The sun., 1912-07-14

that game where I knocked the fellow
down. you know. Yes. IL there's one
thing In the world that's more f!ckle
than any other thing it's the public.
The public's got no memory. no graft
tude. no heart. no consideration for
illness. hard luck or any other thing
under the calendar. The public loves
just one thing-a winner. Give them
a winner and watch them go up in the air.
Watch them make hero out of him.
Watch them follow him through the
streets and make oil kinds OF fuss over
him. But let that hero make one bad
play and good night. The public!'
Mr.. 'Rube' Marquard dropped his
tanned feet deliberately down upon an
other chair at tho end OF his walk and at q
distance from his preceding resting place.
to the pathetic dismay Of the two gentle
men that had edged up. Mr.. Marquard
regarded the chair in a calculating way.
cooked q comfortable leg over one Of Its
arms. formed a completely new fashion
OF angle and addressed himself to the sub
ject again. which was evidently favorite
ono.
The public.' he repeated once more.
1t doesn't realize how hard q player
works. and I don't think it wants to realize
It. In ninety-nine cases out Of o hundred
the ball player Ia doing the best that il in
him. But the public is unfair. It's like
the audience on An amateur night-it
doesn't give the performer show. And
once started it keeps at him till whatever
confidence he has is gone and whatever
ability he has is out Of control.
sThe public roasted the life out Of me
for three years. in almost any part Of
which could have made good II they'd
| only given me show. Now I'm going
pretty well they've got me for the here
part and expect me to fall for It. They're
al up In the air about me- said Mr.. Mar
guard. indicating q more limited control
Of metaphor than Of curve.
why. after that nineteenth game"
ea1d the record breaker hugging his knee
at yet newer angle. -two policemen had
to 60 up with mo in the elevator from the
baseball grounds. They wanted to shake
my hands on Watch EN- if l ever alp up
the least bit-watch 'em turn again."
He turned himself at this point to OBJ
serve an ecstatic attendant rushing forth
to him once more. Another telephone
call. Tho hero was still in requisition.
He had spoken all his criticism in the
same deep. even. unruffled tone like good
natured giant who vet was disillusioned.
At % his manner gave the impression of a
philosopher Of 80 who had peeped behind
the veil and knew his human nature.
Another auto ride. he announced when
he came back. Lord. how they do come
in these days! It's-its-." He searched
round for another ultimate and decided
upon TERRIBLE
And what are some Of the impositions
Of heroshipi" asked.
The hero looked somewhat perplexed.
sHuh2' said he. What's that?"
what are some of the stunts they do
when q chaps hero2" explicated.
"Oh. said he. relieved at once. and then
confdentially: Say, they're a joke"
Il suppose you first notice you're a
hero around the hotel where everybody
knows you. They whisper after you
when you're q hero. And don't they
stare! ! always think Of a picture of
Jeffries with a mob at his heels when |
think about myself these days.
And invitations don't you get EN-!
You heard these two. didn't you2' !
nodded. there's lots like them. Those
tAhoo toAclHiouC Couo were INVITATIONS.
THE people sure do love winner.
Then you can tell you're a hero on the
baseball grounds. You sure can tell it
by the hand shaking you do. And the
letters! told you about the big stiff
letters. didn't l? l get the other kind
now.
Il believe I get thirty OF 'em day.
Oh, all kinds OF letters. Fathers want
advice az to whether they ought to let
their kids become ball players. Kids
write and want TO know how l throw my
curve ball. And love letters! Lots of
! EN-" said Mr.. "Rube" Marquard seri-
ously, AZ il those letters might have been
last Wills and testainents or as calmly
as though they had been leaflets from u
dentist.
Then your heroship doesn't affect
you very seriously" | said.
He shook serious head.
"It don't affect me az all. he answered.
-becausc | know just how much there il
! to j. .ust ahout he calculated "thr'e
games three games going the wrong