Yale Murphy, the Great Short-Stop — page 12: what you’re looking at

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12 Roger Connor, Rusie, and the other crack players of the team.” After an hour’s ride in the elevated train, Midge found NEW YORK FIVE CENT LIBRARY. No. 87. SSS nen ‘“‘Why, here 1s my name in a dozen places,” he said, as he smiled. He was pleased to know that he had proved Director himself in the big grounds of the famous New York Base-| Wheeler’s confidence in him was not misplaced. Ball Club. Everything was new to him. It was his first visit. He had seen the Giants play in Boston, and admired the crack players very much, but he had never met any of them personally. Every one was also glad to meet Midge. Thay had heard of his neat work as short-stop of the Yale team. The majority of the players were glad when Director Wheeler told them that he was to make oneof their number. ‘“‘And, if necessary, and the other directors don’t ap. prove of my decision,” said Mr. Wheeler. in the presence of a dozen people, “I will pay Mr. Murphy out of my own pocket.” Mr. Wheeler’s words captured Midge’s heart. “He is a kindly man,” he said to himself. The next morning Midge met Mr. Wheeler by appoint- ment at the office of the New York Base-Ball Club at No, 15 Broad street. Here he was introduced to President Cornelius Van Cott, Director Talcott, and Secretary George Stackhouse. “You look like a winner, Murphy,” said the famous base-ball expert of the New York Tribune. : “T feel like one, thank you.” It was arranged that Midge should have his trial the] following day. The New Yorks played a game with a scrub team. Midge played short-stop. It was in this game he received a new name. “Ig that Yale Murphy?” “That’s right; that’s Midge, the little short-stop.” The speakers were two New Haven base-ball cranks, | who had just entered the gate of the Polo Grounds, They had not had time to look at the score cards. .|{the time. CHAPTER XII. MIDGE HAS AN ADVENTURE, Midge, who had not seen much of New York, left his. fellow ball players at the hotel that night, and took a walk down Sixth avenue to Fourteenth street. He wanted to be alone to think over the incidents of the day and his great reception by the big crowd at the Polo Grounds in the afternoon. He was thinking of everything—his old home, of Rose Short, -his schoolboy and college friends, and the applause which greeted him that afternoon, when suddenly the shout: ‘‘Stop thief!” arose. Midge looked about in a startled way. On the opposite corner, Fourteenth street and Sixth | avenue, he saw an old woman wringing her hands. Half a block away was the figure of a fleeing man. “Stop him! stop him!” cried the old woman, ‘he has stolen my pocket-book !” Midge took in the situation in an instant. The thief had over half a block start. This did not deter Midge from following him. “T have run bases long enough to catch that fellow,” he thought, as he followed in hot pursuit. There were many pedestrians on Fourteenth street at These made way for the thief, who held a big clasp- knife with. the blade exposed in his right hand. “Stop him! stop him!” shouted Midge, at the top of his voice. When he saw the people make way for the thief, he At that moment Midge made a clever stop, which !™uttered: ° aroused the enthusiasm of the two cranks. “Are they all cowards that they will let an old woman “Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah for Yale Murphy, the great | be robbed, and not try to catch the villain? short-stop !” Inamoment the immense crowd on the grand stand was on its feet, and shouting like mad. | “Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” “Yale Murphy !” “Yale Murphy !” ‘Yale Murphy !” Midge took off his cap again and again as he bowed his thanks. ‘ His face was scarlet. It was a great moment for him. The umpire cried: “Play ball!” a dozen times, and it was only after threatening to fine the player next to the bat that he advanced to the plate. Throughout the ~ame the same enthusiasm continued. After the game, hundreds were waiting at the door of the dressing-room to shake Midge’s hand. © ; He was followed to the elevated train by nearly two thousand people. “How kind every one is to me,” he murmured. When he reached his hotel, he bought the evening extras. Midge did not stop to answer the question. . He set off at a rapid pace, and soon saw that each in- stant brought him nearer and nearer to the thief. The latter had reached Seventh avenue, and was cross- ing the street. f Midge was quite close to him now. “Stop, stop, I say, or ’Il——” On, on flew the figure of the thief. Once he turned about, and, seeing he was pursued, he seemed to quicken his speed. Midge quickened his pace, too, and he knew it would only be a question of a minute or so when he caught up with the thief. Midge could see that the fellow was panting, and that he was nearly done for. As for Midge, he was as fresh as when he started. “This is better than training,” he said to himself. catch the fellow in the middle ot the block.” Midge was almost on top of the thief now. Behind him he could hear the cries of a hundred or more pursuers. The pedestrians, who were afraid of the thief before, “Tl NOOKS IG (C(O) (SO)