If a ball be held by a fielder on the first base before the base-runner, after aitting a fair ball, touches that base, he shall be declared out.

Any base-runner failing to touch the base he runs for shall be declared out if the ball be held by a fielder, while touching said base, before the base-runner returns and touches it.

Any base-runner who shall in any way interfere with or obstruct a fielder while attempting to catch a fair fly-ball or a foul ball, shall be declared out. If he wilfully obstructs a fielder from fielding a ball, he shall be declared out, and, if a batted ball strike him, he shall be declared out. And no base shall be

run and no run be scored.

If a base-runner, in running from home to first base, shall run inside the foul line, or more than three feet outside of it, he shall be declared out.

RULE SIXTH.-The Umpire and His Duties.

SECTION 1. Two clubs may, by mutual agreement, select any man to umpire any game or games, provided that such agreement be in writing; and the man so selected agrees, not less than five days before such game, or the first of such games, to act as such umpire.

SEC. 2. A staff of League Umpires shall be selected in the following manner: Prior to April 1st of each year each club shall send to the Secretary the names of any persons of good repute, and who are considered competent to act as umpires. A list of all persons so nominated shall be prepared by the Secretary, and submitted to each club, which shall then select therefrom a number equal to three times the number of clubs then in the League, and shall transmit a list thereof to the Secretary, and the required number, having the greatest number of approvals, shall constitute the staff of League Umpires.

The Board shall fill any vacancy caused by declination, and shall appoint an umpire to replace any that may be objected to, in writing, by three League clubs after the commencement of the championship season.

SEC. 3. In the absence of the agreement provided in Section 1 of this Rule, the visiting club shall, not less than three days before any championship game, submit, by telegraph, to the home club the names of five League Umpires, none of whom shall reside in the city of the visiting club. The home club shall then be charged with the duty of providing one of the five so named, upon the grounds in season for the game.

SEC. 4. In case the visiting club shall have failed to furnish the five names, as provided in Section 3, the home club shall select an umpire for such game; and in case the visiting club shall have furnished five names, as provided in Section 3, and the home club fails to produce one of the umpires so named, within fifteen minutes before the hour appointed for the game, the contending clubs shall, by mutual consent, agree upon an umpire. If they cannot so agree, the captains of said clubs shall toss for the right of choice of umpire, and the

club so winning the choice shall have the right to designate the person sa

to act.

SEC. 5. The fee and expenses of the umpire of any championship game shall be paid by the visiting club.

SEC. 6. The umpire shall not be changed during the progress of a match game, except for reason of illness or injury, or by the consent of the captains of the two contesting nines, in case he shall have wilfully violated the rules of the game.

SEC. 7. Before the commencement of a match, the umpire shall see that the rules governing the materials of the game, and also those applicable to the positions of batsmen and pitcher, are strictly observed. Also that the fence in the rear of the pitcher's position is distant not less than ninety feet from the home base, except it mark the boundary line of the field, in which case the umpire, for every ball passing the catcher and touching the fence, shall give each base-runner one base without his being put out.

Before calling "play," the umpire shall ask the captain of the home club whether there are any special ground rules to be enforced, and if there are, he shall see that they are duly enforced, provided they do not conflict with any rule of the game.

SEC. 8. No decision rendered by the umpire on any point of play in baserunning, shall be reversed upon the testimony of any of the players.

SEC. 9. Should the umpire be unable to see whether a catch has been fairly made or not, he shall be at liberty to appeal to the bystanders, and to render his decision according to the fairest testimony at command.

SEC. 10. No person not engaged in the game shall be permitted to occupy any position within the lines of the field of contest, or in any way interrupt the umpire during the progress of the game. No player except the captain or player especially designated by him, shall address the umpire concerning any point of play in dispute, and any violation of this rule shall subject the offender to an immediate reprimand by the umpire.

SEC. 11. The umpire shall require the players on the batting side who are not at the bat or running the bases to keep at a distance of not less than fifty feet from the line of home and first base and home and third base, or further off, if he so decide. The captain and one assistant only shall be permitted to coach players running the bases, and they must not approach within fifteen feet of the foul lines. (See also Section 7, of Rule First.)

SEC. 12. Should any fielder stop or catch the ball with his hat, or any part of his dress, the umpire shall call "dead ball," and the base-runners shall each be entitled to two bases for any fair-hit ball so stopped or caught. Should the bail be stopped by any person not engaged in the game, the umpire must call "dead ball," and players running bases at the time shall be entitled to bases they were running for, and the ball be regarded as dead until settled in the hands of the pitcher while standing within the lines of his position.

SEC. 13. Any match game in which the umpire shall declare any section of this code of rules to have been wilfully violated shall at once be declared by him to have been forfeited by the club at fault.

SEC. 14. No manager, captain or player shall address the audience, except in case of necessary explanation.

SEC. 15. Any League umpire who shall be convicted of selling, or offering to sell, a game of which he is umpire, shall thereupon be removed from his official capacity and placed under the same disabilities which govern expelled players under this constitution.

RULE SEVENTH.-The Umpire's Jurisdiction and Powers.

