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s ET your glasses on." "You better consult an op tlclan." "Don't we ever get a close decision ?" "Who ever told you that you could umpire?" "Back to the ribbon count er for you very shortly, Percy." "Say, honest, how much are you getting for throwing the game?" "Don't you know enough to retire when you have gone totally blind?" "You certainly must have something on. your boss to hold your job." "The only thing about you that looks Like an umpire is your mask and protector." "You better start to run for the back fence as soon as the game is over, for we are going to get you." These, and a few million more "compliment, ary" expressions of a like nature are hurled at the umpire during the course of a close!} contested game. It is really strange and wonderful into what a frenzy the average baseball fan can work him self during the progress of an exciting game. It is almost incredible to think what he will do or say when he Imagines the umpire ha;i made: ? wrong decision that has apparently put his club out of the running. Prominent attorneys, distinguished doctors, well-known actors, staid business men, in fact men of all classes, will invariably jump to their feet at what they consider a "punk decision," and shake th?ir fisis violently, utter al. kinds Of incoherent remarks, and insist that nothing will satisfy Their thirst for revenge but the life blood of the poor, defenseless umpire. The next day. when some one meets one of the frenzied rooters, and in a joking way ex plains to him how he acted and tells him some of the things he said about the umpire, Mr. Loyal Rooter takes a vow then and there that he will never again open his mouth at a ball game, no matter how thrilling the situation. Perhaps the very next afternoon, if the prop er occasion arises, he will unknowingly com mit the very act of the previous day. Civic pride is to be admired In all things. A baseball fan who doesn't want to see the home team triumph is surely a peculiar sort of man. Perhaps it might be well for him to have his sanity investigated. Desire to win at any cost however often makes intelligent persons abso lutely unfair In their views and opinions. The extent' to which the fan will allow his " civic pride to dominate his opinion was well illustrated to me one day last year. While on my way to the hotel after a particularly brilliant" game, which the home team had lost by a score of 1 to 0. after a desperate strug gle. I was much amused at the conversation of a number of dyed-in-the-wool fans who happen ed to be In the Eame car. It was the unanimous opinion of every one that the home team needed good-sized boards instead of regulation bats, if' they were ever to win a game. They cited a half dozen instances where a hit, or even a fly to the outfield, would have won the con test. All of them were sore over the loss of the game, principally because of the weak hitting of their favorites. They proclaimed the visitors stronger In every respect. That one run was the big event of the day. The fans seemed to forget that for ll innings the hitting of the visitors was just as feeble as that of the home team. That the hit that sent the only run of the game across the plate was due to a lucky bound which sent lt over the second baseman's head. To me it was one of the best games of the year. The following day the home team won by a very one-sided score of 12 to 1. As fate would have it, I bumped into several fans of the previous day on the car down town. The contest was a decidedly poor one, I thought, the one and only redeeming feature being the hard hitting of the home club. The fans were satisfied, however, for it was unanimously agreed that the home boys had recovered their battir.g eyes, and that from now on they would make the best of them step the limit to win. I shall never forget a little Incident that hap pened to "Silk" O'Laughlin during a game at Washington, one day, which Illustrates what some fans will do when the home team is get ting trimmed. I happened to be working back of the plate that afternoon, while "Silk" -was performing on the bases. All the close plays seemed to come up on the bases. "Silk" had at least a dozen plays that could have been given one way or tho other, because of the extreme closeness. Practically all of the plays went against the home team, and while "Silk" had little or no trouble from the players, a fan, who was sit ting in the third base section of the grandstand chose to disagree with the arbitrator on prac tically all of his rulings. He kept up a ?olley of remarks throughout the game, and before its close had enlisted quite a few vol unteers. Because of the actions of this one lone fan, "Silk" was subjected to a rather utren uous afternoon, although his work was well nigh perfect. 