WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>He made his first appearance one afternoon a week or

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<v Speaker 1>so before the fall handicap, meeting Moscher, Fosgill, Alien, Rhonemus,

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<v Speaker 1>and several more of us were down at the end

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<v Speaker 1>of the field putting the shot. Fosgill, who was scratch

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<v Speaker 1>man that year, had just done an even forty feet

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<v Speaker 1>and the shot had trickled away toward the cinder path,

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<v Speaker 1>whereupon a small bit of humanity appeared from somewhere, picked

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<v Speaker 1>up the sixteen pounds of lead with much difficulty, and

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<v Speaker 1>staggered back to the circle with it. Hello, kid, said Fosgill.

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<v Speaker 1>That's pretty heavy for you, isn't it? Nah? Was the

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<v Speaker 1>superb reply. That ain't nothin. We laughed, and the youngster

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<v Speaker 1>grinned around at us in a companionable way that won

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<v Speaker 1>us on the spot. What's your name, asked Rhonomus. Patsy, Patsy,

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<v Speaker 1>what burns? How old are you? Lavin? You're a Frenchman,

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<v Speaker 1>aren't you? Nah? You're not? Rhonemus pretended intense surprise. He's

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<v Speaker 1>a Dutchman, aren't you, Patsy, said Mosher, Nah, what are you?

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<v Speaker 1>Then Mucker answered Patsy with a grin. For the rest

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<v Speaker 1>of that day, and from many days afterwards, Patsy honored

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<v Speaker 1>us with his presence. After each put he ambled forth,

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<v Speaker 1>lifted the metal ball from the ground with two dirty

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<v Speaker 1>little hands, snuggled it against the front of his dirty

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<v Speaker 1>little shirt, and labored back with it. At the end

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<v Speaker 1>of the week, Patsy had become official helper. He was

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<v Speaker 1>a diminutive wisp of humanity, a starved, slender elf with

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<v Speaker 1>a freckled face whizzened and peaked, which at times looked

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<v Speaker 1>a thousand years old. It reminded you of the face

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<v Speaker 1>of one of those preternaturally aged monkeys that sit motionless

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<v Speaker 1>in a dark corner of the cage, oppressed with the

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<v Speaker 1>sins and sorrows of a hundred centuries. And yet it

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<v Speaker 1>mustn't be supposed that Patsy was either a pessimist or

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<v Speaker 1>a misanthrope. Patsy's gray irish eye could sparkle merrily, and

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<v Speaker 1>his thin, little irish mouth usually wore a whimsical smile.

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<v Speaker 1>It was as though he realized that life was but

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<v Speaker 1>a hollow mockery, and yet had bravely resolved to pretend otherwise,

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<v Speaker 1>that we young and innocent might still preserve our cherished illusions.

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<v Speaker 1>We made a good deal of Patsy. We pretended that

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<v Speaker 1>he was very, very old and sophisticated, not a difficult task,

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<v Speaker 1>and deferred to his judgment on all occasions. But in

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<v Speaker 1>spite of this, Patsy never became fresh. To be sure,

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<v Speaker 1>he speedily began calling Fosgill Bull, but I don't think

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<v Speaker 1>he meant the slightest disrespect. Everyone called the big fellow bull,

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<v Speaker 1>and it is quite possible that Patsy believed it to

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<v Speaker 1>be a title of honor. He was attentive to all

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<v Speaker 1>of us, but his heart was fos Gill's. He used

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<v Speaker 1>to wait outside the locker building until we came out

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<v Speaker 1>after dressing, and then walked beside Fosgill until he reached

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<v Speaker 1>the square. Then Patsy would say good night, Bull, and

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<v Speaker 1>Fosgill would answer gravely, good night Patsy, and Patsy would disappear.

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<v Speaker 1>But the evening of the Handicaps we took him back

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<v Speaker 1>to the boarding house with us, and he sat beside

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<v Speaker 1>Fosgill and eat ravenously of everything placed before him. We

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<v Speaker 1>learned Patsy's life story. That evening he went to school.

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<v Speaker 1>Generally he lived with Brian. Brian was his brother, eighteen

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<v Speaker 1>years old and a man of business. Brian drove for Connors,

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<v Speaker 1>the teamster. Patsy wasn't sure that he had ever had

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<v Speaker 1>a mother, but he was absolutely certain about his father.

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<v Speaker 1>He still had vivid recollections of the night they broke

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<v Speaker 1>down the door and put handcuffs on father after father

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<v Speaker 1>had laid out the lieutenant with a chair. Patsy didn't

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<v Speaker 1>know just what father had done, but he had an idea.

