IV + 

Friend Al: Well Al here it is pretty near 3 days since I been out on the porch and its so hot in my birth room and the dinning room that it feels like 1 of these here turkeys baths but a mans got his choise weather you want to get smuthered to deth or go out on the porch and get your head all pecked up by these here Thomas Hawks and just think Al we wont be threw with the indian Ocean where they fly a round at for pretty near a wk. more and may be by that time I will be rosted to deth like a Pnut or some thing but of coarse if it gets to hot I will half to go out on the porch and take a chanct of geting my head pecked up. + 

Well Al I found out today where wear on our way to and wear going to africa Al and wear do there a bout the last of the mo. but the languige they talk there is harder to lern then japan or china ether 1 because a hole lot of the words is pretty near like englich only they say them diffrunt and its geting on to how do they say them thats what makes it hard to lern so steve Evans has beggan all ready to lern me how to talk the languige so as I can get a long all right by my self if I hapened to get lost a way from the rest of the party. When you want to say I meaning your self you say Ah and supose you got lost and wanted to say I cant find my way back to the hotel youd say Ah caint fine mah way back to dat ole hotel and if you want to say your lost you say Ahm done lost it and if you want to tell them your hungery you say Boss Ah sho am ravvenashus only of coarse I dont know weather thats how you spell it or not. A mans got to keep saying it over to your self all the wile or your libel to forget what you lerned all ready and when I and Evans is to gather we keep talking it back and 4th bet. us so as I will have it lerned pretty good and not forget it before we get to africa. + 

I guess Florrie will think Im a collige school teecher or some thing when I get home and spring all the diffrunt languige on her japan and china and africa and the rest of them that I lern before I get home. But whats the use of makeing a trip like this here if you dont lern some thing and a mans a sucker to go a round the world with your eyes and ears shut like a deef and dum moot. As long is we dont get no money for playing ball on the trip we better try and get some thing and I will try and lern evry thing I can and I bet some of these here collige willy boys that spends there old mans money at yale and Harlem dont lern ½ as much is a man that makes a trip a round the world if you keep your eyes oppen. + 

Well Al I wisht we was threw with the indian Ocean and out of the way of these here Thomas Hawks so as a man could get some fresh air but wishing wont do no good and a man cant get nothing by wishing and I supose Scott and Benz and them wishs they had my fast 1 but them wishing it wont fool no batters. Wishs is fishs as they say. Well old pal Im going to get my cloths off and lay on the bed and thats a bout the only way you can keep your self from smuthering to deth. + 

Al: Well old Pal what do you supose wear up against now and wear going to cross acrost the eqater again tommorow and they say its a hole lot worse crosing acrost the way we got to cross it this time then the way we went acrost the other time because we was going south last time and now wear going north and when your going south your going down and the bump is easyer but when you cross acrost it going north you cross it up and its like you was driveing a horse & buggy over a R.R. track and the bump when you hit the rales is harder then when your acrost the track and slide off of the rales on to the ground and crosing the eqater going north is just like going up a step insted of comeing down and the crews of the boat all has to pull on a rope and lift the front end of the boat up so as to raze it up for the step. But some times they dont get the boat razed up at the right time and then theys a awful bump and peopls libel to get hurt. + 

If your in your birth room your libel to get throwed against the sealing and get your head smashed or brake a arm and I guess theys a lot of ball players in the league that would be tickeled to deth if I got my old super broke but I aint going to take no chanct to please them and Evans says I better be out on the porch when the bump comes off and hold on to the fence and not crooped up in no birth room where theys a sealing and walls to bump against. So Im going out on the porch Al and take a chanct with them Thomas Hawks because a man better get his head pecked up a little then brake your arm when you got to pitch for a liveing. + 

Dutch Schaefer says if I broke my left arm it wouldent do no harm and if I broke my right arm I could lern to pitch with my left arm and be just as good but I aint going to make no left hander out of my self because all as they deppend on is there luck and if I dident have nothing but luck I would quite pitching and drive a dray or write for the news papers. + 

So I am going to take a chanct with them Hawks Al and if I get my head all sored up I guess the only thing I can do is lay a round till its all OK again and any way I cant stay crooped up much longer or Ill be rosted like a chicken or some thing and I havent dast set near a oppen window even on acct of these here Hawks might catch site of me and come in threw the window. + 

Well Al may be Ill need some of these left handers luck before Im threw but Id rather have my fast ball then all there luck hey Al. + 

