The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-07-11

anything about 1t. For Christmas
he would buy her something real
ly nice. Surprise her. She loved
surprises. How her eyes would
glow! Yes, he'd tutor young Bob
Richmond, save the money, and
give Grace the most beautiful
Christmas present he could af-
ford. Certainly she deserved it.
AS to his arriving home late
two evenings a week, he could
pretend he was working overtime
at the store. It was lying, in a
sense, and Grace hated people
who lied. Too, they had solemn
ly promised never to hide any
thing from each other. But this
really wasn't lying "a white lie
never was. And, after all, wasn't
he doing it entirely for her?
y *
Exhilaration flowed through
Len as he pulled on white wooden
socks, firmly laced the low-cut
tennis shoes, slipped into flannels,
drew a light sweater over his
head. The feel of the racquet in
his hand was good. He bounced
a ball, the gut humming as he
stroked it against the ground.
Bob Richmond was waiting for
him at court number four of the
spacious Park Avenue armory. 1t
had been arranged that every
Tuesday and Thursday at six
o'clock the son of the wealthy
Dayton Richmond was to receive
an hours instruction.
Len took one side of the court,
the youngster the other. For a
time they hit the ball back and
forth, young Richmond often net
ting the ball or knocking it out OF
bounds. After fifteen minutes OF
this sporadic volleying Len called
the boy to the center of the net.
"There are many faults we will
correct eventually" he explained,
S5ut you handle your racquet
naturally, and that's a good sign.
Two glazing weaknesses we will
work on first, before going on to
the lesser ones. You stand with
the front of your body toward the
net when you stroke, instead OF
and you fail to follow
through after making shot. But
we'll let that 60 for a minute. The
grip of the racquet is of major
and we'd better make
sure yours is right before we do
else. I'll teach you mine.
They're the same that four out
Of every five players USE"
The next fifteen minutes were
devoted to the backhand and the
other grips that constitute ten
MS players equipment. When Len
felt that young Bob had grasped
these we'll enough, he concentra-
ted on the follow through. "When
stroking," he instructed, "let your
arm go all the way around, or up
Or down as the case may be-but
all the way. If I were teaching
you boxing I'd say don't pull your
punches. Do I make myself
elear?"
"You mean, Mr.. Rollins" the
boy said, "that I don't keep my
racquet moving, that stop it
when it's gone only half or three
quarters around?"
'You read that somewhere?"
The boy nodded. "Bill Tilden
had an article on it in the news
paper once"
cts good advice" Len said.
''You try to- follow it; I'll help
you along. And don't forget, when
you stroke, always make sure
your body is sidewise, facing the
net. All right now, we'll hit a
few. And don't mind where they
go, or how many you net. Just
stick to the points we've cove
red. After a while you'll get the
knack of it and the ball will be-
have"
Grace had waited dinner for
him and they ate in a leisurely
exchanging news of the
day. She asked whether he had
had many customers. He answe-
red that things had been rather
slow.
ct don't see why they make you
work overtime, then," she pouted.
"Do you get paid for your over
time, LEM"
"No." Damn women's curiosity,
anyway! "That is, we don't act
ually receive pay" he amended,
"but they give us a dollar for
dinner. And we're going right out
to spend that first dollar as soon
as we get these dishes cleared up.
Wy I1o]o n - for