Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-01-10

three started to answer ut once but
Stewart. majcStically extending his
hand. palm forward. said. Get in
line, one ut time. Now. Perkins, who
is John McGraw?"
Perkins answered.: "WEy, 'e's n
lawnce corporal i'll the Royal Irish
Rifles"
According To Stewards look, that
Tommy should have immediately
dropped dead.
Turning to the next. he said. "'Cur-
ly.' for the love O. Mike, who is hep"
Curly. with knowing look. an
swered. "'E runs the Kings Arms
public 'ouse. down Rye lane"
With piteOuS look. Stewart
glanced my way and jerked my
thumb in the direction Of the other
Tommy. who seemed to be bursting
with suppressed eagerness. Stewart.
looking at him. CALCULATED. spit 1t
out before you choke"
This fellow, with superior air,
turned in the direction of the two de-
jected Tommies. and answered, John
MacGraw. why everybody knows i'm;
e was the fellow in the London Scot
fish who clicked 'crucitixion' for
stealing the rum Issue ut 'Wipers'. Il
was lad, not 'arf he weren't"
A kissing noise issued from Stew
arts lips, and he seemed to collapse
like punctured toy balloon. After
! few seconds he Strengthened up and
look Of determination came into his
eyes. Addressing the Tommics. he
exploded: You blOkcS are enough to
make Billy Sunday take to drink. Now,
listen here, and let II sink in deep.
John McGraw is the manager Of the
New York Giants. He Is baseball
player; get 1t? A baseball player. A
guy what manages a baseball team.
And any fellows who can't make good
on his team, or I'm the bush leagues,
he sends EN- cricket bat with their
name inscribed on 1t and pays their
passage to England. Get meY'
Several TOmmies took exception TO
this, and said that they had followed
cricket all their lives, but had never
heard of any American cricketers be-
ing sent over by Mr.. McGraw. At
this I exploded, and Stewart went up
in the air. Standing up and turning
to the bunch under the trees, point
ing his finger in their direction, he
let out:
Now listen. this is good. I'm go
ing to Send down TO the ordnance
corps and get dozen gimlets and
some tunnels. With these gimlets I'm
going to bore holes in your 'nappers.'
| and using the funnel Pm going to pour
Into those garrets of yours little
brains. Then, after you've acquired
gray matter. Pm going to teach you
the great American game Of baseball:
and then when through teaching you,
I'm going to retire TO the Old Soldiers
home as physically and mentally I'M
ut, because l know the job will nut
me there
The Tommies did not take exccp-
ton To his pointed remarks about their
lack of brains. They overlooked this
because they were very eager TO learn
how to play baseball.
chorus Of. eco to hit, Yank, that's
what we want; something new out
ere in this bloody mess of mud and
'coOties'"
Stewart said that we would have to
talk the matter over, and reckoning
TO me. went in the direction of the
billet. l followed. He then outlined
his scheme.
We were to form two baseball
classes, Stewart In charge of one. !
the other. On the plaster of the billet
we carefully scratched out baseball
diamond, and then called the TOmmieS
! IN. They sat around like little chit
dren In school, eagerly intent. For
two hours we explained the game TO
them. When we got through they all
knew how to play baseball-on paper
! We dismissed them, telling them an
other class would be held the follow
Ing afternoon. That night, Stewart
and /. around the stump of a candle.
went into details for organizing two
teams. Everything appeared rosy. and
we were highly jubilant. A Tommy
eased over in our direction and limo
Gently asked:
Il sye, Innk. isn't it necessary to
ave byseballs and clubs? We cawn't
very well ply without EN-"
This was a bombshell TO us. In our
eagerness and excitement we had quite
forgotten that bats, balls and gloves
were necessary. I thought Stewart
was going to burst. Letting out "Wcll,
I'll be bowed" which nearly blew the
candle out, he turned Il silly look in
my direction, and l looked just as
cheap.
At last the TommicS had stumped
US, and we could sec our reputation
fading into nothing. A dead silence
rcigned for over five minutes. Then
Stewart started mahly to open his hav-
ersack. ] thought he had suddenly