'Silk" discovered that his en ,emy was sitting in the front row of the grandstand, also that he wore glasses. He made up his mind long before the doss of the game that he would express himself to .the gentleman In question. The borne team managed to win out by a brilliant ninth inning rally. In his Jubila tion over tho winning of the game, the fan had forgotten entirely that a person bearing Mexicans' Favori! ?Frijoles and Tortillas From Almost the Entire Diet for the Poor People. People at home In the "States" may think the food of tho Mexicans meager. It ls comprised chiefly of frijoles and tortillas, supplemented by the fruit of the cactus when in season. Tortillas are thin little cakes made of com bolled with lime and these .'.erve as th? chief food. Every house ?y DILLY -^ AMERICAN LEJ A* the title of umpire ever existed. The Irish in "Silk's" blood was up, however, and he managed to work his way through the crowd to where the frenzied rooter was celebrating over the victory. The fan was a well-dressed chap, and appeared to possess more than the average intelligence. 'You have a lot of li cense to be roasting an umpire, when you have to wear a pair of thick glasses to be able to even see. I can't see how you ever managed to break Into the grandstand. Your place is on the outside, ICOK ing through a knot hole." The fan said rary a word in reply, and "Silk" having gotten all the venom out of his system, was content to drop the matter. It was evident from the look of embarrassment that came over the rooter's face that he was thoroughly disgusted with himself. He just began to realize what he had been doing throughout the afternoon. Shortly after we had reached our dressing room there was a knock at the door. We bade our visitor enter. He introduced him self as Dr. "So and So," a very promi nent eye specialist. We both began to won der if he had come to examine our optics. "I just overheard your conversation with that excited fan, Mr. O'Loughlin," said the specialist. "I really can't blame you for saying what you did to him, but I would ad vise you to ignore him in the future. I've been treating that chap for a year for eye trouble. His sight ls decidedly defective. He really can't see 90 feet with any kind of accuracy. He wouldn't have known whether it was you or Jack Sheridan um piring the bases if some one hadn't told him." "Silk" almost keeled over when he heard the news. It simply goes to show what baseball will do to a man, especially if the home team happens to be losing. This chap with the defective eyesight was getting an ex cellent umpire Into trouble because most of the decisions were going against the home team, and he was so partisan in spirit that he could see only one side of the argument. When you come to think it over, and weigh carefully the cold facts, it ls really remarkable the work that devolves upon an umpire during a ball game. In the course of a regular nine inning contest he is called upon to render between 375 and 400 decisions. Rather remarkable figures. Con sidering his arduous duties, it ls not to be wondered at If he errs. Indeed it is remark able that the judges of play do not slip up more frequently. Here is a little data that is mighty interesting. Possibly a perusal of it may cause the umpire to receive more fa vorable consideration. In a nine inning game on an average of 35 men on each team will face the pitcher, making 70 men In all who step to the plato in an attempt to outguess the twirler. Thus the umpire is called upon to pass judgment on three score and ten batters. It has been estimated that the umpire makes four decisions on each man. In these mod ern days of baseball "groove" pitchers are mighty scarce. The pitcher te constantly try ing to make the batter hit at bad balls on the outside and inside, while the batter is trying to make the twirler get them over. Conse quently the game resolves itself Into a con tinual battle of wits between the pitcher and batter. Should the batter strike out on three balls,, it would require three decisions. If the bat ter works the pitcher for a pass to first on four balls, it requires that many decisions. Often the count before the batter is finally retired or reaches first is one strike and three balls, two balls and two strikes, two strikes and threw balls, three balls and three strikes, four balls and two strikes or any of the many other combinations that may arise. Thus lt would ;e Dishes letate, a sort of stone trough, ests on the ground, and on ' corn Is crushed to a paste i patted into thin round cakes ?ed on a clay griddle to cook, link as you ride down the li?t in every house a child is >anked; It is only the patting aade by the women as they hapo the tortillas in their The lime in whl softened is said tc very strong white tives. Frijoles are and after being b with onions, chile bits, are put into bc final flavor. Kniv not needed wher folded in the midi scoop for the bear tides of food form diet of the poor. EVANS <\OVE; UMPIRE COPy?lOHT Try .