The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-08-16
AT THE TOURNAMENT TEA.


Golf had a firm hold on Nouville tina
summer. Tournament week marked tn
height Of the season, Of which the Satur
days when the final rounds We're playet
and the prizes Wer awarded, was the eli
max. 1t was on such an OCCASION as Thu
that the afternoon tea was being give1
by the wife of the clubs presidential te:
which eclipsed all previous weekly func
tons in the same measure as everything
else pertaining to the Ten Niers, ance.
try, wealth and pride. surpassed the at
tributes Of the other Nouvilleans. The
deciding rounds for the Nouville cup anl
the mixed fcursome medals had been fin
ished early IN the afternoon: but the
subsequent driving and approaching con
tests had been so prolonged by the large
number Of entries that the sun had sunk
behind the crest of the wooded hills and
left the emerald lawn hathed in cool
after-glow before Judge Ten Nier arose
to present the prizes, taking his stand
under the gay awning at one end of the
table. now covered with depleted dishes
and half-empty pitchers. The judge still
chung to the scarlet coat, which his
amid the brave array of summer fnery.
furnished the most conspicuous note OF
color. Beneath his thin, white locks his
patrician face glowed with health and
satisfaction. Always glad Of an oppor-
tunity to address an audience. he was
never more felicitous than when an
nouncing the results Of golf tourna-
Ment and congratulating the winners.
This afternoon he entered upon that
task with unusual pleasure, because his
own child was one or the victors. A
knowledge that in the animated group
about the tea table were those who said
that Julia Ten Nier and young Peter
Sunbar had won the foursome through
Peters playing, and in spite of his part
ner's.. did not in the least disturb the
judges confidence in his daughters supe-
riority in this: as we'll as all other, re-
that Miss Ten Nier, as Dicky Denniston
expressed It, was too deuced handsome
to be q good, conscientious golfer" In
deed. as she stood beside Sunbar now
On the outskirts Of the crowd, not even
tie fine brown of her complexion and the
most swagger Of golfng costumes could
reconcile the observer with the thought
that less than two hours ago she had
completed an eighteen-hole round in the
hot sun. A splendid, dark beauty, sump-
tuous. but too tall and too frm-lipped to
be. cassed with the type called ''tropi-
CALI. there was an overplus of stateli-
ness. slight stiffness in her carriage
that suggested the drawing room, and
not the links. as her special province.
Yet won the foursome they had. after
heartbreaking struggle with Walter
Van Alfred and Daisy Minturn, whose
blue eyes still retained a suspicious mois-
ture; for Sunbar was one of those envi-
able players whose game, always good,
surpassed itself on critical occasions. For
him it had been a very important match,
indeed, since Miss Ten Nier's heart was
set on winning, and he knew how her
pride would suffer from defeat. He
knew, also, that she had declined to he
Van Altreds partner and accepted his
own later invitation: and, although his
modesty. told him that his unquestioned
superiority as a golfer was responsible
for such good fortune, vet he would have
gwen all he possessed for the assurance
that her choice had been prompted by
personal motives. That this expIanatio
did not comfort Van Alfred. however.
was evident from the thundercloud ex-
preston he had worn all afternoon Ap-
parently he could not endure the sight of
his rivals final triumph: for, as Sun
oars cheerful gaze roamed about the
crowd. it failed to discover him. Had
Sunbar suspected the true cause of Van
Altred's absence his countenance might
not have exhibited such frank happiness.
It so happened that an intervening knoll
shut off a view of his former opponent.
Just. at that moment engaged in earnest
conversation with the shifty-eyed lad that
had been Sunbar's caddy, near the ditch
hazard that guarded the approach to the
home hole
There was clapping of hands and a
buzz of congratulatory remarks as the
winner of the Nouville cup, who was a
golfer 9n6 not or l.:
incoherent reply to Judge Ten Nier's
neatly-worded speech, and sought refuge
among his friends with the trophy under
his arm. Then, taking two leather cases.
containing the gold medals, the judge an
nounced: ut is with great pleasure that
l award the prizes for the mixed four
some to Miss Julia Ten Nier and Mr..
spoke, over at his beautiful daughter.
Half the women and all the men looked
also, but any expectation of seeing her
cold. clear-cut features betray enthusi-
assn was disappointed. Sunbar. on the
other hand. who hoped at least for an
approving smile when he laid the fruits
Of his superb golf at his mistress feet.
made no effort to hide the gladness that
filled his breast as ne advanced to receive
the medals.
His fingers had barely touched the
smooth feather case when shout from
out on the green caused the whole as
semblage to turn their heads that way.
1t was Walter Van Alfred, who came
running toward them, waving his arms
excitedly, with caddy hurrying behind.
Hold on! Don't give that prize: he
exclaimed as he reached the group about
the awning. Intense surprise wrote it.
self on every face, and anxiety on many.
Clearly the club was in for distressing
scene
"Pray explain yourself. Mr.. Van Al
tired" gravely demanded the president.
'Why shouldn't my daughter and Mr..
Snnbar receive the trophies they have
fairly won?''
pardon my excitement" said Van
Alfred, recovering himself and bowling,
''but 1 have just made discovery that
will seem as incredible to ~yeu as it did
at first to me. Out of consideration for
Miss Ten Nier's feelings. 1 should have
kept it to myself did not duty to the
club and to my partner force me to
speak. Mr.. Sunbar removed, think, an