Strong High School - Mussul Unsquit Yearbook (Strong, ME)

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28 THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT jim looked lirst at her and then at the bundle in her arms. Well, Marge, I guess Iive made my last trip into the Northland. VVe have him to work for and it will take the both of us. J. P. S., '23, THE UNEXPECTED UD VVAYNE, short-stop of Hillcrest team, took up his favorite bat and stepped up to the plate. This was the last of the ninth and the score was six to six, a tie between Hillcrest and Andover High. Bud waited the first ball out. Strike one, cried the umpire. Bud signalled the man on third that he would bunt the next one. He missed and the man on third was caught half way be- tween third and home. That was the third out. Andover came to the bat with an ex- pectant look of victory in their eyes. Hig- gins, the tirst man up for Andover, was lucky when he connected with a low ball and beat the iielder's throw to third. Spaulding hit an easy grounder to short- stop. Wayne made an easy pickup but held the ball, afraid the man at third would go home. There were two men on and none out. The batter hit an easy grounder to short-stop, also, instead of throwing to home, he tossed to second, an easy force- out, and the second baseman saw it was use- less to catch the runner at the plate, so threw to first. The next batter struck out and the game was won for Andover. Bud Wayne was captain of the team, a position gained through popularity, but the trouble was he didn't care, it was no re- sponsibility to him, he said. Many times in the last baseball season he had achieved the almost impossible, and then of a sudden in the midst of his spectacular playing he began to do the unexpected, forced a man off from a base, or something like that, but by some mysterious power he held his posi- tion at short-stop. But in this last game the team had lost their patience with this happy-go-lucky fel- low and so had the coach. It had been the first game of the season, and besides, Andover was Hillcrest's worst opponent. At practice a new man came out and the coach put him at short-stop. Bud batted grounders out to the in-fielders. The new man was simply a flash. He scooped the grounders and held the ball to first with the speed and accuracy that was a marvel to the team. Day after day this same thing happened. One day the coach said to Wayne, Don't you want to play on the team? No,', replied Bud. I want to see someone there who won't be forever mak- ing errors. But, said the coach, who ever heard of a Captain on the bench watching an- other man in his position? 'I Well, if Mason can play better than I let him have the position. I 'll stay on the bench as an example for others, was the quick answer. As games went by, Mason shone in his school work as well as his work on the diamond. Before, he had been a no account scholar. He was rather a marvel at the bat as well as in the field in the games. No errors had been chalked against him so far. Hillcrest was winning most of her games. Bud had not played a game except the first one, and since then he had been a bench Warmer. When the last game with Andover ar- rived every man was in trim 3 the day dawned clear and bright. Hillcrest needed this game to gain the championship and so did Andover. As Hillcrest team trotted out on the diamond it was greeted with cheers, one after another. After a short practice, Andover took the field. Their cheers were louder, as the practice went on. The men were cheered and this seemed to be Andover's day with the crowd. The coach had tried to coax Bud to play part of this game, The last game of the year, he said, and you are Captain.

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 27 Marge waiting for him. For three months they worked on the farm. ,lean got the winter's wood and during his spare time he trapped along the river and in the hills around the cabin. Marge had him tell her of the Northland and its dangers. She spoke often of ,I im and of what they would do when he returned. He had promised her that he would never go into the north again if she would let him go this once, and then she and .lim would live on the little farm and enjoy themselves. XVhcn Jim reached his cabin in the woods. the first thing he did was to cut enough wood to last him through the trap- ping season so that he would not have to leave his traps to cut wood. During the iirst months of winter he tended his trap line and was very successful, and had no trouble with anyone bothering his trap line. One day while he was wandering in the woods hunting for game, he stumbled upon a little valley which was overrun with game, where he immediately set some traps and for two weeks he was kept busy skin- ning the animals he caught. At the end of this time he had nearly doubled his catch of mink, otter, beaver, lynx, muskrat, and fox. He took in the traps that were furthest from the cabin, because just as soon as the river broke up he would start for home. One morning when jean returned from his trap line Marge came to meet him, something which she had never done be- fore. lean, you know where Jim is, or you have some idea so that you could Gnd him, don't you? H Yes, replied Jean, UI do, but I hope that you do not need Jimg are you ill? jean, I want you to take this to Jim as quickly as possible. It will take you a week to go and come, but you must do it. Do you want hi1n on account of --? Yes, Ieang I can stand it no longerg he must know. The next day the rising sun found Jean well on his way to find Jim. He encoun- H 73 tered many difficulties but he was used to the north so he got through all right. One day while Jim was busily cleaning some pelts, he was halted by a loud Hallo, and looking up, he saw jean com- ing toward him. Several questions rushed to his lips, Had she become tired of the north? Was she ill and needing him? VVhile he was thinking thus, he had run to meet jean, and jean handed him a letter. Dear jim:- I can stand it no longer. You must know. Come home at once. K' Lovingly, HMarge. He asked no questions but went to take up the rest of his traps. XVhile he was gone ,lean packed the furs, and as it was late when Jim returned, they decided to wait until morning before starting for home. There was no sleep for Jim night. that In the morning he roused .lean out of a perfectly good slumber and they were well on their way at sun up. NVould they ever reach home? They had been traveling two days and well on into the nights. The Indian told Jim that there was no need to worry because he would find his wife all right and waiting for his arrival. The next moment Jim turned to the In- dian and said, I 'm going to hurry ahead for the cabin is over the next hill. At the top of the hill he could see the cabin and behind him he could see jean coming along leisurely. Did the Indian know? If he did, why didn't he tell him, but never mind, he would know in a little while, and he broke into a run. He could not go very fast on his snow- shoes and it seemed to him that he would never get to the cabin. He was there at last. He opened the door and went in. He heard a wailing sound. VVhat could it be? Marge,'i he cried, where are you? His wife came through the door with a small bundle in her arms. Look, Jim, and I've named him after you.