-rr. ? seem that four decisions on each batter in connec tion with balls and strikes would he a fair esti mate. With 70 men coming to the plate In a nine inning game, and each batter aver aging four decis ions, the umpire ls called upon to render In the neighborhood of 2S0 ball and strike decisions. That there are 20 decisions to render on balls in the immediate neighborhood of the foul line during the ordinary game ls a con servative estimate. The decisions are often a matter of inches, and many times change the entire complexion of the game. Of course, in a full nine inning game, 54 men must be retired before lt ls completed. If the home team happens to have made more runs in eight innings than the visitors In nine, they will refuse the last half of the ninth, mak ing lt necessary to retire only 51 men In or der to complete the game. A decision ls neces sary on every one made, although frequently it is evident to every one that the man is re tired as on a fly ball or when a man takes a healthy swing for the third strike. Such de cisions are more a mere matter of form than anything else. On the other hand, theer are perhaps 20 plays that come up in a game where the umpire rules the player is safe on a very close decision. A resume would show 280 decisions on balls and strikes, 20 decisions on fair and foul hits, 54 rulings on outs and somewhere near 20 plays in which the runner gets the benefit of the doubt, and is called safe, making 374 rulings an umpire ls called upon to make during a nine Inning contest. It Is easy to sit in the grandstand or bleachers, surrounded by a lot of friends who see things just as you do, and umpire the game, when you are not busy munching peanuts. It ls entirely different . on the ball field, however, where you are a strange1* In a strange land, with a hostile crowd ever ready to criticise and 18 ac Jve ball players and as many substitutes, together with two foxy managers, trying their level best to outwit you. I happened to have an off day In Cleve land last year, and I decided to journey out to the ball park and call on my brother um pires, "Bull" Perrine and Bill Dlnneen had been assigned to the game. After making them a friendly visit I told them I Intended tak ing a seat in the grandstand to look them over. They laughingly .ssented and Informed me that they would give their best performance of the season. Bill Dlnneen, the former star pitcher, worked the bases, and lt seemed as if every decision was '?lose. Philadelphia was the opposing team that afternoon, and despite the closeness of many of the plays there was scarcely a kick from any of the players. Cleveland waa losing, however, and the fans ch the corn ls i account for the teeth of the na , of course, beans, oiled a long time and other savory )illng lard for their es and forks are a tortilla can be lie and used as a is. These two ar almost the entire All food ls very hot, from 1 put in it, and one doesn't rei peculiar flavor that clnnan give to many dishes until eaten it In everything, from ice cream. While pulque, the ed juice of the maguey, our plant, ls the national drink, 1 is very drunk it is probablj mescal or tequilla, two brinks made from the same i Often have I seen women entire meal over as little chi one hand can grasp. made considerable fusa over several rulings on the bases bj Dinneen. From where I was sitting In the rear part of the big grand stand it really did look as if he had Blipped up on four plays. Observing that not a kick was made, I was convinced that some thing had happened in each Instance which the fans in the stand-myself among them -had not noticed. I made ncte of the plays with the intention of asking Dinneen about them, just to satisfy my own curios ity, and after the game I went to his dressing room. "Why did you call Collins safe at first, Dill, on that throw from Turner?" I asked. "Why, there wasn't anything to that play," said he. "The throw you will remem ber was a trifle wild. It pulled Stovall some distance off the bag, and when he lunged back his foot was about three inches shy of touch ing first." "Why did you call Baker safe at second?" was my second inquiry. "From the stand it looked as if the ball beat him to the bag by a yard." "The ball beat him all right," said BUL "but the force of the collision In touching Baker caused that young shortstop Knaupp to drop the ball. Haa he held the throw, Baker would have been an easy out." "Why did you call Birmingham out at second when Coombs threw to catch bim nap napping? Looked as If Joe got back to the bag before the ball reached Barry's hands." "He got back, but not to the bag," replied Bill. "Barry had bim blocked off, and 'Binny* slid against Barry's shoe, not the bag. He hasn't touched the base yet." "Just one more, Bill. Why was Jackson out at third? It looked as if he easily beat Catcher Lapp's throw in an attempt to keep him from stealing." "No question about his beating the throw," answered Bill. "He was safe a mile, if he hadn't overslid the bag three or four inches and allowed himself to be touched out before he was able to regain it." On the four plays In which Dinneen was absolutely correct he was forced to submit to all kinds of censure, because the fans did not know what had really happened. There are any number of points that the fans should take into consideration when they see the umpire declare a man out who seems to them to be safe beyond a reasonable doubt. Four of them I have already re ferred