ever think what that means? Consult your own feelings at the next contest you witness. Note how perfectly free you are from bias against the visitors. Put yourself in the umpire's place for a little while. Let a team bluster, and kick, and play horse, and dispute your decisions from the opening of the game. Let them play rowdy ball, seeking thereby to gain unfair advantage not only of the adversary, but of you. Let them encourage rooters in the grandstand to hoot, and howl, and insult and brow-beat you in your earnest efforts to be just. Let them encroach upon the rules far enough to strain without breaking them. Let them invite the imposition of fines for petty offenses. All this let players do—you being the umpire—and remain without prejudice, if you can. Perhaps if you are endowed with superhuman graces you may put aside the desire to give them the worst of it—not otherwise. Is the picture overdrawn? I don't think you will say it is if you have been an attendant at many games.
The umpire must be quick-witted. He may not, like the wise old owl of the bench, look over his gold-rimmed eyeglasses, inform the assembled multitude that he will "take the matter under advisement," and then adjourn court for a week or two to satisfy himself how he ought to decide. No, indeed. He must be "Johnny-on-the Spot," with a decision hot off the griddle, and he must stick to it, right or wrong—or be lost.
The umpire must be courageous. With perfect composure and dignity he must render judgment, though he knows that in so doing he is likely to precipitate a riot,
