Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-06-25

the two boys chung to each other ana
laughed until poor Billy went into a
spasm of coughing. When he could
recover sufficient breath he reproached
Frisbee weakly.
You oughtn't to make me laugh that
way he painted. It's bad for me-"
Pop Frisbee, whose sense of humor
was never his strong point. clamored
for further information.
And this stuff" said he. tapping the
paper accusingly, lis all bunk. l sup
pose? There amt any league here at
ALL"
Pop" said Meegan tearfully, for he
had laughed until he cried, ''you do
US an injustice. You are now in the
presence of the Independent Northern
New Mexico league. Allow me! Mr..
Kilbourne here is the Boston club
Paul Revere, first base; John Adams.
center field; John Harvard, catcher.
Our friend, Chief Antonio here. is the
Apache club-Raw Dog, Bald Hornet.
Singing Mule and others too numerous
to mention. Jefferson Davis johnson
is the Coyote club-nothing less than
a statesman in the lineup, and IL
represent the Mexican population with
the San Miguel Sidewinders. This
gentleman is our official umpire and
score keeper, Mr.. Parks. The games
are played upon the board which you
see on the table-the invention of a
Chicago fan and the cleverest thing of
the sort l yer saw. You have inter-
rupted a great double header between
the Apaches and Coyotes, and the
score is-Parks, what is the official
scorer"
Eight to three, favor of the Apa.
ches," said Parks gravely. Singing
Mule got two more home runs"
Pop looked about him. discovered a
chair and found his way to it upon his
shaking legs.
"Well, Johnny" he remarked grimly,
your bunk newspaper have made an
awful sucker out of me-"
ooh, 1 say!" cried Kilbourne.
you're mistaken, Pop" said Nee
gan earnestly. "It was the fellow
who handed you the copy of the Mes
senger who made a sucker of you"
Here Frisbee turned very red and
sank still deeper into his chair.
"You see, it's this way" continued
Johnny. I'VE get out that paper for
u own amusement. and it's not for
general circulation. We print just
enough to send to our friends. We
fake everything in it, and there's new
er been any intention to fool any one.
You don't know how slowly the time
passes in a place of this sort, and if a
man hasn't something to keep him
busy he's likely to go nutty.
"a pal of mine in Chicago shipped
me this mechanical ball gam device
because he had found it interesting.
We discovered that we could not only
play a regular game on it. but could
score it if we gave names to the coun-
tiers. 1t struck me that we could get
up Il four team league and have a
pennant rae and at the same time get
some live news for u sporting page.
1t has been a good laugh to us and to
our friends. If anybody told you this
league was on the square he lied. and
you'll have to fight it out with him"
There was a long. awkward silence.
Then Pop Frisbee swallowed hard and
acknowledged the corn.
Its up to me-" he said bravely. II
swiped that paper off Charlie Hough's
desk-and | guess it's coming to me.
Johnny.
The Coyote team of the Northern
New Mexico league stood humbly at
Frisbee's elbow as BELTS Il tailender.
He carried Il tray upon which were
placed several long glasses in which
fifty cent a pound ice tinkled eXpen-
Sively.
Let US all have a little drink said
Billy Kilbourne. Johnny, a toast"
Meegan smiled over the top of his
glass at Frisbee.
Il give YOU the Phantom league, gen
tlemen." said Johnny. "There'll never
be another II like it,"
amen to that said Pop F-isbee.
1t would be q pleasant thing to end
this story without mention of its Sc
quel. The joke carried too far some
times becomes Il tragedy.
To do Johnny Meegan justice. he
V intended that the facts concern
ing Frisbee's visit should become pub
lie property. but the friend whom John
ny asked to regard the letter as conf
Dental had Il sense of humor devel-
cped at the expense of his good taste.
Inside Of two weeks the story appear
ed in 400 newspapers. copied from the
original. which was printed in Chicago.
Pop Frisbee and the Phantom league
became the standing joke of the win
ter leagues" and hot stove tanning
bees.
They laughed Pop Frisbee out of
baseball. and they came near laughing
him into an asylum, so in the end the
Phantom league became very real to
him. The joke broke his heart apd
spoiled the best scout in the country
to make a second class street car in