The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-06-02

ton as L came up.
"0h I'm glad you didn't wait"
said, feeling rather sold.
'pm afraid it is very slow work for you
Mr.. Jones" said Miss Barry, as we walked
on to the next hole. "There are no more
quarries for some time now. Will yol
scorse for us? You have to keep ou
score in this column, and our opponents
in that" she said. "You see? l hope i
will make the game more interesting fol
you"
1t could not make it less interesting; bu
she meant to be kind, and l accepted the
task.
We Joined Maria and Charley Barry al
the seventh hole; it was more lively when
We were all together. Before we reached
the last hole [ caught myself advising
Maria how to play the ball out of cart,
rut, and it gave me distinct thrill OF
pleasure when | was able to announce that
she and Charley Barry had won.
"They have won, exclaimed Monkton,
rushing over to me and taking the card
from my hand. "Why, they are ninety
nine, and we are ninety two"
''Well? They've got most"
Monkton looked at me and growled some
thing about "any one with a grain of
sense" which l ignored. Relations be-
tween us were rapidly growing strained.
We lunched on the grass in the shelte;
Of wall. 1t had been hot in the quarters
but the day under these circumstances was
perfect. | should gladly have remained
there smoking all the afternoon, but the
three enthusiasts would not let us.
"Mr. Jones must play this afternoon"
said Miss Barry; ~ can't allow him to do
nothing but fetch and carry for US"
"He won't play, growled Monkton from
behind his pipe bowl "He hates it; can't
hit a ball to save his life"
Nothing else would have induced me to
touch club.
II will play with great pleasure, Miss
Barry" [ said, ''if you will make allow
ances for beginner"
MOnkton's rudeness had put me on my
mettle. l resolved to show him that was
not such duffer as he thought, and that
| could play golf without going mad about
it.
| used Miss Barry's clubs. l don't care
to blow my own trumpet. will only say
that l surprised myself. Maria was de-
lighted; and Charley Barry dubbed me
clark horse The course from the third
hole lay down long slope, at the bottom
of which we could see the little red flag on
the putting green. The caddie teed the
ball. and l made my drive beauty, though
say it-clean, hard, and strpight. The
ball fell just on the edge of the putting
green.
Good shot p burst from every one,
Monkton included.
"You might do this hole in two, Mr..
Jones" said Miss Barry.
The others played, and we all walked
down; it took all the others another shot to
come up to my ball. As we went, Charley
Barry told me it was the ambition of every
body who played on these links to do this
particular hole in two strokes. The pro-
fessional from St. Andrews, who laid out
the course had done it in two; no one had
ever done so since.
"lt's shot for the putter, l think"
said Monkton, scrutinizing the lie of my
ball carefully as we all stood round it.
"Iron, if you ask me-" said Charley
Barry,
While they discussed it, l called the
caddie, and chose the club thought most
suitable.
"The lOfterl'' cried Monkton, and Berry
Il don't know what its name is, said.
and, what's more, don't care. 1t looks
IS if it would lift the ball over that little
'idge, and I'm going to play with it.
"I'm not at all sure that your husband
sn't right" overheard Miss Barry say
o Maria
Probably because I did not much mind
whether failed or not, | succeeded, amid
'reathless silence, in holding the ball.
insisted on shaking hands with
ne; and the others congratulated me as
warmly as though | had come into half a
million of money.
"He has natural eye for the game"
Hiss Barry said in an undertone. Perhaps |
he was right; it is not for me to say. | !
must admit that there seems scope for skill |
f a kind in golf, and will not deny that
long, clean drive affords one certain
but it is not pastime that is
t all likely to enslave me as it does some
eople. l have known fellows start for the
inks at footing in the rain and play the
7hole of wet day. That always struck
ne as folly.
"What club should you use here ?" in
uired Miss Barry, as the caddie teed her
all for the eighth hole.
The ground was broken up and followed
y small quarries in the direct line; if you
liled to clear them all at the first stroke,
cost you dozen or twenty points to get
ut again. 9
Il should take the long driver and play
Iell over to the level ground on the left"
said
She followed my advice, and justified it
y doing the hole in five strokes. Perhaps
is worth mentioning that 1 did it in six,
nd that Monkton, who took his own line,
id it in thirteen.
"Golf is not merely hard hitting and
areful putting" Miss Barry observed; cit
ants judgment and discretion as WE'LL"
lought it was gentle back-hander at
Ionkton; he certainly deserved it.
We were all rather tired when we fin
he'd the round q won it, by the way,)
nd we're quite ready for tea when we got
ONE. Monkton and Charley Barry went
ut Immediately afterwards, and played on
lie putting green till the dressing bell
lng.
Next day, at Miss Barry's express re-
uest, l drove the party out again. 1 have
o very clear recollection Of the discussion
hich led to my consenting to play. I did
OF want to, but 1 held it duty to sacri-
ce ones selffor the pleasure of the people
1u are staying with, and they made
pint of it.
ttTt is varv enrious - Monkto,, rar,orl,od