to; failure to touch the bag, due to be ing drawn off by a high, low or wild throw; dropping of the ball after having touched the base runner, due to the force of the collision; sliding of the base runner Into the foot of the infielder, Instead of the bag and the oversiz ing of the bag after having reached it in safety The fallaway slide is another point that causes all kinds of trouble for the umpires. This slide ls used by most of tbe leading base runners, and consists of going straight for the bag until w.'thin a short distance of it, then falling away, so to speak, by throwing the body either towards the infield or outfield as best suits the occasion, and booking one foot under the bag. This slide makes it very hard for an infielder to put the ball on, the runner, as lt gives him only th* sole of the shoe, or as the players express -it, only the spikes to touch. The baseball fans, however, may 't>e consider ed pretty fair creatures, and each ye^r they are getting more fair-minded. I have noticed a vast improvement in each of the AVB years I have umpired in the major leagues. I attrib ute tb improvement to the fact that the um pires are being backed up In their d?cisions, and the attitude of the sporting writers. the chib ilize ti ion will he has coffee to ferment century f a peon r due to stronger naguey. cook an ircoal as A Legal Mind. "No use whispering soft things to that girl. She's a law student." "How does that affect her case?" "Well, she's prompt to detect the Incompetent, the irrelevant and the immaterial." Too Cautious. "How can you distrust your daugh ter's suitor when in this letter he pro poses to lead her to the altar?" "Well, In Its very nature, Isn'* thal a miss-leading proposition?" Beau Columbus-Cha HEREFORD FOR SOUTH I No Section ls Making More Rapid Progress in Industry. Farmer Is Beginning to Recognize Possibilities and Realize Profits of Cattle Raising and Feeding -One Big Obstacle. (By the late DR. 8. A. KNAPP.) The south generally has not been regarded as a cattle country, but it is .surprising how much of its Income is derived from this source, though the industry ls, as yet, in its infancy. No other section of the United States is making relatively more rapid prog ress than the south; and, as in other lines, the southerner is learning to utilize his natural advantages. He ls beginning to recognize the possibil ities and realize the profits of cattle raising and feeding. At present the greatest obstacle to the development of the livo stock industry in this re gion is the poor quality of the native southern cattle, but since inoculation has made lt possible and practicable to introduce northern seed stock, registered sires are being brought in, and it now sec:as only a question of time till the scrub will be largely or wholly eliminated. With its mild winters, short feeding periods, and its Infinite variety of grasses, legumes and grain crops, the south beyond question can, and should raise better beef, and at a much less cost than the less favored north. In cattle and live stock Hes the greatest and most permanent profit of the southern farmer. It ls, in fact, his salvation. Hereford cattle originated in the grazing distr'cts of England, particu larly In Herefordshire, from which they take their name. It is consid erably the oldest of all the breeds, having been recognized for over 400 years, being bred and developed through all these years with thc one Idea of making the choicest and best beef at the minimum cost-and main ly on grass alone. As a grazer there ls no breed of cattle which aprpoaches them, and their ability to fatten on a grass diet of their own reaping is a quality which appeals to all who are looking for the most economical method of producing beef. Extremes of weath er that will cause other cattle to seek shelter or shade does not deter the Hereford from eating ills fill, and the contrast between them and other breeds, after an unfavorable season, ls marked. The Hereford can also be fattened at any age, and with equal rapidity. If baby beef or a more ma ture product is desired, lt makes no difference, the Herefords will meet either requirement satisfactorily. They naturally mature early, from 18 to 20 months being the time required to produce from 1,300 to 1,800 pounds of beef that will top any market In the land. The impressiveness of the Hereford sire when used on scrub or native cattle ls a quality which will at once commend Itself particularly to the resident of the south who is dissatis fied with his cattle of the dairy type. There is no bull of any breed that can equal the Hereford In this re spect, and his ability to transmit his own good qualities has won for him unqualified commendation. With an indiscriminate lot of cows a Here ford bull will produce an extremely uniform lot of calves, and the im provement, wonderfully marked in the first generation, will leave In the second generation, at least, no trace In color or form of the mother stock. To bear out this statement, attention ls called to a steer exhibited at the International Live Stock Exposition in 1902, which won