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<v Speaker 1>It was something regarding the disappearance of numerous suits of

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<v Speaker 1>clothes from a tailor's shop. Patsy was going into business himself,

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<v Speaker 1>just as soon as they let him stop school. He

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<v Speaker 1>was going to sell papers. He had tried several times

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<v Speaker 1>to wean himself from education, but each time they hailed

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<v Speaker 1>him back to the schoolhouse. Patsy thought the thing was

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<v Speaker 1>terribly wrong. When the snow covered the field, we saw

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy only occasionally in the spring. We got to work early.

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<v Speaker 1>We believed we had a good show to win the

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<v Speaker 1>duel that year, and a fighting chance at the intercollegiate.

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<v Speaker 1>We were strong on the sprints and distances, fair at

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<v Speaker 1>the jumps and hurdles, and rather weak at the waits.

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<v Speaker 1>We had a good man in Fossgill at the shot put,

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<v Speaker 1>but that's about all. Along in May, we had it

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<v Speaker 1>doped out that if we could get first in the

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<v Speaker 1>shot put, we could win out by a point or two.

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<v Speaker 1>But there wasn't anything certain about it, for our opponent

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<v Speaker 1>was strong on second, near second and third place men.

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy appeared with the first warm day, looking thinner and

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<v Speaker 1>littler and older than ever. That first day, the assistant

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<v Speaker 1>manager was holding the tape for us, and it occurred

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<v Speaker 1>to him to pick up the shot and toss it back,

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<v Speaker 1>but he did it only once. The next time, Patsy

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<v Speaker 1>was astraddle that sixteen pound lump and was looking the

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<v Speaker 1>assistant manager sternly in the eye. I'm doing this, said Patsy.

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<v Speaker 1>After that he did it, and no one disputed his right.

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<v Speaker 1>When the gates were closed and the fellows had to

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<v Speaker 1>show their h A A tickets to get in, Patsy

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<v Speaker 1>was admitted without question. When all the other youngsters for

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<v Speaker 1>miles around were gluing their faces to the iron fence

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<v Speaker 1>watching the baseball games, Patsy's allegiance never faltered. He was

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<v Speaker 1>somewhere around Fosgille, regarding that hero with worshiping gaze. It

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<v Speaker 1>was in May I think that Patsy made his great resolution.

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<v Speaker 1>He confided it to us on the steps of the

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<v Speaker 1>locker building when we were waiting for one of the crowd.

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<v Speaker 1>I've decided not to go into business, said Patsy. What

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<v Speaker 1>are you going to do, asked Billy Allen. I'm going

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<v Speaker 1>to college, replied Patsy easily. I'm going to be a

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<v Speaker 1>shot putter. Good for you, kid, said Billy. What college

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<v Speaker 1>you're going to? Billy winked at us, and we watched

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<v Speaker 1>eagerly while Patsy's countenance took on its expression of lofty contempt. Huh,

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<v Speaker 1>said Patsy. That was all, but that eloquent, monosyllable consigned

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<v Speaker 1>all other colleges than ours to the nethermost regions. But

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<v Speaker 1>you'll have to go to school a long time, Patsy said,

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<v Speaker 1>I if you expect to get into college, yep. I

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<v Speaker 1>know it's tough, but I guess I can do it. Buzz,

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<v Speaker 1>was it hard for you? I was forced to acknowledge

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<v Speaker 1>that it had been. And you ain't much of a

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<v Speaker 1>shot putter either, said Patsy reflectively. Fosskill had done forty

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<v Speaker 1>two eight and a half that afternoon, and we were

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<v Speaker 1>feeling pretty hopeful and good natured. After dinner, someone mentioned Patsy,

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<v Speaker 1>and Mosher spoke up. Say, fellows, let's see that little

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<v Speaker 1>cuss does get into college. What do you say I'll go, you,

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<v Speaker 1>cried Foskill. He's an all right kid, is Patsy, and

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<v Speaker 1>he deserves something better than spending his life on the streets.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll adopt him, sure thing, said Alan, But we'll have

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<v Speaker 1>our hands full. And what's to happen when we leave college.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll get someone to look after him. We'll have a

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<v Speaker 1>talk with Brother Bryan about it. But say, bull, imagine

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy putting the shot. We laughed at that, which we

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't have done if Patsy had been there. Well, I

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<v Speaker 1>guess he won't make much of a show at athletics,

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<v Speaker 1>said I. But if we keep him off the streets,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll be doing a whole lot. And I like Patsy.

