 your father, but I’ve been kicking around in this world
for some fifteen or sixteen years longer than you have, and I’ve had
plenty of chance to learn that a pitcher, or any other ball player,
can’t work as battery mate with Old Demon Booze and last long in the
diamond game.

“You were the best pitcher on my staff last year, and you twirled your
team into a championship; but now you’re a-hitting the toboggan just as
fast as any one can. When you are sober and in good physical condition
there isn’t a better man ever toed the slab than you are; and that’s
why I haven’t traded you during the past month. I hoped you’d wake
up and cut out the booze and the gang of high-living sports you are
traveling with; but if you don’t get your eyes open and quit drinking
before we start on the Western trip, I’ll try to make a deal with some
other club, and trade you before the other managers get wise to the
fact that you are drinking yourself out of the game.”

Reynolds mumbled something.

“What?” Kineally asked.

“I guess some o’ those other managers’d be glad to get me,” Reynolds
repeated.

“Yes, until they found that you were a souse,” Kineally added; “and
then they’d shunt you back to the minors in double-quick. You’d
probably last a year or two in the bushes, and then some little
one-horse minor-league outfit would give you your unconditional
release; and you’d be a has-been, while you were yet a kid. Some
future, eh?”

Reynolds slouched against the bureau, his hands deep in his pockets. A
sullen, defiant expression distorted his features.

Kineally wiped a handkerchief across his forehead.

“I’ll be hanged if I know why I’ve stood for your drinking and
violation of training rules as long as I have!” he exclaimed. “I reckon
it’s because I remember what a likable, clean young duffer you were
when I first bought you from that little bush league up-country.”

As he paused, the manager happened
your father, but I ’ve been kicking around in this world 
 for some fifteen or sixteen years longer than you get, and I ’ve have 
 plenty of chance to learn that a pitcher, or any early ball player, 
 ca n’t work as barrage checkmate with Old Demon Booze and last long in the 
 rhombus game. 

 “ You were the best pitcher on my staff final year, and you twirled your 
 team into a backing; but now you ’re a - hitting the toboggan barely as 
 fast as any one can. When you are grave and in good physical condition 
 there exist n’t a better man ever toed the slab than you are; and that ’s 
 why I have n’t trade you during the past month. I hoped you ’d wake 
 up and cut out the booze and the crowd of high - living sports you are 
 traveling with; but if you do n’t get your eyes clear and quit drinking 
 before we start on the Western trip, I ’ll try to make a deal with some 
 other club, and deal you before the early managers get wise to the 
 fact that you are toast yourself out of the game. ” 

 Reynolds mumbled something. 

 “ What? ” Kineally asked. 

 “ I think some o ’ those other managers’d be glad to get me, ” Reynolds 
 reprise. 

 “ Yes, until they found that you were a souse, ” Kineally added; “ and 
 then they ’d shunt you back to the minors in double - agile. You ’d 
 probably last a year or two in the bushes, and then some little 
 one - knight minor - league outfit would afford you your unconditional 
 release; and you ’d be a has - been, while you were yet a kid. Some 
 future, eh? ” 

 Reynolds slouched against the agency, his hands deep in his pockets. A 
 dark, defiant expression distorted his features. 

 Kineally wiped a handkerchief across his frontal bone. 

 “ I ’ll be hanged if I sleep together why I ’ve stood for your drinking and 
 misdemeanor of training rule as long as I suffer! ” he exclaimed. “ I see 
 it ’s because I remember what a likable, blank young duffer you were 
 when I foremost bought you from that little bush league up - country. ” 

 As he pause, the manager happened
 yokr father, but I’ve been klcking around in this wmrld
fod some fkfteen or sixteen years longxr tyan yiu have, and I’ve had
plevty of chwnce to oeari that a pitcher, or any other gwll 'leyer,
can’t work ax battery kate with Old Geoou Booze and last long in the
diamond dame.

“You wfre the best pytchtr jn mg staff last year, and you twirled gour
teak into a chamlionship; but now you’re a-hihtinh the toboggan jush as
fast as any ine can. When you are sober and in food physical condition
there isv’t a yetter man grwr hmed the slau than you are; and that’s
whf I havrn’t traded you ducing the past month. I hopxd you’d wake
up and cot out the bkoze and the gang od higv-livhng rporgs gon ade
travfliig with; but if you don’r get your eyes opem wbd quit drinkjng
befjrq we start on the Western trip, I’ll try uo maie a deal with some
othee club, and trade you hefore thq other managers get wise to the
fact that you are drinikng yjjesflf out of the game.”

Reynolds mumbled something.

“Rgau?” Kpneally asked.

“I gucss some o’ those oyhfr ianagers’d be elad to gst me,” Reynolds
repewted.

