Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
Two Minutes to Play BY Clarence Burlington keza"d
The Last Game Of the Season, and Steady,
Captain O. the Team, Sat Back and
WatchedDefeat Come Nearer and Nearer,
While Ann Looked On and Wondered.

and because they knew wouldn't make any
fool breaks"
"Td like to be the man who gets elected for
the latter reason" she said.
do you mean" he asked presently "that
you've made up your mind to marry me?"
Wen take that up" she replied, "in the
proper order Of business, which isn't for year
yet"
1t was that very day the thing happened He
was crouched ON his knees, petting his dog and
Strengthened up suddenly. The world went blue,
with flashes of IRE through the blueness, and
the flashes were such rending tearing pain as
he never had felt before. In his knee.
He stood on his left leg. paralyzed unable to
move. Something had happened inside his
knee, his right knee; it felt as If it had ex-
ploded. Presently the pain itself subsidized some
what, but he could not move, he could not step.
He was rooted to that spot as II he had been
ted-as II his right leg had been shot from
under him. He tried to put his weight on 1t
and almost fell. There was no support there
nothing but helplessneSs.
Tor i've long minutes he stood bewiIdered
and then he found he could hobble; nfteen
minutes later he could limp across the road to
the doctor, who listened to his story and hddled
around with the knee and pulled 1t sidewise
until Steady burst into cold sweat and thought
came dun little click or snap and Steady felt
very weak about it.
There" said the doctor, chats that"
But what is It? How did do 1t. whatever
Il s?"
The doctor explained, using long names. An
Steady got out Of It was that there was
thing called q cartilage In there and something
had happened TO it. like folding up, or tucking
in its edge, and that it wasn't fatal, but very
painful.
ssxxyxYl a. I,oxx~.~, an.s. T1ona 1900. voiox,
foot ball and win wallop put it on the blink"
"You can't ten. It might stand O lot Of
banging in game and then 60 bad on you
while you were walking up the front steps.
Knees get bad habits. 1t may happen again in
fifteen minutes and it may never happen. But
most likely it win. You could have an opera
ton and probably get Strengthened out for good.
but wouldn't advise 1t yet"
I'm captain Of my team" said Steady. VIII
it hold out through the season."
Maybe" said the doctor.
So Steady said nothing and went back to
school, where everybody was surprisingly glad
to see him. It was very warming to the heart
and frightfully bewildering Probably, he
thought, it was because he was captain, and
that was the correct etiquette toward captains.
He was glad to be alone with his roommate,
little Boss Wheeler, q small volcano, with no
conception whatever of inferiority completes.
MACS been yelping all over the place for
you." said Boss. Poor lot of foot ball material
this year."
There's always poor lot" said Steady.
The door burst open and the coach stood In
the doorway with eyes that suddenly lighted.
He sighed with relief
You're here" he said as If tremendous load
had been taken from his mind. 'Whewl"
"Embracel Embrace and give vent to your
pent-up affection" said Boss.
"You clear out. Shrimp" said Mac "a
couple Of grown-ups have important things to
talk about"
"How's everything?" Mac asked when the
door closed again.
"Slick" said Steady, who never used two
words when one would do well.
boy, if anything had happened and you
hadn't shown up, I'd have bought rope and
gone looking for q tree. Now listen. We've got
q team and nothing has improved it since
Spring. It's team that has the habit of get
ting licked. It fights, but 1t hasn't any kick.
It works through the preliminary games and
gets trimmed In the big one. 1t doesn't know
the feeling Of victory. That's what we've got
to work with"
Tough" said Steady.
We've got to get their tails up and keep them
up-and you can do 1t. That crowd depends
on you like a baby does on its nurse Some
how, they've got the idea you can pull them
through"
Never got picked for the AIl-America," said
Steady.
"You aren't so much of a foot ball player,
but you're good-good enough. There's some
thing about you. The reason you got named
Steady, guess. Anyhow, the whole show is on
your shoulders. Son, I'm plenty glad got YOU
ARS. l.. A..