Evening star., 1923-11-25

eolne caprfciouS goudeSs, IL oeseo"S
its favors without discrimination.
Men capable Of governing empires
e. to control a small white Dali
which presents no difficulties what
ever to others with only one ounce
more of brain than cuckoo-ciock.
Mysterious. but there 1t Is
There was no apparent reason why
ferdinand Dibble should not have
been a competent golfer He had
strt-ng wrists and a good eye. Never
theless the fact remains that he was
a dub.
Z; WAS sitting here one evening.
thinging OF this and that. when by the
corner of the clubhouse ! observed
young Dibbie In conversation with
girl In white. Presently they parted.
and Ferdinand came slowly across to
where sat. He took the next chair
TO mine and for several minutes sat
staring moodily down into the
valley.
I've just been talking 10 Barbara
Medway." he said, suddenly break
ing the silence.
'Tndeed?' 7 said. a delightful
girl"
shes going away for the summer
TO Marvis Bay"
SHE will take the sunshine with
eer."
You're sure footing she win
said Ferdinand Dibbie, with extra
ordinary warmth.
Presently Ferdinand uttered L hol-
low groan.
'I love her. darn itv' he muttered
brokenIy. "Oh. goIIy. how I love
ber.
And does she return your love-
'T don't know. I haven't asked
her.
Why not I should have thought
the point not without its interest for
YOU"
Ferdinand gnawed the handle Of
his putter distractedly.
ct haven't the nerve" he burst out
a, length. "I simply can't summon
',.p the cold gall to ask an angel like
her to marry me. You see. it's like
this: Every time I work myself up
20 the point Of hoving a dash at 1t
go out and get trimmed by some one
giving me a stroke a hole. Every
time feel I've mustered up enough
pep TO propose, ! take a ten on q par
three Every time I think I'm in
good ridsea son form for putting my
fate to the test to win or lose it all
something goes blooey with my swing
end I slice into the rough at every
tee And then my self-confdence
leaves me. / become nervous, ton
gue-tied, difiident. I wish TO good
ness I knew the man who invented
this internal game; I'd strangle him.
But I suppose he's been dead for ages.
Still. / could go and jump on his
grave"
It vas at this point that ] under
stood ali. and the heart within me
sank like lead. The truth was out:
Ferdinand Dibble was a goof.
= + =
~ fortunate beings who have al
lowed this noblest of sports to get
too great a grip upon them, who
have permitted it to eat into their
souls The goof. you must under
stand. is not like you and me. lie
troods. He becomes morbid. His
.oofery units him for the battles Of
life.
Come, come. my boy" I said to
Ferdinand Dibble. Master this
weakness"
'T can't"
'Try"
at have tried"
He gnawed his putter again.
she vas asking me just now il
couldn't manage to come to NarVis
Bay. too he said
THAT surely is encouraging. 1t
suggests that she is not entirely in
different to your society
Yes, but what's the use? Do you
know" he said, CLEAN coming into
his eyes for moment. i have
feeling that If ever could beat
some really fairly good player
Just once--I could bring tae thing
off" The gleam faded. But what
chance is there Of that
IT was a question which ! did not
care to answer. patted his shoulder
synpathetically. and after little
while he left me and walked away.
was still sitting there when Bar
',ara Medway came out OF the club
house. She took the chair which
ferdinand had vacated, and sighed
wearily.
Have you ever felt" she asked
"that you would like to bang a man
on the head with something heavy
and hard? With knobs on it?'
said had sometimes expert
enced such a desire. and asked II she
had any particular man In mind.
why are men such chumpBr she
exclaimed.
'sYou still have not told me who 1t
IS that has caused these harsh words.
DO know himT'
"Of course you do. You've just
been talking to him
ferdinand Dibbie? But why
should you wish to bang Ferdinand
Dibble on the head with something
hard and heavy. with knobs on it?'
because he's such a COOP"
"You mean a goof?" l Queried.
'fNo, a COOP. A COOP is a man
who's IN love with a girl and won't
tell her so. I am as certain as / am
of anything that Ferdinand is fond
of me-"
your instinct is unerring. He has
Just been conflding in me-
"weIi. why doesn't he confide in
ne. the poor fish?" cried the high
spirited girl. IT can't be expected to
. fling myself into his arms unless he
gives me some sort of hint that he's
ready TO catch me-"
'would 1t help if we're to repeat
TO him the substance Of this conver-
sation OF oursr
'If you breathe a word of 1t, I'll
never speak to you again." she cried.
"rd rather die an awful death than
have any man think l wanted him
90 aoaIx, xkok hod "a ga1d ,.aIava nj