills the!
tramped.
8. Hear the wren chirpI
Z. She was going to teach them al
etiquette.
8. Be sure and gauge rightly.
FAMILIAR los.
Example: An insects feeler-ten
tacle.
1. A renter. 2. Soft, delicate. 3
An apartment house. 4. A male voice
.. A canvas shelter 6. A cut of beef
steak. Z. To watch. s. The time o
verb. 8. Adhesiveness. 10. An out
door game.
ANSWERS.
Hidden Tools: l. Hammer. 2. Sau
3. Wise. A. Chisel. 8. Plane. 6. Wrench
z. Mallet. 8. Auger.
Familiar los: l. Tenant. 2. Tender
3. Tenement. 4. Tenor. 5. Tent. Z
Tenderloin. Z. Tend. 8 Tense.
Tenocity. 10. Tennis.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

hatchet; and it was not until you
picked it up and felt it that you could
discover it was made of nothing more
harmful than stiff payer board.
"The children were delighted-for
by this time Maud with three of her
little girl friends had returned-and
rushed out into the yard to erect their
tents. What great time they haa,
too, building that encampment! Frank
borrowed a real hatchet from the
cook and with it dug four holes about
five feet apart. Then, into each hoie
he placed a clothes-pole. or prop
packing the earth down tigntiy
around them so they would stand up
right. And between each two OF them
he stretched a piece of clothes-hne,
over which. a sheet was thrown so
that it could be stretched out and
fastened down to small wooden pegs
driven into the ground on either side.
Thus, you see, they had two fine
tents, side by side.
"And now came the work for the
squaws. They collected a pile OF
rocks and placed them in circle on
the ground within each tent. This
was the Fireplace, over which they
were to do all the cooking for their
braves, even though they did not
have real fire and the food was moth
ing but crackers and cheese. Next.
each squaw took one of the blankets,
folded 1t and laid it down on the
ground along one side of the interior
Of tho tent
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

the grocer's and nail 1t to the plank
about ten inches from the front end
and with the opening of the box
facing the rear of your new speed
marvel" Nail a short stick of wooo.
to the top of the box so that 1t will
project beyond each side and be avail
able as handle bars. Now you are
ready for your ride.
Bend over, grip both of the handle
bars tightly, get a good running start
down hill if possible) hop aboard
and you are flying over the ground.
That is of course, after you have
learned to balance yourself, which
feat, after all. Is not as difficult as
riding a bicycle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

batters had hit him safely was de-
cidedly disconcerting. But he swal-
lowed the lump in his throat and set
tied down grimly to his task.
Ball onen, called the umpire.
Smoke ball' wound up again, grit
ting his teeth and vowing he would
put everything he had on that ball.
"Strike! called the umpire.
And then, a moment later, Strike
two!'
Things looked brighter whole
lot brighter. Indeed, a Red Lot vic
tory was in sight.
Smoke ball" let fly again. a fast
breaking outcurve at which he hoped
Bert would swing and miss.
Bert struck at it-but he didn't
miss 1t.
Nor did he catch 1t squarely.
Instead, the very tip-end of his bat
hit it just hard enough to send il
rolling along between pitcher and
first base. 1t travelled but little fast
er than if 1t had been bunted, and yei
not fast enough to reach the second
baseman and give him an opportu-
nifty to field 1t and make the play al
first. Indeed it was a lucky bounce
and it threatened to be a scratch in
field hit.
Bert was off for first base the in
stant his bat met the ball and need
less to state, Hal was coming in from
third like a house afire. while Frank
was hitting only the high places in
his wild dash from second.
| Now, Smoke ball' was an unusual
ly good fielding pitcher and, as 6
rule, sure death to bunted balls. But
this one was not exactly a bunt. II
was rolling along in that narrow lit
tie groove just out of reach of the
pitcher and not quite in the territory
of the first baseman.
Ned williams, the Red Lot second
baseman, came running in as fast as
he could: but it was Immediately evil
dent that he could never reach the
slowly bounding ball in time to make
the play.
Fatty" Henry, who. held down frs
base for the Red Lots, started tc
come in for the ball, but saw instant.
] ly that he would not be able to catch
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

