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Show DEACON , BROWN. On Saturdays, when -work wuz done, wo ustcr gather round Tho pleasant spot wo ustor know as Johnson's John-son's picnic ground An hero each week a match wus played for twenty-five a. side, Betwixt somo nearby vlllago team an' them as wuz our pridol Then games wuz hot and heavy, an though the stakes wuz small, In all the big league teams I'vo watched I've seen no better ball! An tell you what, an awful crowd them battles nlwuz drew, Uv people thct would screech an cheer ter help tho players through! Moat everybody loved the sport ln fact, Thero wuz but one who had a kick, an that wuz Deacon Brown! A gamblln' pastlmo, so ho said, an , though 'twuz on tho level. Ho swore tho players, ono an all, were headln' for the devil! Ono Saturday Jn ninety-two, wo played tho Bulhille nine Twuz for tho county champconshlp our stars wuz all In lino! A monster crowd turned out tor see tho Inning quickly llcw. It wuz the first half of tho ninth tho scoro wuz two an' two! Right here the Bullvillcs took a brace. A hit an' then an error. Put two on base with no one out tho homo crowd howled ln terror! Tho next man ho-druv out a smash a rcgler roarin' stinger Our pitcher gamely mado a grab It bust his middle finger! Tho sacks wuz full, an' no ono out we had no other pllcher Tho BuUvlllo crowd grinned at their bets cinch they'd soon bo richer! Jest at this time, tho Bullvlllo team appeared ap-peared In wild despair. An aged man strodo through the crowd a man with silvery hair! "Give mo that ball!" cried he "I once pitched clever games at college 'Twuz many years ago. but yet I ain't forgot the knowledge!" An' in our absolute surprise a dead hush settled down. While tho homo catcher tossed the ball to good old Deacon Brown! Tho Deacon raised his ancient arm, an' swung it round his head Tho ball kem through with awful speed "Striko one." tho umplro said! Tho crowd sat back ln wonderment, an' still the wonder grew. While tho Deacon fired another shoot and tho umplro yelled "Striko two!" The third ono buzzed across tho plato, tho batter swung and missed, For Deacon Brown wuz throwin spocd, besides an awful twist! Amid wild shriekln' from tho crowd ho fanned the second batter, An then sent thrco strikes for tho third, each ono across the platter! "TuniT almnli- Ttnlinl In tVift utn nrl n-r iUnyr walked in from the field, An' with the stampln' an tho yoll3 the bleachers fairly reeled! Two fellers batted up pop flics the Deacon Dea-con took an ash, An' layln' It on the first ball pitched-there pitched-there wuz a bllndln' crash! Way down the lot .three fielders flew in wild an' useless chases. While Deacon with tho wlnnin run wuz amblln' round tho bases! Tho gamo wuz won, and Deacon Brown, confused and badly rattled, Fled from the scene of victory whero he so nobly battled. Ah, me! 'Twuz many years ago, but still In yander town. They talk about the BuUvlllo gamo an' great old Deacon Brown! Woodyard Coupling in Chicago Journal. a A funny thing about baseball Is that the players slido Into bags to prevent getting out Just because an old ball playor gets up early In the morning is nq sign that ho Is a rising playor. 4- 4 4 4 f l 4 -I -I ! ''c 4 4 J |