John Henry Smith: A humorous romance of outdoor lifeAdams, Frederick Upham
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John Henry Smith: A humorous romance of outdoor life
Adams, Frederick Upham
Humorous stories; Outdoor life -- Fiction
FAT EWES AND SHARP KNIVES
At last I have the spare time in which to bring this diary up to date,
but where shall I begin?
One romance is ended. It was very pretty and interesting while it
lasted, but all things must have an end, especially flirtations.
Miss Olive Lawrence has left Woodvale. The season has only started, but
she confided to Miss Dangerfield that she was wearied with golf and
Woodvale. So with a smile to all, and having settled in full with
Wallace for a dozen or more lessons she left for the south with an
assortment of trunks which tested the capacity of the baggage car.
I feel rather sorry for Wallace, though I give him credit for enough
sense to have realised that her interest in him could amount to nothing
more than a desire to amuse herself. It does not speak well for
fascinating qualities for our Woodvale gallants that Miss Lawrence
selected this unknown outsider even as a target on which to practise
flirtation archery, but, in common with most men, it is beyond my ken to
fathom the caprices of a pretty woman.
[Illustration: "She left for the South"]
Wallace says nothing, but I can see that he takes it to heart. He spends
most of his spare time at Bishop's, but attends strictly to his
business. He is the best professional we have ever had, and it is
fortunate for the club that he did not gain the fair prize which many of
us thought was within his grasp.
I have won the "Harding Trophy!"
Carter and I played for it last Thursday. I had absolute confidence that
I should win, and when Miss Harding smilingly told me that she was
"pulling for me," I had no more doubt that I could win than I had that I
was alive. We had the largest gallery that ever has followed a match in
Woodvale. The betting was two to one against me.
I beat Carter four up and three to play, and made a medal score of
seventy-six, breaking the amateur record for the course. That statement
is quite sufficient to tell the story of the game.
I gave a dinner in honour of my victory, and at its conclusion Miss
Harding presented the "Bronze Gent," as Chilvers calls this beautiful
statuette. She made a graceful speech and we cheered her wildly. How
charming she looked as she stood beside the huge bulk of her proud
father! I tried to say something in reply, but the light in her eyes
seemed to hypnotise me, and after a few incoherent sentences Chilvers
came to my relief by striking up our club song, to the tune of a
familiar hymn:
"Oh, why can't I drive like other men do?
How on earth can you drive if you don't follow through?"
CHORUS
"Hallelulia; watch that shoulder
Hallelulia, my men;
Hallelulia; get your wrists in!
Must I tell you again?"
"Everybody come in strong on the second verse," ordered Chilvers, and we
obeyed as best we could, also on the third. They run like this:
"I can't understand; understand it at all,
Why I can't keep my eye on that little white ball."
CHORUS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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