- HAT sure was one lucky play!'
How many times have you
heard the above exclamation at
- a ball game? Dozens of times,
no Doubt And usually. too, 1t is said
in tone of disgust that gives not
one iota of credit to the player who
figured in the play.
And yet--if you but stop and think
about tit isn't all luck. Something
is due the player. There Is no sport
In the world, perhaps, where the ele-
ment of luck plays such an important
part as 1t does in baseball. At the
same time, though, If you but analyze
1t, the lucky play, or the "break"
that comes, invariably has behind 1t
or In It the quick thinking or the
quick playing of the player who
makes It. The opportunity presents
ttSelf-which is luck, If you like
but, also, the fellow figuring In the
-lucky break" invariably does some
thing to help 1t along.
4 Only the other day the famous Red
Lot Team figured in play of this
sort. It was q most amazing play
one that was duplicated but once this
season In the American League, and
ono which. the chances are, will not
occur again In years and years.
So far as actual playing ability was
concerned, any man who could stop
and hold baseball rolling along the
ground at a moderate speed could
have performed 1t; but it did take
mighty quick "headwork" on the part
of the players involved, in both the
American League game and in the
one the Red Lots played against the
Millville team.
The fight had been a fierce one
For seven full innings the two juve-
nile teams had been at It nip and
tuck. with each of them threatening
to send a run over the plate. yet only
to have it nipped in the bud by a
double-play, strike-out, pop foul
back of the catcher. or a sharp bit
Of fielding. Each team had gone to
the bat seven times and been turned
back again to find a goose egg"
chalked up against them on the score
cards.
Smoke -balP' Thompson, the crack
pitcher of the Red Lots was at his
best. fairly burning" his fast break
ing swift one" over the plate and
then suddenly changing to his slow
'foater" that utterly deceived the
batsmen. But even at that, he had
been in 'hot water" several times,
for the Millville nine was a team that
could whale the ball" to all corners
OF the lot. Every man Jack of them
was a slugger. Indeed. had anyone
but smoke balP' been in the box for
the Red Lots he would long since have
been buried under an avalanche of
hits.
And Tom Pearson, the Millville
pitcher. had been almost as effective.
Time and again he had managed to
work out of bad holes"-sometime
through his own superb pitching, but
more often through the stonewall de-
fense of the infield behind him.
Then. in the eighth inning, after
the Millvilles had been to bat and re-
tired without a run. the Red Lots
had managed to send one run over
the platoon single to center, a
sacrifice and sizzling bounder down
the third-base line. hot from rip"
Dugan's bat.
Thus the score stood Red Lots, 1;
Millville. 0. And now 1t was the ninth
inning.
So. hope beating high in their
hearts, they trotted out on the field
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

as fast, straight one crossed the IN
side corner of the plate. One out.
Fred threw down his bat in dis
gust-not at the umpire's decision.
but at his own misjudging of the ball.
Indeed, 1t almost seemed that he was
crying as he walked slowly back to
the bench.
The next batter cut loose at the
first ball pitched and sent up an easy
little pop-foul that RIP" Dugan, the
Red Lot catcher, hardly had to move
out of his tracks to catch. Two out
1t looked bright indeed for the Red
Lots, "easy" in fact, and the rooters
began to cheer and yell that the game
was already won.
Then suddenly things began to hap
pen.
Smoke BALI seemed to go to
pieces.
Under such favorable circumstances
1t was almost inexplicable. But. you
know, even the best of them "blow
up" at the most unexpected moment
and, mark you, a game of baseball is
never won or lost until the last man
is out.
Frank Osborn, their star shortstop.
stepped to the plate and lined out
beautiful single to right field. Hal
going clear around to third and Frank
taking an extra base on the futile
throw-in to the bag to catch Hal.
This put runners on second and third
and two out!
1t was ticklish moment.
A clean hit, or an error, would GER
tainly score both Hal and Frank,
thus not only tying the score, but also
putting the Millvilles one run ahead.
The large crowd of rooters that had
accompanied them from their home
town were dancing about like wild
men. Indeed, they seemed to have
changed places with the Red Lot
hackers who, moment or two be-
fore, had already figured the game as
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

