The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1918-11-07
practice, ana Il

| the score Stoc3 a tie ut the opeilliS q
tie eighth.
The first Alton man to 0at Was re
tired on a pop fly to third.
But his successor hit a clean Texas
Lacquer which landed him on second.
TIc achieved third on sacrlhce
grounder, knocked between second anu
first by the next man at the plate.
Two men were out and another on
third. The Alton catcher advanced TO
the batter's box, and after two strikes
anG two balls hit one back OF thlro
which the Clifton left fielder came up
on. but not fast enough to take 1t from
the air. He picked it up on the bounC
and by quick throw to the plate
forced the Alton base runner to stay
on third: but while this play was being
enacted the Alton catcher reached sec
ond.
The Alton pitcher was next to bat.
Here was a chance for him to win his
own game, and the set of his jaw
showed he was determined to do 1T.
Steve, out in center. watched him anx-
iously as he swung and missed the 1rst
ball.
"Hope he doesn't send it out this
way" Steve muttered. his mind still
troubled by HazePs request. His wish,
however, bore no fruit. for the Alton
pitcher knocked the ball high in the
air toward center.
Steve, gauging correctly, saw that he
would not have to move more than
few PAGES from his tracks to catch the
| bali. He braced himself and watched
the sphere descend. 1t seemed as if it
would never get to him. He held out
his hands, cupped for the catch. Some
OF his teammates, displaying a SUI
preme confidence in him, already had
| left their positions and were on the
way to the bench. a.
Hes got It'll" roared an enthusiast
on the bleachers. "That boy never
misses 'em -
/ The ball struck Stoves glove, and at
! the same instant he seemed to see Ha-
zel's face rise before him. The sphere
bounded from his hands, and, while he
chased it frantically, two Alton base
runners scored. Steve recovered the
ball and threw it to second in time to
stop the Alton pitcher, but the tie was
broken, with the score to 2 in favor
of the enemy. The next batter struck
OUT, and it was Clifton's turn at the
| bat.
The last half of the ninth opened
4
ton captain went among his players
pleading with them to "do something
for the old school," And they re-
sponded The first man up knocked
sizzling grounder past second and
got to the initial base. The one who
followed duplicated the feat. back Of
| first, and succeeded in acquiring pos
| session of that sack, while his pred
ecessor landed safely on second.
The next man hit one nearly to the
left field fence, and the Alton man
holding down that position scurried
back and nailed it: but each of the
base runners moved up notch after
the catch. Clifton's prospects were
good, but her stock declined somewhat
when the following batter fouled out
Steve came to bat. With two men
on bases. two out and two scores need
game would have been imagined with
difficulty. His face was pale. he clutch
ed his bat nervously, his lips trembled.
He did not even glance at the grand
stand, but simply waited for the pitch
er--Hazel's cousin and the man whose
skyscraper he had missed-to throw
the sphere.
AS Steve was about to enter an au-
tomobile after the game he heard his
name called and saw Hazel coming to-
ward him. She drew him to one side
and he motioned for the car to leave
him.
She opened her mouth to speak, but
he got ahead of her with:
Miss Norrin, / wish you to under
stand that got your letter all right,
but also want you to know that !
didn't miss that ball on purpose in the
eighth. / love you, just as said, but
I couldn't betray my teammates and
my school in such dishonorable man.
ner."
Her eyes glistened unnaturally, and
one big tear started down each cheek.
There was a remarkable softness in
her voice when she said:
Il knew you didn't try to throw the
game, Steve. I wouldn't have had you
do it for the world. said you would
have to prove that you were the kind
of fellow / would marry, and l hope
you didn't think I could have a traitor
/ for a husband. If you had thrown
the game I would never have spoken
to you again. was almost afraid,
must confess, that you had yielded
when you missed that fly, but when you
you knocked that home run in the
ninth and redeemed yourself and won
the game for Clifton, / just cried-for
| joy-aS / am crying now"
! Martin Luther was one of the first
to advise the employment of women as
! teachers.