THE STRAND MAGAZINE . 
il Fault ! — foot-fault ! Game, set, and match 
to Jones !” hopped off the chair, and was 
away in the referees’ tent with the score 
before Smith, open-mouthed in dismay, had 
recovered from his astonishment at this 
summary ending to what had been, to him, 
a most interesting encounter. Sometimes, 
however, an ‘umpire stays up a very short 
time only. Once at a match between 
E. R. Allen and A. E. Beamish, a man asked 
to be allowed to umpire. The referee, 
thinking that one so eager might also be 
competent, entrusted him with the duty. 
But when he called the first point “ Fifteen 
in,” and the second “ Fifteen out,” and then 
shouted “ Out ” to a ball that pitched 
almost on the junction of the service and 
half -court lines, the agonized screams of 
“ E. R.” brought the referee forth with a 
fresh umpire in record time. 
I could tell enough stories about the 
celebrated Allen brothers, those popular and 
rotund twins, to fill a whole issue of The 
Strand, but one or two must suffice. Bad 
umpiring is anathema to them, and once, 
when they had been suffering from many 
horrible decisions, they implored the referee 
to put a linesman on for them. Scenting some 
fun, the referee asked an incorrigible practical 
joker who happened to be at hand to take 
the base-line. The Allens beamed on one 
another and on the linesman, and E. R. 
served. “ Foot-fault ! ” immediately cried 
the linesman, and incontinently subsided 
backwards off his chair, while the whole 
gallery yelled with laughter, the Allens mean- 
while tearing their hair and calling Heaven 
to witness that they had never served a foot- 
fault in their lives. Which, indeed, was 
perfectly true. 
Although they have now been playing for 
more than twenty-five years in tournaments, 
there is still no more gate-drawing attraction 
at any meeting than the Allens provide, 
and lucky is the tournament that receives 
their entry. Innumerable are the prizes they 
have won. E. R. Allen, in an unfortunate 
season a few years ago, described himself as 
“ going about exuding challenge cups at every 
pore,” so unsuccessful was he in retaining 
the numerous trophies which another year’s 
winning would have made his own. The 
brothers, absolutely devoted to each other, 
vilify one another in the most alarming 
manner when on court in a double, and it 
is to enjoy these brotherly words of criticism 
and advice that the crowds flock to the 
court when they are performing. Increasing 
years have added plumpness to both of the 
22 [ 
strokes, and so was afraid he’d be no good. 
As against that, I have heard of one who, 
observing the secretary bearing down upon 
him with a score-book, made a virtue of 
necessity, and mendaciously remarked, “ Oh, 
yes ; I was just coming to ask if I might ! ” 
Once up on the chair the wretched man may 
be kept there for hours, especially if the match 
happens to be a ladies’ double. One who had 
sat it out for a long time, at length resolved 
to grasp his first opportunity. So as soon 
as one man at last got within a point of the 
match, and his opponent served a fault, as 
he served again the umpire called out, 
“once up on the chair the wretched man 
MAY BE KEPI' THERE KuR HOURS.” 