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<v Speaker 1>We all did, and before we left the table that night,

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<v Speaker 1>we had the thing mapped out. Patsy was to be

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<v Speaker 1>cared for and looked after. He was to finish grammar school,

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<v Speaker 1>go to Latin school and then to Harvard, and there

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<v Speaker 1>were to be funds where they'd do good. Yes, we

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<v Speaker 1>had it all fixed up for Patsy, and we'd have

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<v Speaker 1>done it just as planned if Patsy hadn't gone and

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<v Speaker 1>spoiled it all. And it happened like this. When the

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<v Speaker 1>duel meet came along in June, we were all to

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<v Speaker 1>the good. We couldn't see how we were going to

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<v Speaker 1>lose first in anything except the quarter, the high hurdles,

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<v Speaker 1>the hammer throw, and the broad jump, and we had

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<v Speaker 1>enough seconds and thirds in sight to make good. If

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<v Speaker 1>bull Fosgill could beat Tanner with the shot, we were it.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the way we had the situation sized up. But

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<v Speaker 1>of course things don't happen just as expected. They seldom

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<v Speaker 1>doing athletics. Some of the firsts we had claimed went glimmering,

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<v Speaker 1>and we took in seconds and thirds where we hadn't

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<v Speaker 1>expected them. But the final result was just about what

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<v Speaker 1>we had figured it. And along toward five o'clock the

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<v Speaker 1>meat depended on the outcome of one event, and that

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<v Speaker 1>event was the shot put. To be sure, they were

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<v Speaker 1>still fussing with a pole vault, but we were certain

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<v Speaker 1>of first and third places and so could discount that,

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<v Speaker 1>by some freak of fortune, I had managed to qualify

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<v Speaker 1>with a put thirty eight one and a half. There

151
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<v Speaker 1>were four of us in the finals, Foskill, Tanner and

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<v Speaker 1>Bert of the enemy and I. Of course. Patsy was there,

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<v Speaker 1>and he worked like a trojan. You could see though

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<v Speaker 1>that it went against the grain with him to fetch

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<v Speaker 1>for our opponents. Patsy had a good deal of that

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<v Speaker 1>primeual left in him, and it's safe to say that

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<v Speaker 1>no one there was more interested. I don't think he

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<v Speaker 1>doubted for a moment that Foskill would win, and I

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<v Speaker 1>fancy he thought me pretty cheeky for aspiring. So far

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<v Speaker 1>as the final round, Foskill was ahead with forty one

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<v Speaker 1>ten and a half, Tanner had done three inches under that,

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<v Speaker 1>and Bert and I were fighting along for third place,

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<v Speaker 1>doing around thirty eight six. It was pretty close work,

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<v Speaker 1>and even the officials were excited. We had finished one

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<v Speaker 1>round when the accident occurred. Tanner was in the circle,

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<v Speaker 1>Foskill was down near the end of the tape, and

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy was close behind him. Tanner hopped across the circle, overstepped,

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<v Speaker 1>falling the put, and sent the shot away at a tangent.

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<v Speaker 1>Fosgill had turned his head to speak to the measurer

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<v Speaker 1>and never saw his danger. Tanner let out a shout

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<v Speaker 1>of warning, and the others echoed it, but it was

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy who acted. He threw himself like a little catapult

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<v Speaker 1>at Fosgill and sent him staggering across the turf. Then

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy and the shot went down together. It was all beastly,

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<v Speaker 1>sudden and nasty. When we bent over that poor little kid,

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<v Speaker 1>he was sort of greenish white, and I'll never forget

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<v Speaker 1>the way his freckles stood out. The shot had struck

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<v Speaker 1>him on the breast, and Patsy's weak little bones had

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<v Speaker 1>just crushed in. Well, we did all we could, put

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<v Speaker 1>him in a carriage at the gate and rushed him

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<v Speaker 1>to the hospital. He was still breathing, but the doctor

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<v Speaker 1>said he never knew anything after the shot struck him,

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<v Speaker 1>not until evening. Well, we were all frightfully cut up,

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<v Speaker 1>and Tanner sat down on the ground and nearly Faintedsgill

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<v Speaker 1>kept saying, poor little Patsy, poor little kid, half alowed

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<v Speaker 1>and walking around in circles. He wanted to go to

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<v Speaker 1>the hospital with him, but we told him he could

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<v Speaker 1>do no good, and we each still had two puts.

