that was! Gee!
Go it! Slide, you chump--you've got to--never touched him! Yip! Hurrah!
Say, that boy's a wonder--hold it! Ah, the dub, they've caught
him--pshaw!

Ever see John Ward as short-stop? There's the boy that had the head!
Why, if we had him out yonder he would scare those fellows dead!
And Mike Kelly--Whee-e-e! A beauty! Home run, sure as Brown's my name!
Downed 'em nine to eight, by golly! Wasn't it a corkin' game?

_Chicago Record-Herald_.

THE BOY WHO KEEPS THE BATS.

By Bide Dudley.

Just see him stride from bench to plate--
The boy who keeps the bats;
With truly a majestic gait--
The boy who keeps the bats.
His clothes are old, his feet are bare,
His face unwashed, unkempt his hair,
He's still in pride a millionaire--
The boy who keeps the bats.

A most important man is he--
The boy who keeps the bats;
Possessed of great activity--
The boy who keeps the bats.
He knows each player by his name,
His age, his weight, from whence he came,
And just how long he's played the game--
The boy who keeps the bats.

He'll lug ten sticks and laugh with glee--
The boy who keeps the bats.
"De gang" regards with jealousy
The boy who keeps the bats.
Although he's not employed for pay,
He "gets inside to see 'em play,"
Which beats his former knot-hole way--
The boy who keeps the bats.

He knows each player's stick, you bet--
The boy who keeps the bats.
'Twould break his heart should he forget--
The boy who keeps the bats.
Whene'er a ball is knocked away,
He throws them one with which to play,
He's there for business ev'ry day--
The boy who keeps the bats.

He yells when worthy work is done--
The boy who keeps the bats.
He "hollers" after ev'ry run--
The boy who keeps the bats.
He's overjoyed at victory,
And tells the other kids how "we"
Won out as easily as could be--
The boy who keeps the bats!

_St. Joseph News_.

CASEY AT THE BAT.

BY PHINEAS THAYER.

It looked extremely rocky for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood two to four, with but an inning left to play.
So, when Cooney died at second, and Burrows did the same,
A pallor wreathed the features of the patrons of the game.

A str