Friend Al: Well Al here we are safe in sound and the old supers just as good is ever and my head aint no more sored up then a bran new base ball and theys a lot of pitchers that cant brake there curve with a new ball but it dont make no diffrunts to me Al if the balls just out of the rapper or all dirted up the old hook will brake just the same and make Cobb and the rest of them look like a sucker. Only when my arms good you might say I dont need nothing but my fast 1. + 

Well Al I and all the rest of the boys has been crooped up all this wile for nothing and they wasent no danger at all from them Thomas Hawks only we dident know no better till Mcgraw found it out and what do you think of this here indian Thorp for not telling us when he knowed all the wile only he says he dident know why we was all staying in doors off of the porch but thot we was sea sick or some thing. + 

Well Al the hole gang of us come out on the porch last night so as we would be OK when we crosed acrost the eqater and I wore my base ball cap on under my hat so as my head wouldent be so easy to get at and Bliss and Wingo and Slight and them wore there masts over there head but Evans says that wouldent of did them no good because these here Hawks has got big long bills and can reach clear down threw a catchers mast but it was a light night and pretty near like day light and we looked all over and couldent see no birds over the boat or no wheres else and evry body was wondring where could they of hid them self and finely Mcgraw hapened to say some thing to Thorp a bout it and come to find out Thorp was out on the porch the 1st day we come in to the indian Ocean and they was a hole flock of these here birds waiting for some body to show up on the porch so they could peck there heads but when they seen Thorp they flide a way from the boat and they hasent been none of them near the boat ever since and Schaefer says its on acct of Thorp being a indian and knows how to handle Thomas Hawks. + 

Well Al I thot we would laugh our self to deth when we seen what suckers we was and no body thot a bout Thorp being on the Ship bord and of coarse we was OK wile he was on the bord and what a rummy we all was Al staying crooped up in doors when we might of been in joying the air. + 

Evans says Mcgraw should ought to find Thorp a $100.00 dollars fer him not telling us but Mcgraw says Thorp dident never know we was afrade of geting scalloped or he would of told us and the only thing we can do is take it like a joke and to not leave our friends at home lern a bout it or they would laugh them self sick but Im telling you Al because its to good to keep and I aint the man that wont never add mit when you been a sucker. + 

Well Al we was still laughing and jokeing a bout the Thomas Hawks when larry Doyle seen the capt of the boat and found out we was pretty near the eqater and the capt ast Doyle to get some of the strongist men in the crowd and help pull on the rope up to the front of the boat and lift it up over the eqater so I and Thorp and sam Crawford and Honest Lobert got a hold of the rope a long with some of the crews and dutch Schaefer and the capt of the boat stood up in the front of us and told us when to jerk and when they give us the word we give a pull and the rope must of bust it because I fell over on the porch and the boys all laughed but I guess they knowed it was my strenth that done most of the puling and Al we come up on that eqater just like they was nothing there and not no jar at all and the capt of the boat says it was the smothist hed ever went acrost the eqater and he wisht he could have a bunch of big stropping men like we evry time he has to cross acrost it. Of coarse Lobert aint no giant like I and Thorp and Crawford and Crawford and Thorps both of them smaller then me and I guess I done the puling that counted but as long is the capt thinks the rest of them done it to why let him think so. + 

Well Al I got to write an other of them pones of mine tonight and spring it tommorow and Schaefer told me a bout it this p.m. and all so a bout us going to land tommorow and be on the land all day only it aint africa where wear going to be but the Salome iland and we been invitted to eat our lunch with sir Thomas Lipton the sailer only he aint no reglar sailer like the crews on the boat but hes a boat racer and of coarse that aint his busness but he runs a tea and coffee store in this here town where wear going to stop at on the iland and the towns Columbus only of coarse it aint the same Columbus thats in the american Assn. + 

I dident know what to write a bout in my pone but Schaefer says to stick some thing in a bout the tea and coffee store and may be he will come acrost and give us some to take a long with us and all so kid him a bout his boat races and Schaefer says he dont never win none of the races but he is OK and good naturd and likes to get kid it only of coarse I wont make it to raw. + 

Well Al I guess your wondring how we got a invatation out here on the Ship bord where they aint no P.O. and I will tell you how we got it Al we got it by a wirelest telegram and they have them on all the boats and they can wire telegrams all over the world and its some thing new and the man that owns it must be makeing a bbl. of money because they soke you good in plenty to wire the telegrams so I guess they aint no danger of me wireing no telegrams to Florrie on 1 of them because it would cost over $50.00 and of coarse I wouldent stop at no $50.00 if I was sick or killed or some thing but I aint a sucker enough to pay no $50.00 and tell her Im feeling grate and how is evry thing and so 4th. + 

