Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in the 1860s and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. The books are available from Lintern for $25 a set, tax and shipping included. Each book is about 120 pages written for intermediate readers (4th grade) with local illustrations. Volume I is Amelia Changes Her Tune. Volume II is Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home. Volume III is Autumn Keeps Her Secret. Volume IV is Mr. Gamble Starts a School. Volume V is Jacob Blows his Horn. Volume VI is Cassie Fights the War. Volume VII is Emilene Adopts Her Family.
They all like Mansfield, but they don’t like what’s happening yet.
The crowd camped around the baseball field was a mixed collection of bystanders. Not about which team to root for; no, this was clearly a Mansfield crowd.
The diversity came in how many people really came to watch baseball on a Tuesday afternoon and how many came because other people were coming to watch baseball.
David noticed that some were fervent in their support, and they were the ones sitting along both base paths, yelling encouragement, advice and harassment to appropriate players.
But he also saw many farther up on the hillsides who seemed only half-interested in the game, or at least in what was happening at a given time.
Maybe they just don’t know the rules, or understand why they do what they do, he thought, remembering how much he had learned from Jacob and the other players during the last couple of weeks as he helped with water and equipment.
Does Mother even know what a three-bagger is? Is Grace aware of how the strikers pick where the hurler should throw it? Does Cassie understand why catching a foul ball on the first bounce is a hand dead, while a bounce in fair territory is a live ball? Do they know which is a hit and which is a muff?
As the Cincy strikers came up, the Independents seemed more confident. One was retired quickly, two hit, then another blasted a three-bagger, and scored on the next play, and one more tallied after being safe on a muff, then racing around two bags on a muff throw. The next fly ball was caught, but that allowed the runner to tally, before Jacob fielded the last ball and forced the third hand dead with a good throw to first.
Middle of the third inning: Cincinnati 22, Mansfield 0.
“Are you going to come to the game, Grace?”
“You know I will, David. The whole family is going. I just hope the weather is nice and Mama fixes a nice picnic so it won’t be a total waste,” she replied.
“So you think we are going to lose? That’s why it will be a waste?”
“It’s base ball. That’s why it’s a waste,” Grace said.
“What do you mean?”
“Throwing a ball at a stick and running around in circles while men in funny outfits race each other to sacks of flour. For what? For the honor of our city?”
“Well, yes.”
“I would rather be reading or playing the violin.”
“You can do that, too. When they’re changing sides.”
“Look, I’ll be there, and it will be fun to see Jacob when he runs around, or to watch you spill water on yourself. But otherwise, give me a good book on a grassy knoll with one of Mama’s muffins.
“Where nobody is yelling, ‘Huzzah.’ ”
The two had been walking down Fourth Street, to deliver a package from Mama to the home of Isaac and Sarah Pleasant, family friends. The two always enjoyed a reason to go to their home, as they were one of the very few black families in Mansfield.
Isaac was a barber, and they lived near the freight station by the railroad tracks. They had four children, Tabitha and Josiah, who were almost grown, and Lilly and Ivy, younger than Grace but older than David, who were adopted about the same time the Zimmermans adopted Grace and David, after the war.
Whenever there was a reason to see the Pleasants, both Grace and David jumped at the chance, and usually went together. While they certainly were happy living with the Zimmermans, they also were glad for any reason to see a family that looked more like them.
Mr. Pleasant was musical, well-read and easy to talk to. He had been a slave as a child, but his family escaped on the underground railroad many years ago.
Mrs. Pleasant was friendly and kind. She and Mama were best friends. Grace knew that it was that friendship that brought her and David to the Zimmerman family.
Besides, Grace had always had a crush on Josiah, who was a couple of years older, although she never let anyone know. She didn’t have to. Everyone pretty much had that figured out.
“Are you going to marry Josiah?” David asked her, as they stepped over the East Diamond Street on their way down the hill.
“Now you just hush up, David. That is not a nice question to ask a lady,” she said. “I don’t ever want you to ask me that again!”
Maybe someday.
“Don’t get so huffy, Sis. I just wondered. And besides, I wouldn’t mind,” he said.
“Well, just don’t bring it up ever again.”
I wouldn’t mind either.
