The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-16
KNEW SOMETHING OF GOLF
AND WAS WILLING TO. TELL
How Fresh Aver Decided Delicate Point the Royal Game
and incidentally Told of Match Against the Greatest
Payerin the World.

in the room but the landlord and little
dried-up old man in the corner opposite
me- Well, to make a long story Short
l explained who was and what l Wantea.
The clubs were easy, but can you see me
when this little old chap in the corner
volunteers to go round with me? 1t
was all I could do to keepfro m laughing,
but thought All right. I'll play MIN
couple OF holes. until get him sized,
and then TIL give him a handicap
4'I got a good sleep. and eight o'clock
sees me and His Whiskers'-he wore nut
ton chops and a tam-o shanter and con-
stantly smoked small. black pipe-sees
us teeing up to drive off. I had bought
a oeachy' set OF clubs from old Tom
Norris, and l led off, full OF confidence.
with straight 170-yard drive. Up steps
my 'despised opponent and lays his ball
twenty yards beyond me couldn't be-
lieve that it wasn't an accident We both
made long brasseys. got on the green to-
gether, laid up and went down. having
the hole in DOGGY.
'.I beat him on my second drive. but he
was on the green q stroke ahead Of me
and seemingly dead: but he took two
strokes, and again falved the mole with
him in DOGGY.
Remembering my lesson of the night
before waited for him to start any chat
or persiflage he might think fit and
proper, but the Egyptian Sphinx was a
gabby old girl compared with him. The
play was the thing and / was playing
off my head He beat me the third
hole I tied the record for the fourth,
putting it over him two strokes. We
played along that way with me whining
now and then a hole, but on mcda1 score,
of course, he had me skinned to death.
al Z
hadn't been for his putting. He vas too
careful. and at times his play was :reS-
plicahle for so good q golfer. l halred
a number of holes with him by taking
chances-a thing he never did. Gut his
game was as steady as clock work, ana
he PLAYED in perfect form. could see
that had him surprised a little at tunes.
in fact, I wc.s surprising myself, but as
say he never said word.
'.Meanwhile. about a dozen of the idly
curious had formed "a gallery and were
following us I judged, from the inter-
est they took in the game. that my aged
friend must be a man of Importance IN
the community: but that he was the per-
sonage he afterwards proved to be, l
hadn't the vaguest notion.
My game let down a bit toward the end
but he played consistently right on
through, although he didn't beat me so
badly at that, considering that I had
never before seen the course. l took a
race and won the last hole by nervy APP
proach and a coriling good putt. lie
might have halved it if he had given the
hole Il chance. but no-he took his GUS
tomary on the green.
1--WE went up and threw in a couple of
drinks-on 1ne-and then we parted l
was going to London that night. and had
to get back to town and pack up
Fresh stopped in his recital, and bit
ing off the end of another cigar. languidly
lighted it with the stub Of the one he had
finished.
"Well. I'll be it y spoke I'D Club GAY
lord at last, "Who was the old buzzard?'
"Why. Colonel Bogey," laughed Fresh,
you know he always takes two on the
green.
Club turned away dissustedly. eff
You will smoke hop Fresh, he said,
.'I suppose we must stand for your pipe
Dreams but I really wish you wouldn' t
cnhale."
Jack North tapped his forehead sisni-
ficantly. "Softening of the brain. boys
he said looking around with an air of
alarm.
"No. Jack! not softcning Of the BRAIN"
repeated Bob Howe. 'iust softenng" At
which there was a general laugh, in which
Fresh joined as heartily as any one.