mal call upon Mayor Harris at
the City Hall, and as we drove through the principal streets to our
destination we were greeted all along the line by cheering and
enthusiastic crowds. We were received in the Council Chamber of the City
Hall by the Mayor, who was dressed in his official robe of purple and
ermine, and who escorted us across the hall to his chamber, where an
elaborate lunch awaited us, and the champagne corks were soon popping in
lively fashion. The Mayor's speech of welcome was what we Americans call
a "dandy," and I wish right now that I had a copy of it in order that I
might reproduce it for the benefit of my readers. He stated among other
things that, while he did not understand the game of baseball thoroughly
himself, yet he thought well enough of it to predict that in time
Australia would have a league of her own, the professionals of which
would be able to hold their own with the professionals of the United
States. He then tendered us the freedom of the city during our stay, and
bade us make ourselves at home. This address was responded to in our
behalf by U. S. Consul Griffin, after which his Honor again arose to
remark that so long as America treated Australia with the kindness and
consideration that they had in the past, the Australians would do their
best to make it pleasant for their American cousins while they were on
Australian soil.

"My reason for believing that our athletes will emulate your ball
players," concluded the Mayor, "are manifold. In the first place, we
have adopted your American ideas of trading, and we have managed to
scrape up material enough to beat you! best oarsman," here his Honor
turned toward Ned Hanlan, the ex-champion sculler, who had quietly
entered the room and taken a seat near Mr. Spalding, the reference
securing a cheer for the modest little athlete from the members of our
party, "and," continued the Mayor, after the applause had subsided, "if
all Americans will yield the palm with as good grace as Mr. Hanlan has
done, we will entertain as high an opinion of them as we now do of Mr.
Hanlan." After responses to the Mayor's address had been made by Messrs.
Spalding and Lynch, and a dozen or more toasts proposed and drunk, we
gave the Mayor of Sydney three cheers and a tiger and returned to our
hotel, feeling certain that if all Australians were like the ones we had
met thus far, a good time in Australia was assured to us.

We played our first game in Australia that