~ NCE, Dorothy, when your broth
er Frank was a small boy" said
Mamma after she had raised
" the window and turned out the
light that the room might be cool for
the little sleeper, "he had most ex-
citing time playing wild Indian. In
deed, he proved himself quite brave
Indian as you shall presently see.
"One afternoon he and several of
his little playmates decided to set up
an Indian camp in the backyard and
pretend they were wild Redskins liv-
ing on the plains, hunting wild beasts
and dancing war-dances. So they
came to me for something with which
to make their tents. Along with them
came your sister Maud, too-she was
then no older than you are now, you
know. And poor Maud was crying as
though her little heart would break.
"T wants to play Injun, too,
Mamma. wants to play!' she told
me between her sobs.
"'Aw, shucks. Mamma objected
Frank. She wants to play in every
thing-this isn't any girls camel!
but it is, Frank 1 explained.
campment without any squaws?
That's what the Indians call their
wives. you know, 'squaws.' And no
camp is complete without them
Maud clapped her hands and
shouted for joy, but Frank and his
little boy friends looked very doubt
full about it. So I explained it to
|'them all over again and told them
how the Indians always made their
squaws do all the work of cooking
the meals and taking care of the
camp while they. the braves of the
tribe, were out hunting or on the
war-path.
80, presently, Frank and the boys
agreed that they must have not only
Maud but several of her little friends
to be their squaws. And while Maud
went across the street to find her very
dearest little playmates, I took the
boys up in the attic to see what we
could find that would make the back
yard look like an Indian encampment.
II discovered two very old sheets
which. they declared. would make
fine tents stretched over poles. And
presently came across an old feath-
er-duster. Also, there were two pairs
Of blankets and Frank begged SO hard
for them and promised to take such
good care of them that 1 finally con-
sented. After all, you know. every
Indian has his blanket.
But the luckiest find OF all was q
paper hatchet, left over from a
George Washington's birthday party
we had the year before. It's round
handle was made of paper colored to
look exactly like the handle to real
hatchet. And q part Of the head Of
! the hatchet was painted red. with tho
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

round in circle, stamping tn cir feet
and yelling so hard thet enc might
have imagined they were real Indians
giving their war-cries. Oh, but they
were having a good time. Suddenly
the dance stopped. Tommy Jones,
the very worst boy in all the neigh
borhood, had climbed the back fence
and was looking down at them.
'Hun1ph!' he sneered. You're fine
Injuns, amt you-playing with girls!'
And Tommy swung his other leg over,
preparatory to jumping down into the
yard
Here, you stay out!' called Frank.
You let us alone!'
'What?' yelled Tommy. Who
you tall1in TOP
Tommy, you see, wasn't used to
being spoken to in this fashion, for
most all the little boys in the neigh
borhood were afraid of him and he
bullied them at every opportunity.
Franks little friends made bold
by his example. gathered round him
to back him up; while the little girls,
too, stood by holding their ground
but very much frightened.
"'You go awayn said Maud. You're
a bad boy, Tommy Jones!
"Whereupon, Tommy sneered and
took hold of the fence. ready to JUMP
down into the yard. But Frank, as
brave as a real Indian, rushed toward
him, brandishing his hatchet ano
making vicious swings with 1t at Tom
my's legs. Tommy saw the hatchei
flashing in the sunlight and quickly
swung back over the fence SO thai
he was resting on top of it on his
elbows and holding on with his
hands.
"'Get out of here, Tommy Jones!
yelled Frank, rushing up close to the
fence. Get out-or Ill chop your
fingers OFF, And with that he made
wild swing with the hatchet at one
of Tommy's hands.
Stop! Stop! Help!' cried Tommy
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07
The SkatemObile

inches wide.
Fasten one set of rollers Cfrom the
skate you have already separately to
the bottom of the plank. at one end
of 1t; then attach the other set of
rollers to the other extremity of the
board, about two inches from the end.
If you have trouble in fastening the
rollers with nails, screws, etc, take
them and your board to any bicycle
repair store and they will rivet them
on for you. So much for the body
of your new skatemobile.
Next, pick out nice soap box at
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