Sir Thomas Liptons place aint far from where wear at and of coarse it dont cost no $50.00 for him to wire us a telegram from Columbus here but it costed him plenty or probily he sent it C.O.D. colleck on Comiskey. + 

Well Al I guess I better get busy on my little peace of poultry and see can I fix up some thing good but I guess they aint no dought a bout that if I sit my mind on it hey Al. May be they will be a place at Columbus where I can male you the letters I all ready wrote. + 

Old Pal: Well old Pal now wear all threw with the Salome iland and the town where we stopped at Columbus and now wear on the Ray Bean Ocean and wear do in africa in 1 wk. Well Al I dident speak my pone for sir Thomas Lipton on acct of dutch Schaefer forgeting to call on me to speak it wile we was haveing dinner but I had a coppy of it wrote down and I give it to him when he says good by to us on the boat the night before last night and I will coppy it down here so as you can see what I give him. + 

The White Sox and N.Y. giants + 

Is makeing a trip a round the world. + 

Takeing in all the sites + 

all a round the world. + 

Wear glad to be in Columbus + 

For boys your town is a pippun + 

where they got the big tea and coffee store + 

Ran by sir Thomas Lipton. + 

If we had some of his coffee + 

We could our friends a bout it tell + 

And tell them how good we liked it + 

and help him it to sell. + 

So may be he will give us some + 

we will half to wait and see + 

But I hope he will give us coffee + 

And not no willy boy tea. + 

If he come acrost with some coffee + 

we would run his boat a race + 

With the boat on witch wear rideing on + 

And leave him win the race. + 

I read the pone to Schaefer right after Id wrote it and he run a way with it and showed it to Callahan and they both of them says it was grate and then Schaefer forgets his self and dont call on me to talk it off at the dinner and of coarse theys no harm done because I give sir Thomas Lipton a coppy of it but that aint like talking it off and it would of live end up the dinner. + 

Well Al sir Thomas Liptons a grate old scout and OK only he give us some tea and not no coffee to take a long with us and I got 5 lbs. in my sute case and I dont know what to do with it because I dont never drink it or nothing but coffee and may be a glass of beer onct in a grate wile but I never felt better in my life and no fat on me so I guess Callahan cant raze no holler if I want my beer but I guess he knows better then say nothing to me a bout it. Come to think you and Bertha likes tea dont you Al and may be I could send it to you from some wheres and give me what ever do you think its worth or else I would give it to you grant us because I was going to bring you and Bertha a present and as long is you like tea why not give you that and not nothing else. + 

Well Al Columbus is some town and its just like a side show or some thing and evry bodys trying to get a mans money a way from you with fakes and snake chalmers and so 4th and some of the boys fell for it and spend a hole lot of there money and dident get nothing for it and I aint no cheap skate Al but will spend my money with the rest of them only I want to know what am I geting for it and not throw it a way like it was dirt and growed on trees and a mans a sucker to fall for all them graffs. A fool with your money and soon loose part of it as they say. + 

I thot Mcgraw would want I should pitch the ball game on acct of sir Thomas Lipton being there but it was a rotten day and raining and I guess probily Callahan wouldent leave Mcgraw use me on acct of may be I would catch cold or something but Mcgraw says he wouldent pitch me because they dident charge nothing to get in and he couldent a ford to be buying me presents for wining for him when they wasent nothing tooken in at the gait but any way they played the game and the giants got beat 4 to 1 and this here Leverenz worked for the White Sox and what chanct was they to beat him the left hand it horse shoes stiff. After the game we ett dinner and come back on the boat and sir Thomas Lipton come on the boat and set with us till it was time for the boat to leave and now wear bounding for africa and theys a bout a wk. for me to practice up on the languige before we get there and by that time I should ought to be able to talk it as good is the natives that was born there. + 

Friend Al: Well Al dutch Schaefer must think Im a rummy and what do you think he was trying to tell me. The Ocean wear on now is name the red Sea and he was trying to tell me it was the place you read a bout in the bibble where moses and them wade it acrost it but they couldent no body wade acrost this Ocean Al because its way over your head and you cant see no bottun and if any body walked threw it they would half to be a bout twict as tall is this here Falkenberg and how he gets by with the stuff hes got is a misery to me. But of coarse if they was twict as tall is him they would be in a sircus or muzzeem or some thing and not fooling a round stumping each other to wade acrost the Ocean. So when Schaefer pulled it on me I says You must think Im ½ Whitted and he says No I dont never flatter no body and I says you better not try and flatter me. If hed of says some thing more to me I would of flattered him out with a punch on the jaw. You know me Al. + 

