Putnam patriot., 1915-06-25

and talked DaseDall, and got up to show Rudie how he could have got the goat of that Keokuk catcher if only he had tried one of his famous open faced throws. Rudie looked politely interested, and laughed in all the right places. But Ivy didn't need to pre- tend. Rudie Schlachweiler spelled baseball to her. She did not think of her caller as good-looking young man in blue serge suit and a white shirt waist. Even as he sat there she saw him as blond god standing on the pitchers mound. with the scars of bat tie on his baseball pants, his left foot placed in front of him at right angles with his right foot, his gaze fixed CD first base in a cunning effort to de- ceive the man at bat in that favorite attitude of pitchers just before they get ready to swing their left leg and hisf one over
 The second time that Rudie called. Ma Keller said:
 Ivy. I don't like that ball player coming here to see you. The neigh borsn talk"
 The third time Rudie called. Pa Kel- Ter said: Whats that guy doing here again?"
 The fourth time Rudie called. Pa Keller and Ma Keller said, in unison: This thing has got to stop.
 But it didn't. It had had too good a start. For the rest of the season Ivy met her knight of the sphere around the corner. Theirs was a walking courtship. They used to roam up as far as the state road and down as far as the river, and Rudie would fain have talked of love, but Ivy talked of baseball.
 Darling" Rudie would murmur, pressing Ivy's arm closer, when did you first begin to care?"
 Why, I liked the very first game I saw when dad"
 T mean, when did you first begin to care for me?"
 oh When you put three men out in that game with Marshalltown when the teams were tied in the eighth in- ming. Remember? Say. Rudie dear, what was the matter with your arm today? You let three men walk. and Albia's weakest hitter got home run out of you.
 "Oh. forget baseball for a minute, Ivyl Let's talk about something else. Let's talk about-us."
 Us? We'll you're baseball, aren't you?" retorted Ivy And if you are, am. Did you notice the way that Ottumwa man pitched yesterday? He didn't do any acting for the grand stand He didn't reach up above his head, and wrap his right shoulder with his left toA, and swing his arm three times and then throw seven inches outside the plate He just took the ball in his hand, looked at 1t curious ly for moment, and fired it-zingi- like that, over the plate. I'd get that ball if I were you"
 Isn't this a grand night?" mur- mured Rudie.
 But they didn't have a hitter in the bunch" went on Ivy And not man in the team could run. That's why they're tail-enders. Just the same, that man on the mound was a wizard, and if he had one decent player to give him some support"
 We'll. the thing came to a climax. One evening, two weeks before the close of the season, Ivy put on her hat and announced that she was going downtown to mail her letters.
 Mail your letters in the daytime" growled Papa Keller.
 q didn't have time today" an- swered Ivy. Tt was a thirteenth ming game. and it lasted until six o'clock"
 It was then that Papa Keller banged the heavy fist of decision down on the library table
 This things got to stopl" he thun- dered "I won't have any girl of mine running the streets with a ball player, understand? Now you quit seeing this seventy five dollar month bush leaguer or leave this house. l mean it.
 'All right" said Ivy, with a white hot calm. m leave. I can make the grandest kind of angeLfood with marshmallow icing. and you know yourself my Judges can't be equaled. He'll be playing in the major league in three years. Why just yesterday there was a strange man at the game-a city man, you could tell by his hatband and the way his clothes were cut. He stayed through the whole game, and never took his eyes of Rude l Just know he was a scout for the Cubs.
 Probably a hardware drummer, or a fellow that Schlachweiler owes money to-"
 Ivy began to pin on her hat A scared look leaped into Papa Keller eyes He looked a little old. too. and drawn, at that minute He stretched forth a rather tremulous hand
 'Ivy-girl he said
 "What?" snapped Ivy.
 Your old fathers just talking for your own good You're breaking your mas heart You and me have been good pals. haven't we?"
 Yes" said Ivy. grudgingly. and without looking up
 Well now, look here. I've got a proposition to make to you. The sea sons over in two more weeks. The last week they play out of town Ihen the boysu come back for a week or so, just to hang around town and try to get used to the idea of leaving us. Then they'll scatter to take up their winter jobs-cutting ice, most of en- he added. grimly.
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