The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-12-07
No Relief
in Sight

When Ledeson's sisters two gig
Cling friends were finally slowed away
on the Pullman and Ledeson had d.
capped from their staccato thanks and
their parting reminders and messages,
and general feminine EXPLANATIONS he
heaved his first relieved. breath for
two weeks, which was the length Of
their visit.
One would not brutally say that,
Ledeson hated women-merely that no
particular woman had impressed him
with the marvellous charms of the sex
Al a whole. The efervesoing kind were
a particular trial to him. and hees
two had been especially e~Rervescent
The two weeks had indeed been
nightmare.
Just as a reward of merit and Z,
bracer Ledeson decided to take the
day of and go out to his Falf club.
A whole day tramping tho so6, >sntirely
free from the blight Of a woman's
presence. appealed to him u the ulti-
mate Joy.
Then Just as he tried to walk
through the first car to the smoker
Mrs. Wicketts called him.
"Oh! Are you going out to the club.
too?" she chortled. "How perfectly
lovely! So are we! Stella, dear; lot
me present Mr.. Ledeson. My cousin.
Miss Geddit, Mr.. Ledeson. Stella has
never played golf and l vas bound she
should have q chance to learn even II
the club is deserted at this season.
That's why I'm 90 glad We met
you-you know all about golf! l can
sit on the veranda and crochet while,
you and Stella roam tho links!"
Mrs. Wicketts beamed upon her
victim. Cousin Stella. too, beamed
upon him. She was a young thing
and Ledeson saw In his first Mortified
glance that she was ever more effer.
vescent than the two who had Just
been removed from tho scene by 4
Pullman car.
"How perfectly lovely!" echoed Cou.
sin Stella. I'm simply crazy to play
golf! Can l learn in one afternoon?
I learned a perfectly dreadful en-
broidery stitch in only two hours the
other day-and I'm a splendid croquet
player down home!"
Ledeson violently twisted his coun-
tenance into the polite smile that had
been &C badly overworked Of late.
What he really wanted to do wa to
seize Cousin Stella by the yellow
curls on the back of her head aud
give her neck one swift, 'c%onprehen-
sive twist. Centuries of conventional
ancestors, however, enabled him to
ed to teach Miss Geddit.
1t was worse, much worse, than he
could have dreamed. He had never
known that a girl could be quite so
idiotically awful. The polite smile
al so firmly glued to his face that
it would have staid even had an old
college chum tried to borrow money
from him. In a daze of misery Lede-
son walked from the station to the
club with Cousin Stella trotting along
beside him chattering every inch of
the way, and Mrs. Wicketts beaming
placidly. Bitterness surged In his
heart as he secured clubs and Joined
his tormentors. Cousin Stella clapped
her hands babyishly.
"Oh, are these what you play with"
she burbled. How much does 1t count
when you hit the ball? Why don't
they make them bigger? My goodness!
Isn't there a net to play over or any
thing?"
Like a man going to execution, Led.
eson stalked to the first tee. With q
sigh be turned to give his first In.
structions. Then he stopped.
Cousin Stella was making a neat
little mound of sand and placing her
ball upon 1t. Then in a calm, cool.
businesslike way she stepped back,
screwed up her eyes and swung her
club twice. There was q crack which
sent the white sphere hurting a mar
velous 200 yards. She turned her in
nocent blue eyes upon Ledeson and
there was a deep silence. Then in
a strangled way he seemed to be try
Ing to say something.
Cousin Stella crumpled over her
stick in a spasm Of hysterical laugh
ter. Il couldn't help It," she gasped.
mo human girl could II she'd seen
that look of rage and horror on your
face when Mrs. SWicketts thrust me
upon you! She didn't know that we've
q golf club down homo and that I've
won six cupsl Now I'll 10 and crochet
with Mrs. Wicketts and leave YOU in
peace!"
Indeed you won't!" Ledeson explod-
ed. 1t had dawned upon him that
Cousin Stella was really q wonderful
exception to all other girls. You're
going to play golf with me all after.
moon for your sins!"
Flower 1opore.