edwin-diary

is getting up a team & I am to pitch & Peanut catch. We are going to Play Gorden wampales Saturday if the kids show up

Apr. 20, 1917 I went to the show tonight.

Apr. 21, 1917 We had the ball game all right this s afternoon but after we finished the game we went over on the grandstand & played tag. We played ball up to the fair grounds. the kids or Keny hambone Bud, Cooper, peanut & punkin, Wampool kenny & Flucker swiped hanks hat & took it up in the bell tower & I was playing 21 on the diamond with Bill Olomsted kenshaw Palph & Bill Courtany So hank came over & played with us till the kids would give up his hat. My bat was over on the side of the & the kids up in the bell tower got Wampool to get all the bats & Bill hollered that they were taking my bat so Hank & I went over there I went after my bat & hank after his hat. I went around & got under & started to go up but they put boxes on top. Wampool had been in such a hurry

to get away from me that he droped a bat. I [swung?] 3 or 4 beer bottles which were laying on the floor & hit the boxes but dident do any good so I got the bat & knocked a box to pieces & they put a beer keg on top & I pulled them both down & I took the bat again & nocked 5 more boxes to pieces & I wondered whereall the boxes were coming from so I went around to see & there was punkin handing them up to the kids so when he saw me he shinned up the bell tower pretty lively & I broke all the other boxes & then I went over there & hank was pluggin cobbles up at the kids so I went in & began brakeing the boxes again & I told hank to keep it up + he was doing noble so he did. Well I nocked another box to pieces & they only had 1 more & they stood on that & I hit it an awful crack & the wood broke & I hit somebodys hat & he jumped up & [just?] then hank plugged a rock & it took the kid on the head & he laied down

& bawled like a good fellow. When I began to nock som more holes in that box they began to poke bats at me & I took 3 which they poked at me then hank said they were coming down so I ran around to paist time out of them as they came down. but when they saw me they went back pretty lively & threw my bat at me & told me to go away & leave them alone. I guss they had had enough. Bud said just because I plugged a rock & hit him on the west side off his pants or when, the [son?] sets that I had to use rocks when I [illegible]. I told him if he wanted prove it & if he thought he could to come down & fight it out like a man. & he said if he wanted to he could punch my face in for one & I told him to come down & try it but he stood up there & called me names & blew off steam at me & I called him a dam coward & the whole bunch was too & if they would come down two at a time & fight me I would show 'em but they said they liked the breeze up there & they dident want to come down here because it was to hot

& I said it would soon be a little hotter if they did come down but they dident so Billy George Hank & me went home. anyway I gave somebody a good crack. I cried up Then because I was so mad. they dident hurt me but I was so mad I cried. I am not mad at them now because they had enough. I missed quoir rehersal tonight because I was so late fighting for my bat. the kids better not get too fresh with me or I will show them a thing or 2. Warm &

Apr. 22, 1917 Nothing much today.

Apr. 23, 1917 8 Boys are going tomorow because they have enlisted in the army they are going to have a demonstration

Apr. 24, 1917 The school bell rang at 8 o’clock this morning & the Fire bell at 8:15. All the kids in school got in line & marched to the depot after them came all the firemen & then the Falcons (Polish) & all of their Boy Scouts & then the Military boys came & all the fellows who Enlisted came with them. Some ladies & girls were crying & In school Bernetta Bly had been crying & her eyes were red because her brother went too

All the way on main st. & short & lake & center down by the depot were crowded & people were on top of the cans & everywhere. All the flags were out & it was just great. It is a good thing that the U.S. declared war on germany. We played ball tonight after school.

Apr. 245, 1917 Played Ball tonight for about 1 hr. & then I had to come in & work

Apr. 26, 1917 Cloudy & winday. I cant play ball for a this week just because I was mad & hit dony just because I played ball, mama says. I cant play even 21 or pokey or one old cat or 2 old cat or catch. It is pretty tough on me. I only got 13 notes in school today. Somebody writes me notes & they say “Hauk up 10 00 or you will get took” & a big hand of ink is at the bottom. Just cause I wrote 6 or 7 notes to Laura McMahn I got a note & it said that if I was in love with her I ought to spend all my mony on her. I havent got any mony to spend on her now anyway because last sunday I paid off all my debts & had 20¢ left over & bought 20¢ worth of