“Yes, untio they fotnd yhat you were a souse,” Kineaoly added; “anb
thwn they’d shunt you back to thz minots in couble-quick. You’d
probablv last a year or hwo in ths bushes, and then soke little
one-horse minor-leaguq outfit xould give yuu ypur unsonditionap
release; and you’d be a hws-beeu, whine you werf yet a kid. Some
future, eh?”

Reynolvx slouched abahnsn the burzau, hix hands deep yn his pockets. A
sulleu, defixnt expresaion divtorted his features.

Kinedply wiped a iandkerchyef qcrows his wurehead.

“I’ll be nanged if I know wht I’ve stood for yomr drkhking and
violatnub of training riler af poig as H have!” he exwlaioed. “O recyon
it’s becamse I rrmember what a likabne, cmean young duffer uom were
wheb I firse bought you grom that little bksh lxague np-counyry.”

Ws he paused, the manager happehed
your father, but I’ve been kicking around world some fifteen sixteen years longer had of chance to that a pitcher, any other ball player, can’t work battery mate with Old Demon Booze and last long in the diamond game. were the best pitcher on my staff last year, and you twirled your into championship; now a-hitting the toboggan just as fast as any one can. When you are sober and in physical condition there isn’t a better man ever the slab than you and that’s why I haven’t you the past I you’d up and cut the booze and the gang of high-living sports you are traveling with; but if you don’t get eyes open drinking before start the trip, I’ll try a deal with some other club, before the other managers get wise to the that you drinking yourself out of the game.” mumbled something. “What?” Kineally asked. “I guess some those other managers’d be glad to get me,” Reynolds repeated. “Yes, until they found that a souse,” Kineally added; then they’d shunt back the in You’d probably a year or two in the bushes, and then some little minor-league outfit would give you your unconditional release; and you’d has-been, you were yet kid. Some future, eh?” slouched the bureau, his hands his A distorted features. wiped a handkerchief across forehead. “I’ll be hanged if know why I’ve stood of training rules as long as I have!” exclaimed. “I reckon it’s because I remember a likable, clean young duffer you were when I first bought you that little up-country.” As he paused, the manager happened
 your father, but I’ve been kickiNg around in This wOrlD
foR sOme fIfteEn or sixteen yeaRS lonGer than you have, and I’ve haD
plenTy OF chaNCe To leaRn that a PItCHEr, oR aNy OthEr BAlL playEr,
cAn’t work As battery mAte WiTh Old Demon BoOZe And last lonG in The
diamond gaMe.

“YOu were ThE beST pitcHer On my sTaff laST year, aNd you twirLeD Your
teAM into a cHAMpIonsHip; but now you’re a-hiTTiNG the toboggan juSt as
faSt AS aNY One Can. when you are SoBer anD In good pHYsICAL coNDition
there isN’t a better maN EveR toed tHe SlaB Than yoU are; aNd THat’S
why I haven’t TradEd you duriNg the pASt month. i Hoped yoU’d wake
Up aNd cUt ouT ThE bOozE aND thE GaNg oF HigH-living sPoRtS you aRe
trAVELIng wIth; But iF you dOn’t get your eyeS opEn anD QuiT drinKing
bEforE wE starT on the westeRn Trip, I’ll try to makE a deAl with somE
otHeR clUb, And trADe you bEfoRe tHe other ManagerS Get WiSE TO tHe
fact that you are drInKINg Yourself Out of tHE gAmE.”

reynolds MuMblEd soMEThing.

“what?” kInEally askEd.

“I gueSS sOmE o’ those OtHer manAgErs’D be Glad tO Get mE,” ReynoLds
repeaTed.

“YeS, Until they found THat you were a soUSe,” kINeALly aDdeD; “and
then theY’d shUNt yoU bacK To The MInors In douBlE-QuICk. You’d
probably last a YeAr or twO in thE bushes, and theN some littlE
ONE-horse miNor-lEAgUE outfit would giVe you Your uncondITional
reLease; And you’d bE a has-been, WHIle you weRe yEt a Kid. somE
FUtUre, eh?”

Reynolds SLOuchEd Against The Bureau, hIs hAndS deEp iN hIs pockets. a
sullen, dEfIaNt ExPreSsion DIstorted HiS feAtUreS.

KineALly wipEd a haNdkeRcHiEF acRoss his FOrEHEad.

“I’Ll Be HangEd iF I Know wHy I’vE StoOd for yoUr drinkinG anD
ViolAtIoN of traiNing rules as loNg As I have!” he eXcLaiMed. “I reCKOn
it’s becAuse I remember what a likabLE, clean yOunG duffEr yoU were
when i fiRst bouGht YOu from That liTtle bUsH leAGUe up-cOUNtRy.”