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<v Speaker 1>After a while, we got our nerve back after a

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<v Speaker 1>fashion and went on, but thunder not one of us

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<v Speaker 1>was worth a hang. I did thirty six and thirty

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<v Speaker 1>seven eleven and one third place. At that neither Fosgill

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<v Speaker 1>nor Tanner equalled his first records, and the event went

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<v Speaker 1>to Bull at the ridiculous figures of forty one ten

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<v Speaker 1>and a half. We got the meet by four and

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<v Speaker 1>a half points. It was almost six o'clock by that time,

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<v Speaker 1>and Fosgill and I and three others piled into Alien's

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<v Speaker 1>auto and raced up to the hospital. They had just

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<v Speaker 1>taken Patsy off the operating table and put him to bed.

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<v Speaker 1>The doctor told us that the examination showed that there

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<v Speaker 1>was nothing to be done. The heart had been injured

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<v Speaker 1>and was liable to stop work any moment. Fosgill got

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<v Speaker 1>the doctor to promise to call him up on the

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<v Speaker 1>if Patsy showed any signs of consciousness, and he left

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<v Speaker 1>orders that everything possible was to be done. Tanner had

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<v Speaker 1>begged us to look after the kid and let him

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<v Speaker 1>pay everything, but though we promised, we hadn't any idea

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<v Speaker 1>of doing it. Patsy was our kid. We went back

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<v Speaker 1>to training table, but we were a low spirited lot,

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<v Speaker 1>and just when we were finishing dinner, the call came

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<v Speaker 1>from the hospital. We made a record trip in Billie's machine,

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<v Speaker 1>and when we tiptoed into the accident ward, the nurse

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<v Speaker 1>smiled at us, and so did Patsy. He was a

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<v Speaker 1>pathetic looking little wisp as he lay there with the

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<v Speaker 1>bedclothes lifted away from his body, but he smiled and

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<v Speaker 1>moved his head a bit on the pillow. Fosgill sat

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<v Speaker 1>down at the head of the cot and leaned over

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<v Speaker 1>his mouth all a tremble. Hello bull, whispered Patsy. Hello,

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy answered Fosgill, trying to smile. Did you beat him? Yes, Patsy,

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<v Speaker 1>I knew you would, I told him so. He glanced

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<v Speaker 1>at me. Did you beat that other trap? I nodded,

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<v Speaker 1>and Patsy looked at me with a new respect. Good

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<v Speaker 1>for you, he whispered, Are you does it hurt much?

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<v Speaker 1>Patsy asked Fosgill, No, not much. That's good. We'll have

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<v Speaker 1>you all before long. Patsy grinned, shut up. He whispered,

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<v Speaker 1>you can't fool me. Bull, I'm a corner. Fosgill muttered something,

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<v Speaker 1>and Patsy's eyes brightened. Bull He whispered, do you think

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<v Speaker 1>I had a mother like other kids? I know he did, Patsy.

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<v Speaker 1>That's good, sighed the kid happily. I guess maybe i'll

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<v Speaker 1>see her where I'm going. You saved my life, Patsy

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<v Speaker 1>muttered Fosgill. And there is nothing I can do for you.

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<v Speaker 1>I wish. Oh, it's a shame, kid. Huh. I'm glad, Bull,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd have done most anything for you. Bull, You've been

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<v Speaker 1>good to me, so's the others. And he closed his

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<v Speaker 1>eyes wearily for a moment. Then do you think, he asked, slowly,

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<v Speaker 1>I could have learned to put the shot? Bull some day, Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>answered Foscolle surdily, you had the making of a great

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<v Speaker 1>shot put or Patsy, you'd have made a record for yourself.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll bet are you kidding me? Bull? No, Patsy, I'll

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<v Speaker 1>leave it to the others, isn't it so? Fellows? We

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<v Speaker 1>nodded vehemently, and Patsy closed his eyes with a smile

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<v Speaker 1>of ineffable content on his little face. Presently, the eyes

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<v Speaker 1>flickered open again. Anyhow, he said, quite strongly, and with

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<v Speaker 1>an approach to his old air of self importance. Anyhow,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess I won for Harvard to day. Huh, Yes

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<v Speaker 1>you did, Patsy answered Fosgill. We got you to thank

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<v Speaker 1>for it, dear little kid. Patsy smiled. Then goodbye, Bo,

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<v Speaker 1>he said, very softly, his eyes half closed. We waited

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<v Speaker 1>in silence while the moments crept by, but Patsy didn't

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<v Speaker 1>speak again. End of Patsy by Ralph Henry Barbour