Evening star., 1921-04-10

theSe maSh1e manlacS ABOUT as DdttS
as anything you ever saw outside of
padded cell Why, here Old Hick-
ory would have had me shot at sun
rise for lettin' in anybody less'n
cabinet officer or a case-lot boot
logger, and yet when his old golf
partner shows up he bitches every
thing and rushes off to take another
lesson.
You'd think. too, to hear him and
the Hon. Matt slang each other that
when they got out on the course
they'd be apt to finish the argument
with niblicks and be carried home on
stretchers. But as a matter of fact
they can get through a game without
maimin' each other. and then they'll
sit around the clubhouse for an hour
or so rehearsin' all their fiuke shots
and hammerin' one another on the
back friendly.
DUT could see where this match
II was to be for blood as well as dol
lars They'd been workin' up to it for
xeveral seasons. each kiddin' himself
that at last he'd got a little edge on
the other. They're both stiff-jawed
old boys, too. If they hadn't been
they'd never cleaned up SO big in
business. And while they took up
this golf stuff a few years ago on the
advice of their specialists and just
fooled with it for a while. the next
thing they knew they were going at
it as serious as they ever tackled a
big stock deal. Talk about buckin'
each other over high finance. Say.
I've seen Old Hickory sit for an hour
studying a score card and figurin' up
how many holes he had the Hon. Matt
down, who flubbed the most drives.
and who missed the most puts.
So, amt surprised when he
phones in later on that he won't be
back for the rest Of the day and that
if there's any cable messages or any,
thing of the kind come in I'm to call
him up at Bardsley Moors.
yes, sir" says I. Going to try
a little practice round. eh?"
well, 1 might" says he.
Sometimes it's just as well to let
on you're blind in both eyes. and then
again it's better to have the boss
know you amt buffaloed so easy. In
this case decides that it's best to
put him wise that I had something
on him. Makes it easier when you
want an afternoon. of. or when the
directors get fresh and talk Of cut
tin salaries. Also a private sec de
know all these little things.
AS a rule I don't spill the conf
Dental chat to Old Hickory. but when
he blows in next mornin' looking
kind of worried and sad thinks may
be it'll cheer him up IL I can get his
mind off the fact that he's let his
work pile up on him.
How did the swing go yesterday,
sir?" says I.
He sIumps into his desk chair so
heavy that the springs creak. Rot
ten, If you must know. son." says he.
That's too bad. Mr.. Ellins.' says l
as sympathetic as I knew how.
ioh
hydrant. ITS fiendish. that's what it
is. young man." says he. And see
here. Torchy, I'm going to ask you
something personal. You are rather
a keen observer and you see lot of
me. as much as almost any other hu-
thing about me recently that would
indicate a sudden failing of-er-my
mental faculties?'
has to grin and shake my head.
Hardly" says I. What you did
to that Chicago syndicate last % week
some rapid FIRE dome work to pull
that, I'll say"
The hard lines about his mouth cor
ners gives a flicker at that. Thanks.
son. for reminding me Of that" says
he. Fifty per cent of it was luck,
pose did out guess 'em. eh? But If
1 can do a thing like that will you
kindly explain, Torchy. why in the
hurtling Hebrides I loose all my wits
the moment take golf stick in my
hand?"
"Oh. I expect it amt so bad as all
that" says I. sooth!n'.
You don't. chg" says he. We'll. TIL
give you a concrete example. From
II o'clock until II yesterday I stood
up before that little Scot, Neil Ross,
and drove balls exactly as he told me
to. Firm grip on the back swing.
shifting the weight with the move
ment of the arms. breaking the wrist
at the tops of the swing. and coming
through in perfect rhythm. Drive
after drive I made. Perfect shots. And
then at 2.so. out in the open with
nothing to distract my thoughts. 1
has told me. I bend my arms as
though l was chopping wood. 1 stand
with my feet wrong. I lunge at the
ball, and I get the same old hook
slice that I've always had. There!
Is that a mystery. or is it an indica-
ton that I'm an old fool whose al
legged brain has ceased to Junction."
1--WE heard. though. that golf wasn't
so much a game as a disease"
I'm beginning to think SO my
self" says he. sighin'. But the
humiliating part II It is that 1 can't
remember for two hours and a half
a few simple things which I've paid
% seemingly inferior specimen of
humanity to teach me. No. sir! The
moment get away from that little
Scotchman I'm bungling, thick
headed duffer, slicing and topping and
committing all the sins of the game"
Funny, amt it? says L
Z TIHe1bleeeszn Ez61ad