.

IF THIS BE TREASON, MAKE THE MOST OF IT.
Experience is a mighty dear teacher.

This is a fact that has been generally admitted by the world at large, but one that I have never fully realized until within the last few years, though just how much it has cost me in the matter of dollars-and-cents it is hard to say.
It is but natural, I presume, after twenty-two years connection with a corporation for one to have well-defined opinions of certain of its officials, and it is pleasant to record here that prior to the advent of James A.Hart on the scene my relations with the club were most pleasant.

Under the watchful eye of Mr.Hurlbut the club flourished, and not only maintained a higher average in the percentage column than it has since enjoyed, but, in contradistinction to the latter day methods of management, it annually returned a large balance on the right side of the ledger, this last feature being by no means the least pleasant of my memories.

Now, the query arises, "If the team was so uniformly successful under Mr.Hurlbut, why has it not enjoyed the same measure of success since ?" And the answer, short and sweet, can be summed up in one word, "mismanagement." As I have already explained elsewhere my financial relations with Mr.
Spalding in regard to the around-the-world trip of the ball players, it is unnecessary for me again to go into that phase of the matter, but there was one little incident connected with that event that has not been told, and that accounts for Mr.Hart's desire to get rid of me as easily and as quietly as possible, even if he had to use underhanded measures in order to do so.