- VERY boy his own chauffeur
" provided he owns skatemobile!
~ No, it isn't exactly an auto nor
yet pair of roller skates; though 1t
is more or less, sort of combination
of the two. And it is made in this
fashion,
First, take one of that pair of roller
skates of yours that you have discard
ed for the brand new and finer pair
your Uncle gave you the other week.
Separate 1t fore and aft. Then saw
out piece of board. about one yard
long, about an inch thick and three
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07
won and had been celebrating ac-

won and had. been celebrating ac-
cordingly.
From the latter's standpoint many
things were possible any one of
which they were praying for with all
their might and main. Another pop
foul; long fly to the outfield that
would fall into unwavering hands;
a "grounder" cleanlX caught and
thrown to first, or./best of all. a
strike out-these were all ways in
which the game would be saved and
won for them.
Up to the plate stepped Bert Marks,
the Millville captain. His very stride
as he walked showed the grim deter
mination in his heart to hit that ball.
And in his eye there was a look that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

272ALKING out with papa. that's best fun | know.
NAE And I'm always ready when he wants to go.
&M@ Cause | know wherever may walk herell be
Curious sights a-plenty and new things to
Sometimes we go trampng down the river way,
Where the boats sailing and the breezes play.
And the sails a-geaming in the sunshine bright
And the sparkling water make the finest sight.
Sometimes in the country walk. oh. SO far
Through the woods and meadows where flowers are;
Sometimes down the valley. sometimes up the hil
Sometimes round the long road by the old burnt mill.
And think the last is the best OF all
For the ml-pond reaches to the roadside wall.
And throw stones it, splash up in foam
Until papa calls me and start for home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

The strips held the feathers in place
beautifully and really the whole made
quite a respectable war bonnet. The
little girls-I mean squaws-found 1t
much easier to arrange their feath-
ers for, you see, all they had to do
was to stick them in their hair.
"Then the dance began. They all
Joined hands and danced round and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07
ales gthe Red Lot Team
"Lucking Out" in the Ninth

and took their places, every man of
them on his toes and determined to
stop 'em."
Over on the Millville bench Bert
Marks. the captain, was exhorting his
men to land on her." And, as Fred
Noble, their star second-sacker, step
ped up to the plate, it was quite evi-
dent that he meant business.
But SO did "Smoke-ball." Strike
ike-ball-ball-the umpire's
decision ran. and then. You're out!"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

I'm the meantime the boys had
been busy fixing themselv up as In
dams. First. they pulled the longest
and most war-like looking feathers
out of the old duster. Then they
begged an old but clean rag from the
cook and tore it into strips. Each
boy tied two of the strips around his
forehead as tightly as he could and
then stuck a kalf-dozen or so of the
feathers in between it and his head.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

comes into the eyes of men-and
boys, too-when they are placed "up
against it" and expect to deliver the
goods.
"Smo moke- ball''-yes, 1t must be con-
fessed-even he was slightly ratified.
The pinch was tight, and moreover,
the thought that the two preceding
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07
X@GEEpl-ZZHE ALEcS Ra
NZI7HE EST O1XEsyF11tl
PLAYING IrNDIAN.

rest of it colored TO look exactly like
the keen, sharp blade of real one.
Indeed, from a distance, you would
have been certain it was a real
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

. NCE, Dorothy. when your broth
er Frank was small boy" said
Mamma after she had raised
tho urindnn on1 t,,rpa5 ont th q
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

. HAT sure was one lucky play!"
How many times have you
heard the above exclamation at
hall qama2 D0zans of times
The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-09-08
WANTED TO HELP
THE BOT TIE INDUSTRY
And They Thought Auto
lists Could Easily Afford
New Tires.

John Traits and Frank Gorowick
combined pleasure with what they con-
ceived to be duty, yesterday, using
beer bottles a means to this end
The result was that they were bottled
themselves, in the East Chicago police
station.
The two men picked a very poor spot
for their operations, Forsythe avenue
and 145th street. They had a large
number of beer bottles which they cast
into the road, breaking them, and then
waited for the joy wagons to come
along and burst their tires. They had
caught but a few tires. when Officers
Nangle and his eagle eye noticed their
sport and put end to 1t by arresting
both men. They explained that they
thought a little innocent pastime of the
kind they were indulging in, would
hurt no one. The auto owners could
afford to buy new tires. and they were
for bracing up the bottle blowing In
dustry, which they understood had Ell
perienced a setback since so many
men had gone on the water wagon.