But he seen I was in ernest and shut up. That is he quite talking a bout flattering some body and kind a laughed and says I can see your to smart for me to put any thing over on you but I bet you cant tell me why is it they call it the red Sea when it aint no wheres near as red as your neck and I says I dident know and dident care a dam why do they call it the red Sea and they could call it the brown Sea if they had a mind and Schaefer says Yes but they wouldent be no sence in calling it the brown Sea but its all right to call it the red Sea because its the 1 evry bodys read a bout in the bibble and I says Tell that to the fish or some thing and he walked a way from me. + 

Well Al evry bodys packing there trunk and sute case and geting things to gather because wear pretty near do in africa and this p.m. we come passed mocha where they make the coffee at and I wisht we could of stopped there insted of the Salome iland and may be got some coffee gave to us insted of willy boy tea. + 

Al: Just a note Al so as I can male it in africa and wear going to land there in a little wile and wear all packed up and ready and its lucky wear going to be in africa this time of yr. and not july or 1 of them mos. because Evans says the wild bests has most of them I went south for the winter now and we wont be in much danger tho we got to keep our eyes oppen because some of the cold wether anamals like Polo bares and lepers is libel to be a round and if you get clost to 1 of them lepers they dont bite you or nothing but you catch a hold of the disease they got and get all spoted up and you bet I will be on the out look and keep a way from them. + 

Well Al it come like a supprise a bout us going to land today and we wasent figureing on geting off of the Ship bord till tommorow when we got to port Sad but the capt of the boat says insted of that we would get off of the boat today only they call it disunbark in africa and the place where wear going to land at is Sue S. and that sounds like as if it was a girls name only of coarse its a town and I would of wrote you a long letter only I thot we was going to be on the Ship bord an other day yet so this is just a note. + 

Friend Al: Well Al Im seting up late to write this letter and I all ready a dressed a bout a ½ doz. post cards to Florrie and little Al and of coarse little Al cant read them or wont know what the pitchers is on them but I thot may be it would make Florrie laugh to see a post card come a dressed to little Al like he was a man or some thing. + 

Well Al this was some day and I dont know where to beggin at to tell you a bout it but I guess I better beggin at the begginning as they say. Well we come in to Cairo from Sue S. on the R.R. and then got on the bord of the st. car and road to the Hellopolis Hotel and its some Hotel Al and the dinning rooms so far from the kichen, that Doyle says the waiters rides back and 4th on campbells only of coarse they dont ride the campbells in to the dinning room but tie them out the side. + 

Well we ett our breakfast and it certunly felt good haveing your breakfast on dry land and not no ruff Ocean water under the Hotel or afrade to go out on the porch on acct of bugs and Thomas Hawks. And I dident see nothing of no Polo bares or lepers and I guess they dont dast hang a round a big town like Cairo. Well Al after we was threw our breakfast some automobiles come for us and took us out to the Pyrmids of Geezer and we seen the Pyrmids and Spinix and there a grate site Al and I wisht you could see them. + 

The Pyrmids is grate big 3 coroner tumes where peopl was burred in them 4 thousend yrs. a go and Evans says if you could oppen 1 of them up you could get enough skulls to start a hole new league and its a wonder the scouts for the big league clubs dont bust in to these here tumes when there looking for bone insted of a round threw the bush leagues. He was just jokeing because of coarse the dead skelton of a corps couldent play ball but what he ment was that some of these here bush ball players thats picked up dont know no more then a dead corps or some thing and should ought to be driveing a dray the lucky stiffs. + 

The Spinix is a grate big homily mans head build from concreet and Mcgraw says the only diffrunts bet. the Spinix and some ball players he knowed was that the Spinix dident spring no alley bys and dident have no arm to throw the ball to the wrong place with it. The Spinix is a bout 4 thousend yrs. old to like the Pyrmids and Evans says they aint no reason why I shouldent last 4 thousend yrs. on acct of me being made out of the same matteral and he ment Im hard like a rock and musseled up strong but of coarse I wont live no 4 thousend yrs. or even 10 times that long but will die a round 70 or 80 like evry body else but Im not worring a bout that yet and wont never leave it bother me thinking it a bout it but eat drink and be mary till I die as they say. + 

Well Al we fooled a round the Pyrmids all a.m. and some of the men and wommen road on them campbells and the boys wanted I should ride on 1 of them but not me Al and I dont believe in crulity to anamals and them big stiffs should ought to be a shamed of them self bareing there wait on a campbell thats all ready got them humps to carry extra and so skinny that you dont see how can they carry them self led a lone there humps. So I stade off of them and I aint like some of these fellows that pulls a cats tale to hear them holler or picks on some dum best that cant do nothing to you back. + 

