Baxter Springs news., 1918-11-29

Here was the situation. 1t was the
last half Of the fourth inning. and two
were out. II. by luck. We managed to
get the third Canadian out.eit would
be an easy matter for them to retire
us In the next inning because our
weakest batting order was up. Then.
the Canadians would come to bat and
slaughter would commence.
Iwas In despair. Stewart must have
realized that the game was hopeless
unless II could be finished In this Inn
ing, because as he passed me he whis-
pered, "watch out for gas; I'll make
them hunt for their gas helmets- ltT
be n long time before that bunch OF
maple leafs forget this game. Now.
get wise. Delay the game as much as
possible while getting a dub to pitch
in my place. Then watch for happen
ings. Get met Are you wiser
I didn't "get him." nor was "wise.v
but I answered In the affirmative.
followed his instructions, while out OF
the corner Of my eye watched him on
his way to the company billet.
He called q man named Stein,
member Of our company. who thought
no more Of losing franc than he DID
Of having his right arm shot of. Stein
went over to Stewart. who whispered
TO him and passed him something.
What struck me as strange was the
: fact that Stein, who had fifteen francs
on the game, instead Of coming back to
wntch the game. disappeared behind
the billet, while Stewart was marched
of to "cllnk."
The rooters were getting impatient.
so put big Welshman in to pitch. 1
told the umpire that according to the
rules a pitcher being put in "cold" was
allowed four balls over the plate to
warm up. The umpire agreed to this.
whispered to the Welshman, "Get out
in that box and take your time, delay
ing the game as much as possible be-
tween each pitch. Now, you are al
lowed four balls over the plate In
which to warm up. Slam 'em into me.
but II you put one Of them over, our
4
goose Is cooked"
The Welshman was mystlned, but
= followed my instructions to the letter.
He threw four balls which nearly
broke my back to get. Then the um-
pire held up his hand and called, PLAY
ballT" Immediately went over to him
and explained that these four balls
had not gone over the plate. he fell
for this and agreed with me. After
that rube Of q pitcher had thrown
about fifteen or sixteen balls, several
passing me, which I chased to the BILL
let to waste time, the umpire got Inn
patient and the rooters were yelling
like mad to carry on. still insisted
that none of the balls had gone over
the plate, and the umpire was In .
quandary. Just then one Of our men
passed in the rear Of me and whis-
pered: Stewart says to 60 on with
the game" Wondering at this infor"
nation. I started In.
The pitching Of that Welshman was
awful. He hit the first two men up
and walked the third. I was in despair:
bases full and two out. Some OF the
Canadian rooters were jumping up and
down, throwing their hats In the air,
and one fellow was whlstllng "The
Star -Spangled Banner" This got my
goat completely.
Near every billet hangs q gas gong.
This Is q triangular piece Of steel or
an empty shell case. Beside this gong
hangs an iron striker. Upon the
sounding Of the alarm, by striking on
the gong with the striker, every man
is supposed to put on his gas helmet
and repalr Immediately to his proper
station. These gUngs are to warn SOL
dIers that German poison gas is com.
ing over.
While I was signaling to my rube
pitcher and beseechIng him to put one
over, the changing Of the gas gong rang
out. 1 dropped my glove, got on my
chest protector, and madly rushed for
my helmet and soon had It on, the
rooters and players doing the same
Then got wise. I remembered Stew
arts instructions: swatch out for gas.
I'll make 'em hunt for their gas he'll
NETS" The nerve and daring Of his
scheme took my breath away. The
Canadians had a mile to 60 to get to
their stations, and believe me, 1t ID no
fun dOuble-timlng for q mile while Q
gas helmet is choking you with tts
chemical fumes.
Well, those Canadians beat II, and 30
did we, but the game was saved and
al bets were of.
I nearly smothered with laughter In
my gas helmet. To the rest, not being
"iR the know" It was a genuine alarm.
Shortly after the stampede It was dis
covered that the alarm was false. and
a rigid investigation Immediately took
place. But the Canadians had left and
our money was safe. It certainly would
have gone hard with the culprit had
he been caught. AS It was. our bat.
TALON got two weeks as extra fatigue
on working and digging parties,
Afterward, was let Into the secret,
Stewart had given Stein ten francs to
sound the gus alarm. which. with his
fifteen francs bet on the game, Stein