The gentleman selected to fill the position of umpire must keep constantly in mind the fact that upon his sound discretion and promptness in conducting the game, and compelling players to observe the spirit as well as the letter of the rules, largely depends the merit of the game as an exhibition and the satisfaction of the spectators therewith. He must make his decisions distinct and clear, remembering that every spectator is anxious to hear each decision. He must keep the contesting nines playing constantly from the commencement of the game to its termination, allowing such delays only as are rendered unavoidable by accident, injury or rain. He must, until the completion of the game, require the players of each side to promptly take their positions on the field as soon as the third hand is put out, and must also require the first striker of the opposite side to be in his position at the bat as soon as the fielders are in their places.

The players of the side "at bat" must occupy the portion of the field allotted them, subject to the condition that they must speedily vacate any portion thereof that may be in the way of the ball, or of any fielder attempting to catch or field it. The triangular space behind the home base is reserved for the exclusive use of the umpire, catcher and batsman, and the umpire must prohibit any player of the side "at bat" from crossing the same at any time while the ball is in the hands of or passing between the pitcher or catcher while standing in their positions.

The umpire is master of the field from the commencement to the termination of the game; and he must compel the players to observe the provision of this Rule, and of all other sections of the playing rules; and he is hereby invested with authority to order any player to do, or omit to do, any act necessary to give force and effect to any and all of such provisions, and power to inflict upon any player, disobeying any such order, a fine of not less than five, or more than fifty dollars for each offence; and to impose a similar fine upon any player who shall use abusive, threatening or improper language to the umpire, audience or other player, and when the umpire shall have so punished the player, he shall not have the power to revoke or remit the penalty so inflicted. The umpire

shall at once notify the captain of the offending player's side of the infliction of

any fine, herein provided for; and the club to which such player belongs shall, within ten days, transmit the amount of such fine to the Secretary of the National League.

Football.

This is one of the most exciting and invigorating of games. It is of English origin. The following are recognized in both England and this country as

The Laws of Football.

1. The maximum length of ground shall be two hundred yards; the maximum breadth shall be one hundred yards; the length and breadth shall be marked off with flags, and the goals shall be upright posts, eight yards apart, with a tape across them, eight feet from the ground.

2. The winner of the toss shall have the choice of goals. The game shall be commenced by a place-kick from the centre of the ground by the side losing the toss; the other side shall not approach within ten yards of the ball until it is kicked off.

3. After a goal is won, the losing side shall kick it off, and goals shall be changed. In the event, however, of no goal having fallen to either party at the lapse of half the allotted time, sides shall then be changed.

4. A goal shall be won when the ball passes between the goal-posts under the tape, not being thrown, knocked on, or carried.

5. When the ball is in touch, the first player who touches it shall throw it from the point on the boundary line where it left the ground in a direction at right angles with the boundary line, and it shall not be in play until it shall have touched the ground, and the player throwing it in shall not play until it has been played by another player.

6. When a player has kicked the ball, any one of the same side who is nearer to the opponent's goal-line is out of play, and may not touch the ball himself, nor in any way whatever prevent any other player from doing so, until the ball has been played, unless there are at least three of his opponents between him and their own goal; but no player is out of play when the ball is kicked from behind the goal-line.

7. When the ball is kicked behind the goal-line, it must be kicked off by the side behind whose goal it went within six yards from the limit of their goal. The side who thus kick the ball are entitled to a fair kick-off in whatever way they please without any obstruction, the opposite side not being able to approach within six yards of the ball.

8. No player shall carry or knock on the ball.

9. Neither tripping nor hacking shall be allowed, and no player shall use his hands to hold or push his adversary, nor charge him from behind.

10. A player shall not throw the ball nor pass it to another, nor shall any player handle the ball, under any pretence whatever.

11. No player shall take the ball from the ground with his hands while it is in play, under any pretence whatever.

12. No player shall wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta-percha on the soles or heels of his boots.

Definition of Terms.

A place-kick is a kick at the ball while on the ground, in any position in which the kicker may choose to place it.

Hacking is kicking an adversary intentionally.

Tripping is throwing an adversary by the use of the legs.

Knocking on is when a player strikes or propels the ball with his hands or

arms.

Holding on includes the obstruction of a player by the hand or any part of the arm below the elbow.

Touch is that part of the field, on either side of the ground, which is beyond the line of flags.

THERE is no accomplishment of more value, or a source of greater pleasure, than the art of swimming. Wherever possible, it should be acquired by both

sexes.

How to Begin.

As the very essence of swimming lies in confidence, it is always better for the learner to feel secure that he can leave the water whenever he likes. Therefore let him take a light rope of tolerable length, tie one end to some firm object on the bank, and let the rest of the rope lie in the water. "Manilla" is the best kind of rope for this purpose, because it is so light that it floats on the surface instead of sinking, as in the case with an ordinary hempen rope.

If there is only sand on the shore, the rope can be moored quite firmly by tying it to the middle of a stout stick, burying the stick a foot or so in the sand, and filling up the trench. You may pull till you break the rope, but you will never pull the stick out of its place. If you are very nervous, tie two sticks in the shape of a cross, and bury them in like manner.

The rope need not be a large one, as it will not have to sustain the whole weight of your body, and it will be found that a cord as thick as an ordinary washing line will answer every purpose.

On the side of a stream or pond tie the rope to a tree, or hammer a stake in