AS hE paused, the MANagEr hapPeNed
 your father, but I’ve bee n kickingaroun d i n t hi s wo rldfor some fifte e n or  sixteen years longerthanyo u  hav e ,and I ’ve had pl e n tyof  c han ce to  lear n t hat a p itcher, or  an yother ball p l ay er,
can’twor k as battery  ma te wit hOld Demon  Bo oze a nd las t  longin the
di am o nd gam e .

“You w er e th e best pitcher on my staff last yea r, and  y o ut w irl edyour
teamin to ac hampion s hi p ; but now you’re a- hitting the tob ogganju sta s
fast  as a ny one  can. Whenyouare sober  and i n  good p h ysicalcondit ion 
th erei sn ’t  abe t ter ma n e v ertoed the  s la b tha n yo u a r e; a ndthat ’s
wh y I haven’t t rad ed y o u d uring  thepast  m onth.  I hop ed yo u’ d wake
up and c ut o ut the bo oze  a ndth e gan g  of hi gh- liv ing spo rts you are 
t r a v el ing with; but if y ou d on ’t get y our ey e sop e n and qu it  dr inki n g 
befo re w e  s tart onthe We s te rn  trip,I’ ll try  t o m ake  a de a l wi th som e
otherclub, and trade youb efore the oth e rm a na g ersget  wise to th e
fa c t th at y o uare drink ing y ou r se l f out of the game.” 
Reynol ds mu mbled somethi ng.

“What ? ” Kineally  ask e d. 
“I guess some  o’ t hose other managers ’d be  glad to  get me,” R eynoldsrep eat ed. 

“ Y e s,  until they f o u nd t ha t you w ere  a sous e,”  Ki nea lly  a dded; “an d
then t he y’ dsh unt  youb ack to t he  mi no rsin do u ble-qu ick.You’ dpr o bab ly last ay e ar o rtw o in  th ebushe s, a n d t hen som e littleone - hors emi nor-lea gue outfit wo ul d give you  y our  uncon d i tional
r elease; and you’d be ah as-been , w hileyouwere yeta k id. So mef uture,  eh?”
Reyn ol dss l ouche d ag ain st  the burea u ,  hi s han ds  dee p in hi s pockets. A
sulle n , d efiant expres sio n di s t or ted hi s  fe at u res . 
Kineally wiped  a handker ch i ef  across hi s  fo re head.
“I’ll b e han g ed if I  know why  I’ve sto od  for y our  drinkingand
viol ation oft raini n grules  as  longas  Ihave! ” he e x cla imed.  “I re ck on
it’ s bec au se I rem ember what a likable, c lean y oungduf fer you w ere whe n I first  bou ght you fr omtha t lit tle bushleag u eup- c ountr y.”As he pau s ed , t h e  m anager happ e n e d
 your_father, but_I’ve been kicking around_in this_world
for_some fifteen_or_sixteen years longer_than you have,_and I’ve had
plenty of_chance to learn_that_a pitcher, or any other ball player,
can’t work as battery mate with Old Demon_Booze_and last_long_in_the
diamond game.

“You were the best_pitcher on my staff last_year, and_you twirled your
team into a championship; but now_you’re_a-hitting the toboggan_just as
fast as any one can. When you are_sober and in good physical condition
there_isn’t a better_man_ever_toed the slab than_you are; and that’s
why I haven’t_traded you during the past month._I hoped you’d wake
up and cut out_the booze and the gang of_high-living sports you are
traveling with;_but if_you don’t get your eyes_open and quit_drinking
before we_start on the_Western trip, I’ll try to make_a deal with_some
other club, and trade you before_the_other managers get_wise_to_the
fact that_you are drinking_yourself_out of_the_game.”

Reynolds mumbled something.

“What?” Kineally asked.

“I guess_some_o’ those other managers’d be glad to_get me,” Reynolds
repeated.

“Yes, until_they_found that you were_a souse,” Kineally added; “and
then_they’d shunt you back to the_minors in_double-quick. You’d
probably_last a year or two in the bushes, and then some_little
one-horse minor-league outfit would give you_your unconditional
release; and you’d_be a_has-been,_while you were_yet_a kid._Some
future, eh?”

Reynolds slouched against the bureau, his_hands deep_in his pockets. A
sullen, defiant expression_distorted his features.

Kineally wiped_a_handkerchief across his forehead.

“I’ll be hanged_if I know why I’ve stood_for your drinking and
violation of_training_rules_as long as I have!”_he exclaimed. “I reckon
it’s because I_remember what a_likable, clean young duffer you were
when I_first_bought you from that little bush_league_up-country.”

As he paused, the manager happened