Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-07

almost wondered II they were not germs
themselves. But before he could quite make
up his mind two of them had seized long
round club and were placing their hands on
it, first one, then the other. till one had
clasped the end of the stick. whereupon he
flung the stick down and pointed his fingers
at one of the boys.
His companion beckoned to Boob
The first boy picked another, saying, Il
choose Wabbles.
"Blinker,." shouted the other chooser.
"Hey,~ said Blinker, drawing Sanitas for
ward. choose this kid, will YER"
@Kin he playa
"Sure!"
And Sanitas found himself chosen-for
what he knew not.
The small boy is adaptive, even when
stunted by overeducation, like Sanitas Per
lection Briggs, and inside of five minutes
he had discovered that there was game
called baseball. In ten he was immersed in
it. In fifteen he had crossed the plate with
the first run of his life, and within half an
hour he was calling the umpire robber
| and poking his fst-as grimy a fist as was
| ever seen-into his face, while an admlrlng
clientele stood behind him and exhorted
him:
go it, SAMMY! Doncher leave him bluff
you, SAMMY! He's a robber!~
It was during Sannys sides turn at bat
| (they had given him his nickname), when
blow fell A female voice shrieked from
somewhere:
| George! Oh, Georgy!'
Blinker bent at the knees, and San1tas
wondered why. The voice came again, and
Blinker turned white-white as Sanitas'
linen costume had been.
| "Gee.." he faltered. Its me old woman!
She sent me to the store, gotter go!'
A shaft of horrible recollection struck the
heart of our hero. Miss A1andriver! He
would have been missed By this time, and if
he had
I'll guess I'll be going too he said and
| followed the fleeing Blinker on run across
the field.
@Say,. he gasped, on the heels OF the other,
"give me boost over my fence, will youo"
"Are they after YOU tooo" asked Blinker.
"I-I'm afraid SO"
"Don't tell 'e1n it was me, said Blinker,
| and Sanitas promised.
&c. reaching his yard, Blinker gave him
| the boost. continuing his own retreat almost
before Sanitas had Swarned to the top of the
wall.
With palpitating heart Sanitas waited
| for moment There were no signs that his
absence had been discovered But he
glanced down at his clothes. dirty and ter
r1bly tOuSled: at his shoes, once white can
vas, now-anything else; at his hands
oh, horrors. He was goner! Billions of
germs were creeping around his interior, no
doubt and it would be miracle if he could
get into the house alive. But he must try.
He threw himself to the terracotta yard and
skunk in. Very quietly he went up the stairs
no signs of Miss Mandriver. He sought
the second story before he called her-still
no signs. And then he had most wicked
idea. Perhaps. if he hurried, he could hide
the signs of his sin-he had other white linen
clothes, other white shoes. and he could
wash his hands and face He rushed into
| his room.
TWENTY minutes later he heard the
front door open, and Miss Mandriver
called his name. He answered sweetly.
"Oh," she said as she came upstairs, "you
came in from the yard?"
eyes, Miss Mandriver," said Sanitas
truthfully.
I'll just stepped out to mail letter,
| she said sand was detained at the corner.
Did you miss me when | was gomez"
mo. Miss Mandriver.' said Sanitas with
equal truth:
"You had pleasant afternoon"
dyes, thank you. Miss Mandriver" he
said very, very truthfully.
81 hope you did not play too hard" she