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 229 Even Mason, the man who held Bud's position at short-stop, came and argued with him but to no avail. Bud said, I will not go in unless in case of an acci- dent. So they left him alone. As the first man faced Shorteu, the Hill- crest pitcher, the catcher signalled and across came the ball, sailing slowly but elusively, as the batter found out. The second man was up to bat. He beat out a bunt and arrived safely at first. The next man made a good sacrifice. Two men were out and the third knocked a long fly to center fielder. As the game pro- gressed, Hillcrest could not make a hit. Andover had made one run. The ninth inning came at last with Andover at the bat. Jennings, the first man up for Andover, knocked the ball clear to the fence. How the crowd cheered! But the fielder had the ball and Jennings was almost to second. The fielder threw, Mason covered the base, the ball landed fairly in Masons hand. When he turned to put the ball on the runner, there was a collision. The runner was out but Mason limped slightly to his position. The other men were retired in order. Hillcrest came to bat. They must have a run to tie the score at least. But what was the trouble? The attention was not 011 the man at bat, it was on the player on the bench. Mason had been found to have a bad spike cut in his leg. Bud would have to bat for him. VVatson, the first man up, hit the ball: he made Hrst base with ease. Bud was the next man up. A cry ran through the crowd, it wasn't a cheer, either. He was called everything. But as he gripped the bat he made up his mind that he would show the crowd what he was made of. Even his team mates ex- pected some foolish play. As the first ball came across, Bud swung, he missed the ball on account of nervousness, which he slowly overcame. The next ball was straight, he stepped forward and swung. Away the ball went for an easy two bagger. Watson rested on third and Wayne on second. Nelson, the weakest hitter on the team, was at the bat. Andover's pitcher knew it and was sure of fooling him. As the pitcher started his motion, Bud let out a yell and started for third. The coach shouted and tried to turn him back, but it was too late. Bud had touched third and XVatson stood two feet down the base line aghast. But as the ball slowly left the pitcher's hands to make the force-out at the plate, Bud shouted, Hit l Nelson, hit! Nelson, too amazed to do otherwise, hit a slow grounder. Watson was already almost to the plate. Andover's short-stop rushed in to make the force-out but fum- bled the ball in his excitement and Bud and Watsoii crossed the plate nearly to- gether. F. E. B., '22, HAPPY EVER AFTERWARD fEnglish IVJ EARL HARDY walked slowly and meditatively along the brick pave- ment. To-morrow was Christmas, but the day meant nothing to her. Shop girls who had no home must not think of Christmas, besides, to-morrow was a day of work for these poor and tired-looking individuals. That would be the most tiresome day of all the year, for belated purchasers, people who like themselves had to work and could have only the day itself, would try to crowd all their purchasing into that day, in order to make the little hearts at home glad. Pearl was heartsick and discouraged. For five weary years she had worked in the same store, from time to time receiving a small raise in her salary, but still it was almost impossible to buy the few clothes that she must have and pay for the little attic room, to say nothing of her food. To-night she was so tired that it seemed as if she would never climb to the top of those rickety stairs. At last she reached her room and with a deep sigh sank into an