Well after a wile we come back to the Hellopolis Hotel and ett our lunch and then they was the ball game and it was a joke Al. I and Benz done the pitching but they made us play on grounds that was sand up to your neck and evry little wile a Gus of wind would blow the sand in your eyes and ½ the time I dident know was I pitching to the plate or peging to 1st base and the place we pitched from wore down from us standing in it and the last ½ of the game it was like standing in the bottun of a system and trying to pitch and how could a man get any thing on your fast ball. The game come out tie 3 and 3 and Benz was lucky we dident get a doz. runs because you would of had to take a magna fine glass to see the brake in his curve ball and they aint no more brake to his spiter then a 2nd base man throwing to 1st base. + 

He couldent fool little Al with his stuff Al but as I say the grounds was so rotten that they wasent nothing to the game only luck and when its a ? of luck I dont never get nothing but the worst of it. Its just like Mcgraw says after the game he says Jack if you had some of these birds luck you wouldent never have a game tide up on you led a lone loose 1. I says Yes but where can I get a hold of some luck and he says it will come to you if you keep going and then they wont no body beat you. I wisht I could pitch for him all the wile Al insted of Callahan that dont appresiate all I done for him. + 

I wouldent of been ast to pitch on them rotten grounds only K. Dive the king of africa and all the rest of the roil tease was out to the game and Comiskey and Mcgraw thot they might may be not like it if we held out on them so I went in and done the best I could and of coarse they could pretty near tell from my motion that I aint 1 of these here 4 flushs that should ought to be driveing a landry waggon but I wisht the grounds had of been OK and no sand blowing in your eyes and Id of showed them some thing. + 

Well Al after the game we was interduced to some of the roil tease and Evans says I should ought to try some of my africa languige on them so I says to 1 of them How you all like dat ole game and he says he liked it fine only he says it in plane englich but it shows I got there talk down pretty good when they can under stand it with out no trouble. But when I seen he could talk englich as good is I and you they wasent no use me bothring a bout talking to him in africa so we talked back and 4th in englich and I pulled that gag on him a bout where would a man go to if you broke your nee and the anser is you would go to africa where the nees grow and we joked back and 4th a wile and then we come back to the Hotel and drest for supper and now most of the boys is out site seen and probily throwing there money a way on nothing and I will hold on to mine and when I see some thing worth buying I will buy it and some of them suckers must think dollars grows on trees only it aint dollars and scents over here but plasters. + 

Well Al I wisht I could of win that 1 today and Mcgraw would half to come threw with an other present and he should ought to give me some thing at that for pitching for him on them rotten grounds and I would of win hands down on a decent grounds but how is a man going to put any thing on the ball when your feets sliping out in under you all the wile and sand in your eyes. + 

Friend Al: Well Al they played an other joke game today and of coarse the giants had all the luck this time on acct of me not pitching and the White Sox got beat 6 to 3 and if the giants had of woke up and got me 6 runs yest. I would of win just as easy is Wiltse did today only of coarse I couldent have no left hand it luck like him. I dident even put a sute on but set and watched the game with some of the africa peopl and I sprung the languige on them and they under stood evry thing I says to them and 1 of them ast me if I come from the south part of the U.S. probily on acct of me haveing black hare and moveing a round slow only I guess theyd see I can get a round fast enough if they seen me bunt 1 and beat it out like I done at Melbourne. + 

Well Old pal may be you will get a chanct to see for your self some of the stunts we been puling off over here because this a.m. we was out on the dessert and a big bldg. called the musk thats owned by L. A. Baster 1 of the roil tease and we was doing stunts for the moveing pitchers all the a.m. Our pitchers was tooken crosing acrost the dessert on campbells and mules and I road on a mule because there strong enough to carry a big stropping man like I with out geting hurt and no extra humps to lug a round with them. They took pitchers of the wommen to rideing on campbells and its bad enough for the men to be rideing on them but a wommans suposed to be soft hart it and they should ought to be a shamed of them self and I bet you wouldent never catch Florrie puling off stuff like that or I would tell her some thing but some wifes has got there husband Buffalo and dont dare say a word. + 

Well Al this here musk is a kind of church only they dont have no mass and dont pray to the Sts. or nothing but its a kind of sex like Dowwie in Chicago only the mans name is Mohammed Alley and he rents the musk from L. A. Baster. Evans says the musk costed 2 or 3 million dollars or a bout a hundred 1,000 porus plasters in africa money. + 