second prize In the class for yearling grades. This steer's dam waa a pure-bred Holstein, and his sire a registered Hereford. The steer weighed 1,410 pounds at the age of nineteen months, and when twenty-one months and fifteen days old, weighed 1,570. Could one ask for a more profitable feeding steer? The disposition of me Hereford Is what one would naturally expect of an ideal beef animal. The bulls are of a mild, even temperament, not in the least excitable or cross, but never overlooking an opportunity to in crease the number of their offspring. The cows are good mothers, and give sufficient milk for the needs of their calves. As further evidence of the superior ity of the Hereford as beef animals, we cite the reader to the Interna* tional, the largest fat stock show in the world, held at Chicago in De cember of 1903. In regard to same we quote the Breeder's Gazette Issue of December 9: "A white-faced champion rose tri umphant from the sea of blacks. It was a Hereford year. The grand champion of the show was a grade Hereford; the calf champion was a Hereford; the Hereford herd was champion, and the Hereford grades were champion carlot." In 1904 we have a continuous repeti tion of previous Hereford victories notably at the St Louis world's fair, where the greatest aggregation of mpion Hereford Bull. show cattle ever seen were on dis play. At this great show, in each of the six different classes for fat stock, the "lordly Herefords" won every first premium and champion ship, both in the section; for grades and pure breeds, over all the other breeds. The premier honors won by the Herefords, over all competing breeds, for these three successive years, afford a most impressive ob ject ksson as to their superior merit and worth. These champion steers in the grade classes were nearly all range bred, being by registered Hereford sires, and out of grade western cows, improved by the infusion of Here ford blood. What Herefords have done for the north and west they can and will do for the south. SUCTION PICKERS FOR COTTON South Carolina Man Invents Apeara tus In Which Vacuum Principle ls Used-Works Well. A South Carolina man has come forward with an apparatus in which the vacuum principle is adapted ta cotton picking. The suction is caused by a hand-operated device, the ma chinery of which is contained in a box which is strapped across the pick er's shoulders and operated by the turning of a crank, which is held in a position convenient to the worker's Suction Cotton Picker. right hand. Below the box is a sack and leading into this sack is a tube, with a receiving funnel, which is held in the left hand. The picker walks along the lanes of the cotton field, turning the handle that sets the ma chinery in operation and as he ap proaches the cotton bolls with the fun nel the fluffy growth fs sucked off and drawn down irto the bag. With this apprratus one man can pick as much cotton in a day as a score can pick -y hand. SELECT BEST COTTON SEED Rather Difficult Task That Must Be Done With Great Patience and Clearness of Understanding. _____ . ^ The following from an address de livered by P.. L. Bennett before the southern states' commissioners' meet ing recently held at Jackson, is of special interest at this time. Prof. Bennett is recognized as an authority on the subject discussed. "No person would think of buying an animal that was claimed to be highly improved unless the owner give the true pedigree of the animal. Good parents for a long distance back would be the deciding point in the sale. No mysterious origin of the ani mal would attract the purchasers, bot would quickly disperse them. Eventu ally we hope the same influence will control growers In the selection of the cetton they plant. Every cotton grower loses greatly from planting im pure seed and pure planting seed ls virtually an unknown quantity in cot ton growing. The methods of seed selection, ginning and other Influences are responsible. In seed selection, breeding or in choosing ? variety to grow, close attention should be given to selecting the plants or variety that have preferred qualities in the high est degree and combined with pro ductiveness in the locality where the growing is to be done. When all of these important qualities and factors are taken Into consideration, cotton breeding ls not a simple task, but a rather difficult one that must be done with great patience and clearness of understanding of the cotton plant and its qualities and features. More care ful cotton breeding, or scientific breed ing, will appear when the cotton grow ers demand planting seed that has economic and productive qualities, and also whenever the grower discrim inates in selecting his planting seed, selects them on quality and pedigree rather than on a simple assertion that the cotton made or will make three bales per acre and is the best cotton on earth. But such ls not now the condition; mystery and misleading statements influence in choosing a va riety to plant." Tomato Seeds. Tomato seeds are easily preserved and if you have extra good ones pick out the beat and pave the seeds.