, 1897-04-08
nothing, however, on the first offense,

nothing, however, on the first offense,
but when it was repeated expostulated
In unmeasured terms. To his surprise,
his rebuke brought ''Slowback' to the
verge of tears. Then, partly by his op-
ponent and partly by the opponents
caddie, the situation was explained.
He found himself able to mingle a meas
ure of pity with his wrath, but through
out tho round the ejaculation, many
times repeated, in the speakers own
despite, spoiled his intended stroke and
led to the immediate payment Of the
caddie and rejection of his further serv-
ices.
Several times during the ensuing
weeks did nov one and now another.
in ignorance or in pity, engage the I'M
fortunate man to carry clubs, but in no
case could his ~idiosyncrasy be endured
beyond the limits of a single round. He
made efforts that were absolutely heroic
to overcome it, swathiDg the wooden
comforter around his mouth until as
phyxiation threatened him, but through
all the folds of the stuff came, with a
muff1ed righteousness, the hateful ex-
clamation which the man would have
given worlds to have withheld. Do
what he would he could not rid himself
OF this damposa hRreditus, ~bequeathed
to him, along with his slender pension,
by his departed master. Gradually he
grew to recognize the hopelessness Of
his condition and ceased even to seek
employment. He spent his days sitting
deiectedly OH the accustomed seat, grow
ing thinner and more gaunt as poverty
set its grip more firmly upon him,
grateful if now and again one of his
friends on the bench would give him q
fill of tobacco for his seldom replenished
pipe.
At length he ceased to frequent the
links altogether. For some days no
seemed to notice his absence. Then it
was noticed that ''Slowback' had dis
appeared, and we began to ask questions
about him. His cronies knew nothing,
only that he had not been down to the
links for q day or two. We inquired
where he lodged and with some diff
Guilty found the locality. It vas up a
steep stair in a little house Of a back
street. His landlady told US that she
feared he was not well. For some days
he had moi left the house and had eaten
next to nothing; said his stomach re-
fused food, and that he had no appe-
tite. We asked her whether she thought
he lacked for money, but the woman
said no, basing her information OH the
fact that he had kept his small rent
paid up.
When we went in, it appeared at once
that he was very bad. He lay on the
bed terribly wasted, scarcely more than
a skeleton Of a man. We asked whether
he had seen a doctor and being told
no sent of for II at once. He seemed
to recognize us, and a strange smile Of
pleasure struggled across his thin fea.
lures. BE wen tried to speak, but the
only word we could distinguish was his
terrible ejaculation of "Slow backv'
though whether he were trying to speak
of himself thus by his familiar sobri-
quot or whether, he deemed himself
still carrying" for his old master on
the links we could not tell. Then he
relapsed into silence and seemed to
sleep.
At length the doctor came. He took
but one glance at the poor figure ON the
bed, passed his hand beneath the
clothes and laid it for a moment over
the heart. Then he turned to us, with a
grave face. "Slowback" was dead