The man thats runing the moveing pitchers made us all go in the musk and before they would leave us in they says we would ether half to take our shoes off or ware covvers over them and Schaefer says to me You better take your shoes off because if you put an other layyer on them ft. of yours they wont be no room for no body in the musk a long with you. I says the best thing you can do is shut your mouth or Ill put an other layyer on you and lay you out and he shut up. + 

Evans says the peopl that bellongs to the sex has to take a bath in the fountun out the side of the musk before they go in so they all do there worse shipping Sat. nights and its a grate site but we wont be here over Sat. + 

Well Al we went in the musk and we all had covvers on over our shoes and they rent the covvers to you to go in and then when we got in the side Callahan says that it was customery for 3 peopl in evry party to pay there respecks to Mohammed Alley and who would be the 3 because if you dont do it the sex gets sore at you. So Schaefer and Evans says they would be 2 of the 3 and they picked me out for the other 1 and I and Schaefer and Evans had to lay down on our stumick and wave our arms and kick our legs like we was swiming tho they wasent no more water in the musk then a rabbit or some thing but the sex pertends like they was. Hows that for bugs hey Al. Swiming on a stone floor. Callahan says the sex would probily all of them slide head 1st if they was ball players on acct of them cralling on there stumick so much in the musk but he was jokeing. + 

Evans found out from 1 of the giuds that the place is usuly full of musk rats only they dont dast come out of there holes when theys strangers a round and there some thing like a mush rat only vissus. How would you like to be 1 of the sex Al and go in there and lay on your stumick and have them musk rats biteing at your bear ft. because the sex all ways takes there shoes and sox off and dont ware no covvers. It would make a man say your prairs all right hey Al. + 

Well Al we come out of the musk a bout noon and the sun was shinning and Schaefer ast me could I see my shaddow and I says yes of coarse and he says that means wear going to have 6 more wks. of winter because this is the 2 of Feb. and Evans says what do you mean Jack here aint no ground hog and then I seen what Schaefer was geting at so I says Your a hog your self you bum and I might of tooken a crack at him only on acct of the wommen in the party and when he seen he was going to far he shut his mouth. Some of these would be smart alex aint as smart is they think hey Al. + 

So we come back in the town and they was some time to kill yet before the ball game and I and some of the boys went a round to the diffrunt shops and stores and buzzards and Speaker bought me a cap like the peopl wares a round here and most of the boys in the party is wareing them and they call them a fezz and Speaker says he knowed I wouldent never buy 1 for my self tho I look good with it on and he ment I dont care a bout my looks and aint swelled up like a poison pup like some of these would be lady kilers and if I was most of them I wouldent never look in no looking glass on acct of the glass might brake and some of them blowed there money on sweet perfum and I got a lot of it throwed on me and I smell like Martins green house or some thing and if I had to keep primping my self up and soked in perfum to make a hit with the girls Id lay down and die some wheres, but I guess I wouldent have no trouble makeing the girls look at me if they wasent no such a thing like sweet perfum to douse on you. + 

Well old pal I might may be write you 1 more letter from here tommorrow but I dont know because theys going to be a party up to the america Council 8 and I got to write 1 of them pones of mine to spring at the party but they wont be no ball game tommorrow but wear libel to be pretty busy because we leave africa the day after tommorrow and I thot of coarse we was going to stay here a wile longer or go to egypt and them other places but no so I will write if I can and if I dont write you will know wear busy. A little more then a mo. now Al and we will be home and I guess Florrie and little A will hate to see the old boy come in that door. Hey Al. + 

Al: Well Al here I am writeing you an other letter today and I dident know weather I would have time or not and I realy aint got much time but I got some good news and I cant wait till tommorow on the Ship bord but will write to you a bout it now and male the letter before we leave. + 

Well old Pal it looks like my bad lucks over and I wont have no more bad luck but good luck from now on and thats what Im going to tell you a bout it. + 

When we was comeing a way from the party this p.m. I and steve Evans was to gather and he says well what have you boughten here in Cairo to take home to the family and I says I havent boughten nothing because I havent saw nothing that was worth a plaster and he says well if you aint boughten nothing for your family what did you buy for your self and I says I dident buy nothing and he says Your a sucker to not buy nothing here where evry things a bargun and you cant make no miss take what ever you buy. So I says Well I dont want none of there barguns because they dont sell nothing that I want or got no use for it. + 

