The Oakes times., 1912-01-25
No Relief
in Sight

When Ledeson's sisters two gig
Cling friends we're finally slowed away
on the Pullman and Ledeson had es-
capped from their staccato thanks and
their parting reminders and messages
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
as whole. The effervescing kind were
particular trial to him. and these
two had been especially effervescent.
The two weeks had indeed been .
nightmare.
Just as a reward of merit and a
bracer Ledeson decided to take the
day of and go out to his golf club.
A whole day tramping the sod. entirely
free from the blight of a woman's
presence. appealed to him as 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: let
me present Mr.. Ledeson. My cousin.
Miss Geddit. Mr.. Ledeson. Stella has
never played golf and was bound she
should have chance to learn even II
the club Is deserted at this season.
That's why I'm 5000 glad we met
you-you know all about golf! can
sit on the veranda and crochet while
you and Stella roam the 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 even more effer-
vescent than the two who had just
been removed from the scene by q
Pullman car
How perfectly lovely!" echoed Cou.
sin Stella. I'm simply crazy to play
golf! Can l learn in one afternoon
learned a perfectly dreadful en-
broidery stitch in only two hours the
other day-and I'm splendid croquet
player down home!"
Ledeson violently twisted his coun.
tenance into the polite smile that had
been so badly overworked of late.
What he really wanted to do was to
seize Cousin Stella by the yellow
curls on the back of her head and
give her neck one swift, comprehen-
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
was SO firmly glued to his face that
it would have staid even had an old
college chum tried to borrow money
from him. In 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 p
she burbled. How much does it count
when you hit the ball? Why don't
they make them bigger? My goodness!
Isn't there net to play over or any
thing?"
Like a man going to execution. Led
cson stalked to the first tee. With {
sigh he turned to give his first in
structions. Then he stopped.
Cousin Stella was making a nea
little mound of sand and placing hel
ball upon 1t. Then in a calm, cool
businesslike way she stepped back
rcrewed up her eyes and swung be-
club twice. There was a crack which
sent the white sphere hurtling a mar
velous 200 yards. She turned her in
nocent blue. eyes upon Ledeson ant
there was deep silence. Then il
a strangled way he seemed to be try
ing to say something.
Cousin Stella crumpled over be
stick in a spasm of hysterical laugh
ter. II couldn't help it," she gasped
"No human girl could if she'd see1
that look of rage and horror on you
face when Mrs. Wicketts thrust M
upon you! She didn't know that view
p golf club down home and that Nv,
won six cups! Now I'll go and croche
with Mrs. Wicketts and leave you il
peace!"
Indeed you won't!" Ledeson explod
ed. 1t had dawned upon him tha
Cousin Stella was really a wonderful
exception to all other girls. YOUR
going to play golf with me all afte,
uoon for your sins!"
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