The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-11
THE NOBLE GAME.


We were convinced that we knew som,
ching about games In our road We had
tennis club, and Wilkinson, Dipps an
Banting had each tennis lawn.
We had croquet club. We rode hors'
We gotup private theatricais and fame
balls We played billiards and halma.
But one day a thunderbolt fell anon
us The thunderbolt which fell was th
revelation that there Is but one game; tina
Ms name Is "golf. and that those trivial
ties In which we so vainly indulged wer
nothing-absolutely nothing-not game
ut all.
1t was The McGourock who let this ligh
IN upon us and practically saved us.
There had been a house to let In on
road, q villa named ySidelines, with
tennis lawn, and one day McGourocl
moved In, and those of US who went ou
after breakfast next morning observed q
painter painting out "Sidelines" and
substituting 'Bunkcrs." Those among ui
whose gardens adjoined that of The Side
lines and who happened to go into them
before breakfast on that morning follow
ing the arrival of The McGourock saw
him In his garden engaged with golf sticks
and little white ball stamped with .
Cross pattern. He had made little hole
I'm the tennis lawn and was trying to knock
the little ball into 1t.
That evening, while Wilkinson was
smoking pipe In his garden and tryine
to water great oak with a half inch hose
frr a vk<~ ~ v~txx e. a.
utes, Peter NcGourock looked over tn.
fence and passed the time Of day.
Yell have . club here, Of coursef'
asked Peter.
"Oh, rather!" replied Wilkinson. "Nt
end Of clubs. We've capital tennis club
and croquet club, and river club, anG
a bicycle club, and"-
But Wilkinson drew up suddenly, throwI
ON his launches, for the gray eye Of Peter
4cGourock, which should have been ablau
with enthusiastic interest, was pale will
. strong contempt
But how about the club" he asked.
"Ciubi" said Wilkinson. "why--well
we've all those cluhs-what more''-
81 was not asking about these treevia.
things, " said McGourock. where is your
golf clubs"
H<hs OH-Wuy--We maven U-cr-cX
actiy any golf club-that is, not just yet
Is 1t good sort of gamc?" said poor vii
kinson.
Peter looked him all over very slowly,
then looked the hose all over very slowly.
then wilkinson's garden; then wilkin
sons house, right up to the top Of the new
Louvre pot. Then repeating very slowly,
''Es-ct-a-good-s d-sorrs-of-games" ht
turned away and disappeared into hii
room.
For days after that poor Wilkinson
while watering the big oak with the hall |
Inch hose, would cast furtive glanccs at The |
AcGourock tapping the little white bail in |
to the little hole in the lawn, and at times /
he could perceive, with the tail of his eye, |
Peter McGouorck eying him over, or por
tions OF his property, and at times he couh |
hear the muttered words, LES ct q GOOD |
SORT of game."
At length Wilkinson made a heroic effort |
to put matters on u less painful footing. |
He looked over the fence at Peter who |
was doing something to a golf iron with a
file, and said checrfully, but with dread |
ful nervousness within:
us it-er--when you could spare ter |
minutes should take it as favor IL you |
would teach me to play golf.
Ten minutes, yc sayY' said Peter, using |
that horrid eye of his.
well, wcll--of course don't mean tc
say could learn in ten minutes-ha, ha--
ridiculous, Of course" said poor Wilkin
son. But II you'd kindly teach me the
stroke
''Sirr," said Peter, "a man cannot bt
taught golf!'
"Well-of course don't mean to say
that is-but a fellow might try to learn"
Golf, said Peter, lis not u thing that
a man can learn
We'll, but-hang it all--how do people
ever playy People do play golf, don't
theys"
PLAY" said Peter. "And what NIGH,
ye mean by 'phyY"
Well--well--confound II! Don't you
sec people knocking confounded little
whitc balls over confounded obstacles with
things like that you're filing aty'
Poor Wilkinson was turning. Even Viii
kinsons will turn.
"Ah," replied Peter, ''ye see people do
that-and manys the number of them
But ye talked of playing. SIR! Ef man
begins golf when he's put into short
clothes and devotes his life to 1t excepting
the sabbath only, that was specially or
daincd for him to repaint balls and see tc
things), and II it's granted to that man at
the close Of a long life TO arrive mt the
that he knows nothing Of golf,
that man can die a happy man, and when
he's finally holed he win not have lived In
vain. Aye" continued Peter suddenly,
1t esa good SORT Of game It's just
gran game. It's just the only game.
From pure inability to bear the severity
of Peters eye, our road decided TO form
golf club, and a deputation waited on Pc
Ter to beg him 10 show us how, to become
president-and every other officer ne cared
90 be, down to caddie
And where do ye propose to make yer
links?' he asked.
We had thought that out before Theirs
being no available land within a reason.
able distance, we had agreed provisiopallv
that we might utilize our hack gardens for |
the purpose.
The first hole was 10 I've i'm Bantipg,.
grass plot, seven gardens away. 1t would
have been quite possible To get ON to Bapt
tngs green In one good drive but for IN,