Then he dident say nothing for a wile and finely he says I wonder if I could find him now and I says what are you talking a bout and he says O I dident know I says any thing out loud but I was just thinking so I says What was you thinking a bout and he says he dident like to tell me because he might may be not be able to find the man and then I would be dissapointed. So I says What man was you looking for and he says Well I will tell you a bout it but if we cant get a hold of him again you musent get dissapointed and I says no I wouldent and then he sprung it on me. + 

Well Al it seems that the 1st day we was in Cairo he was walking down the st. a lone and he run in to a africa man standing on the coroner and the man called him to 1 side and ast him did he want the biggist bargun that a man ever got and Evans says what was it and the man says he had a scarab from Cops tume and Cops was the chief of police here in Cairo 4 thousend yrs. a go. A scarab Al is a bug thats turned to stone and use to be a live like any bug but most bugs when they die mole a way till they aint nothing left of them but a scarab gets hard and the longer they been dead the harder they get. + 

Well Al theys only a bout a ½ a doz. scarabs in the world and they averige $50.00 dollars a peace is what it costs to get them and of coarse they wouldent no body be a sucker enough to pay $50.00 for a dead bug but scarabs is some thing more then plane bugs. There luck peaces Al and the man that owns 1 cant never have no real bad luck but nothing but good luck all the wile. This scarab that the africa man had was the only 1 in the world from Cops tume and Evans says Cops was the luckest man in africa because he dide 4 thousend yrs. a go. + 

So Evans says to the man Leave me see your scarab and the man showed it to him but made him stand a way from him far enough so as Evans couldent knock him down and take it a way from him but Evans seen in a min. that it was a real scarab and not no fake so he ast the man what would he take for it and the man says ½ a porus plaster or a bout $10.00 and Evans ast him why was he selling it so cheap and the man says he picked it up in the st. and it dident bellong to him and he was hard up and out of work and he couldent find the man or womman that losted it and so he would half to sell it and get what he could for it. + 

So at 1st Evans was going to buy it off of him and then he thot to him self that he dident need no luck peace because hed been playing right clost to the right field seats in St. Louis and nothing never hapened to him and he says thats the most dangerus place in the world to play and besides hes left hand it and what more could a man ask and besides he couldent a ford to spend no more money on the trip so he told the man no he couldent buy the scarab and the man says your makeing a big miss take and Evans says Could I buy it and give it to 1 of my friends or sell it and the man says No because if you done that it would contract the charm. Well Evans told him he was sorry but he couldent buy it and the man says all right and Evans come a way and left him. + 

So he was telling me a bout it when we come a way from the party and he says It just hit me all at onct that you was the man that should ought to have it because if you had a little bit of luck a long with the stuff you got they couldent no body beat you but I dont know weather I can find the man or not or if hes may be sold it all ready. So I says Where was he standing at and Evans says he was down to the coroner of 4th and Olive st. and I says I dident know where that was so Evans says he would take me there but he kept warrening me all the way that the man had probily sold the scarab or we couldent find him but any way we husseled down there and sure enough the man was still standing there yet and I could see that Evans was telling me the truth because when he spoke to the man the man ansered back and he certunly looked hard up Al and like he need it money. + 

So Evans ast him right off if he still had that scarab yet and the man says witch 1 and Evans says the 1 from Cops tume that you was showing me and says you would sell for ½ a porus plaster and besides you havent only got 1. So the man says yes and dugged down in his pocket and come up with it and its the funnest looking thing you ever see Al and it looks some thing like a bug only hard and no wings or nothing on it and Evans says to the man It was gray when you showed it to me the other day and the man says yes and now its green because its older then it was and the older they get they turn green. So Evans ast me did I want to buy it and I says I dident know and he says whats the matter dont you beleive what I been telling you and I says yes and he says well then whats the matter so I had to come out and tell him that I dident have no money a long with me. + 

Well Evans says he dident have no money nether or he would lone me some and it looked like we would half to pass it up but finely Evans ast the man if he would be there at 7 a clock and the man says yes he would and Evans ast me if I knowed where I could borry the money and I says yes I could get some off of Callahan or Comiskey or Mcgraw so we fixed it up that we was to go back to the hotel and get the money and meet the man at 7 a clock so I and Evans went back to the Hotel as fast is we could and Callahan was the 1st 1 I run in to so Evans left me and I went up and ast Callahan could I have ½ a porus plaster and he says Get a hole 1 and charg it to the club whats the matter have you got a cold so I seen he over herd me and I says No I dont want no medisin what I want is $10.00 so he says Thats diffrunt and he give it to me. + 

