Rayen School - Rayen Yearbook (Youngstown, OH)

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Ein Bayer: ikernrh 429 The Cruise of the Mary Ann INISHED at last ! sighed Adin as he stood off to look it over. But, boy, l'1l bet she'll go some, he added. True, it was a crude looking craft but evidently sub- stantial and speedy, and was the result of the toil and ingenuity of five boys.-Adin and Enos Bassinger, Olin and Asa Krumbacker, and myself-Moses Perkins. VVe had con- structed this strange automobile from an old flat-bedded wagon, and a single-cylinder engine that developedhabout twenty horsepower, and used the sprocket wheels and chains of an old reaper and binder. For a means of steering it we had removed the wagon tongue, and tied a rope to either end of the front axle, and by pulling strenuously on one of the other rope we could steer a more or less straight course. Our one big drawback was the lack of a clutch. It was impossible to start the motor under a load, but we remedied this by simply putting a jack under the rear axle, thus lifting the rear wheels clear of the ground, and leaving them free to rotate. ' The tank was filled with high-test gasoline, and the wire that ran from the coil-box to the spark-plug was connected. She was now ready to be christened, and Pa Mellinger was to perform the ceremony of breaking the bottle, and naming her the Mary Annu. Vile stood at Attention while Pa shattered the bottle of cider on the rear wheel, and, incident- ally, cut his hand. ' VVhen Ma Mellinger had stopped the blood and the oaths, we jumpedaboard, and spun the wheels. She caught and began to pick up speed ainazinglyfast. Pa yanked the jack clear, and we started on the maiden voy- age of the Mary Ann leaving Asa, who had not taken the precaution to hang on to something, sprawled in the grass. Down the rocky lane we tore,,gaining speed at -every revolution of the wheels, and the sharp curve where the lane joined the brick road was just ahead! 'l, who was driving, pulled with all my strength on the left rope, and we shot around, skidded almost into the ditch, with the sparks flying from the iron tired wheels, and went careening madly down the road to North Lima. Far ahead we saw a slow-moving Ford, and as we sped up to it, the driver thrust his head out,

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428 ' h Ghz ikapen ikennrh g gg ened, he passed two men before he gained his stride. Then, with the encouragement from his team mates, especially Per- kins and Morris, two infielders, he settled down, and won the game. But the coach was uneasy. Even though Roth had won his first game, the coach knew that he would soon give out when set against the heavy batters of some of the teams sched- uled to be played later in the season. ' The next game proved that the coach's surmise was cor- rectf Roth gradually weakened until, in the sixth inning, his pitching went so wild it was necessary to bench him. Some- thing had to be done, it was plain. ' It was about this time that Tom Daley's secret was found out. He was diligently practicing,-and with his left arm! The students first were amazed, -then amazement turned to hilarity. It was a hard, uphill battle, but slowly the arm lim- bered up, and some of the skill of his right arm seemed trans- ferred into the left. It was the fifth game when Tom again appeared in his familiar position in the box. -Cheer after cheer rose from the bleachers at sight of him, and it greatly encouraged Tom. It was hard work with his newly educated arm, but he worked hard, even though they lost 7-6. And so the rest of the season passed. Tom and Roth both played, and some games were lost, and some won. ' The crowning glory came with the last game, hardest of the season, when Tom's namewent up among those of other heroes, never to be forgotten by Bancroft. ' It can hardly be described in words. The pitcher seemed inspired with some sort of supernatural power. His offerings seemed to sizzle over the plate. The opposing batters were bewildered, then grew desperate, and swinging more wildly than ever, were fanned, one after the other. Only about half the batters that faced Tom reached first, and most of those were put out before advancing farther. It certainly was a day of great rejoicing for the Daly family. The papers were filled with Tom's story, saying al- though his rightarm was maimed, he trained his left and won the big game of the season. Long will his name be remem- bered for his perseverence and unusual feat. - Margaret Klooz, '24.

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430 01313: ikapzn Recnrh and such an astonished look came over his face when he saw our flying contraption bearing down on him that we would have laughed had not our own predicament been so serious. VVhen we were almost upon him, the driver pulled over into .sv X X- '--f W f- 4:---if -. X i M- - S xg X jf! --We left Enos at the Next Corner. H r an-n the ditch, and, as we passed him with a roar and a clatter, he swore terribly,ivolubly, and earnestly. Wle had no gas control, no brakes, no switch, so Clin de- cided the only way to stop the uhornswoggled thing was to break the spark wire, He laid his hand on the wire, and, as