Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-03-23


would as soon have been introduces
to the devil himself as to a play actor
This was why Minnie and Dora kept
so absolutely silent on the subject Of
Pinaerton and Tradgold, and this was
why, when they had privately ar
ranged foursome with those gentle
men on the Ggham links, they pre-
tended to their mother that they
were simply going to play two
some between themselves in the ordi-
nary way.
Mrs Arson was not enthusiastic
about their playing golf at all. She
knew nothing of the game and cared
less, supposing az games to Re more
| or less a waste Of that valuable time
which is allotted TO man to be spent
| in working out his eternal salvation
! Still, she allowed the girls TO join
the Bigham Ladies Golf club (hay-
| ing ascertained that the committee
numbered among It's members sew
| eral matrons OF the highest social
| standing and moral characterl, and
| did not object to their going down
| there for a round now and again. Had
she known that these demure daugLe
! ters Of hers were sometimes to be
seen disporting themselves on the
| gentlemen's course in the company
Of two actors she would have nearly
| had fit '-' ''' 'v"">''
But she was in blissful ignorance Of
| that appalling fact; and Minnie and
Dora, OF course, took no steps to en-
| tighten her.
Now when they played their four
some they not infrequently dispensed
with the service of caddies. 70
couples nirtatiously inclined the pres
ence Of caddies lis apt to be irksome.
These youngsters have eyes as sharp
as needles rendered especially acute
by practice In marking down golf
balls (and on the sporting Bigham
course balls want some marking),
while their ears have grown keen by
constant straining to catch the NUT
tered explosives in which even the
most righteous and sober players at
times indulge. Nothing very wrong
passed between the members Of our
foursome. Matters had not yet pro-
crossed to the length of stolen kiss;
only once or twice land that when
they were hunting for a ball "in the
wilderness out Of the way") to the
length Of a hand squeez. Still, even
that might result in the caddles COM
ing back with undesirable rumors and
retailing them to other golfers by
whom they might next be employed;
and so they found IL convenient to dis
pose OF them altogether. and to carry
their own clubs That Is to say, OF
course, each gentleman carried his
own capaGious canvas bag.
If there was one thing more than
another which showed the utterly de-
moralizing effect of Irritation upon
sound golf it was the competency
with which Pinkerton and Tredgold
accepted their own crooked drives
from the tee. Now pinkerton sliced
his drives abominably; Tredgold, on
the other hand, pulled his in the yilest
way. In a golfer of any proper feel
Ing the preparation of either enor-
nifty should induce a sense Of the di
rest shame and distress. Yet Pink
erton would slice into gravel pit
with entire equanimity, and Ttedgold
would pull into whin-forest with
perfect composure II both had
kept straight and foursome they would
have advanced on their balls en- masse.
But one ball lying fifty yards to the
right Of the proper line. and the other
nifty yards to the left. the players
moved away in pairs, with con
yenient space intervening, and only
met again al their Philippi-the put
ting green.
by that time each side had usually
approached double figures in the way
of strokes When it is added that they
could not merely accept this without
turning hair, but actually joke--yes,
over the disgrace, Il will be seen
that the loss OF their golting self-re-
spect had become perfect and com
plete
AZ this point, when Piukerton had
Just had to dig his ball from the bot
tom of well, and luck in jumping the
bunker, they were approaching the
seventeenth hole, which-as all Big
ham golfers know lies closely ada
cent 10 the Croydon high road. 1t was
Miuuies shot, and she raised her cleek
In the act of strike. But she stopped
in the middle of her string, let the
club sink feebly to the ground. and
uttered a sudden cry of dismay
Oh-oh--Dora," she cried To her
sister. oh o-do-you 30
"See2 WHAT The hole2"
N n--n-o--o. Mammal Yes, and
90 believe it's -it's-M MIR Carru-
theirs with her"
Mamma Mir Carruthers? Where"
exclaimed Dora. turning as white as u
new golf ball
There just coming toward us along
the lootpath on what shall we
dua"
"Wll your mother be very angry"
asked Cutl.sh P,nberton.
Angry Shell be furious; She she