Well Al I was a scared the man would of ducked and may be sold the scarab before we got back but no he was there and I pertended like I thot the price was pretty steap and ast him couldent he come down a little and sure enough Al he come down to $7.50 and I thot Evans would fall over. So I took the scarab and stuck it in my pockit and kept my hand on it all the way back to the hotel and we wasent no sooner a way from where the man was that sold it to me and then Evans says Well your lucks started all ready when you can get a bargun like that and it was a grate bargun at $10.00 dollars and you got it for $7.50 and you should ought to buy the ciggars so we stoped in at a place on the way back to the Hotel and I bought him a ciggar but I been smokeing to much latily so I dident get none for my self. + 

Well old pal I cant hardily wait till we get to where ever it is wear going next and play an other ball game and I will get Mcgraw to leave me pitch it and I will show these birds what I can do when I got some luck a long with me and I wisht I could pitch a city serious game against the cubs before I loose the scarab but of coarse I aint going to loose it Al and I would like to see some body try and get it a way from me and Evans says I better not tell no body a bout haveing it or they might some body steal it off of me. + 

Well if they do Al they will have a fight on there hands. But Evans promussed to not tell no body and of coarse thats the best plan to keep it to our self and leave them wonder what I done with the jinks thats been chaseing me ever since I bust it in to the big league and I wisht Id of had this here scarab all the wile I been pitching ball and Id of made Mathewson or any body else record look sick. + 

So when we got back to the Hotel I run in to larry Doyle and Donlin and told them a bout the big bargun I got and they both promussed to not say nothing so some body will get a big supprise the next time I get a chanct to pitch and Callahan will wisht more then ever that he hadent never loned me to the giants for the trip. + 

Of coarse Al this aint nothing like a 4 leave clover or a horse shoe or 1 of them things that peopl thinks is lucky but I dont beleive theys any thing in them things but this here scarabs a diffrunt thing and they aint no ? a bout it or they wouldent ask them prices for it $50.00 a peace because thats the reglar price and just think of me geting a hold of 1 for $7.50 but you couldent get no $50.00 a peace for a 4 leave clover or a horse shoe but you could buy all you wanted of them for $1.00 and that shows they aint realy nothing to the bunk a bout them being lucky. + 

Well Al I got the old scarab hid a way where they wont no body find it and I cant do nothing but wait till we get to where ever wear head it and play an other game and then we will see weather its a fake or not but I guess they aint no fake a bout it hey Al. + 

Well Al I got to be geting to bed because we leave here in the a.m. and I been going some today and need a good rest but I couldent wait till tommorow to tell you a bout my luck and I know it will be good news to you. And I supose I might as well tell you what else we done today and it wont take long. + 

This a.m. we was drove a round town and done some more site seen and I guess we certunly seen evry thing they is to see in the 3 days we been in Cairo and I can get a long all the rest of my life with out seen no more musks and desserts. This p.m. we was tooken up to the america Council 8 like I told you and had a party and stuff to eat and drink and I talked the pone off wile we was eating and its a pone I wrote to spring at this party and I will coppy it down so as you can see what I hand it them: + 

Wear going to leave Cairo + 

and Boys we hate to leave + 

Youve showed us a grand good time + 

Is why we hate to leave. + 

I pitched a game in the sand + 

And so it was no supprise + 

That I couldent win my game + 

With the sand blowing in my eyes. + 

I done pretty good I think + 

to hold them to a tie + 

When I couldent see where was I pitching + 

On acct of the sand in my eyes. + 

We seen the Pyrmids and spinix + 

and all they was to see + 

The desserts and musk and campbells + 

Was a mung the things we seen. + 

Good by boys we will you remmember + 

Your well come has been grate + 

And we will all ways remmember + 

Cairo and the boys of Council 8. + 

I would of gave them more bull a bout there lodge only I for got to find out weather they was K.C.’s or elks or what was they but any way the peace I give them made a big hit and the america Council him self was tickeled to deth and Schaefer says it was the best Id wrote yet and Im geting better right a long. + 

Well Al thats a bout all they is to tell because I all ready told you what I done after the party and that was when I and Evans got the scarab. We leave here tommorow a.m. on a train and go to Alexander and from there we get on an other boat and go some wheres else and I wisht we was going to play 1 game in Alexander before we get on the Ship bord so as I could try out my luck peace and after this Wiltse and Leverenz and them other left hand it stiffs wont have nothing on me for luck and I will show Allen some thing when I get back home. + 

When he sees I got some luck to go a long with the rest of my stuff he will probily jump the league if he aint been canned by Comiskey all ready by wirelest telegram. O you little scarab. + 