John Henry Smith

by W. W. Jacobs

  ENTRY NO. XVII

  THE PASSING OF PERCY

  During the forenoon of the day following our visit to Oak Cliff Mr.Harding, Carter and I were sitting under the big elm tree near the firsttee. We had our clubs with us, but the railroad magnate wished to finishhis cigar before starting to play.

  A farm wagon drove up the circular roadway which surrounds the clubhouse, and the owner after glancing doubtfully about approached us. Hewas tall, angular, and whiskered.

  "Can any of you folks tell me if a man named Hardin' hangs out 'roundthis here place?" he said, squinting at a card which I instantlyrecognised.

  "I'm Harding," said that gentleman, walking toward him. "I reckon you'rethe man who owns the late deceased bull?"

  "I shurely am," said the farmer, stroking his whiskers nervously.

  "How much do you want for him?" demanded Harding, with characteristicpromptness.

  "Stranger," began the man with the hoe, "if you'll tell me how inthunder you broke the neck of that critter with one of them theresticks," pointing to our golf clubs, "I won't charge you one doggonedcent for doin' it."

  We all roared, and then Harding briefly explained what had happened.

  "I reckon you couldn't do nothin' else under what the stump speakerscall existin' sar-cumstances," slowly drawled the farmer, "but he was amighty fine young bull, an' I hated like all sin tew lose him."

  "How much was he worth to you?" asked Harding.

  "He was a Holstein, Mister, and I wouldn't er sold him for two hundredand fifty the best day you ever saw. He took second prize as a yearlin'at our county fair, and I was plumb sure he'd have the blue ribbon hungon him this year, but instead of a ribbon I found this here on hishorns," he concluded sorrowfully, looking at the card with its stringstill attached.

  "I'll give you three hundred and fifty dollars and call it square," saidHarding.

  "Dew you mean it, Mister?" his watery blue eyes opening wide, his thinlips pursed and his leathery face curiously wrinkled. "Dew ye mean it?"

  "Of course I mean it, but I want his head. I'm going to have itmounted."

  Mr. Harding opened his wallet, stripped off the bills and handed them tothe pleased farmer.

  "Mister," the latter said, "that's more than he was worth, and I feelkinder ashamed ter take all of it. Tell you what I'll do! I've got anold bull that's no good, but ugly as all get out, and if you'd like tertackle him with that ortermobill of yours I'll turn him loose in thatsame medder, an' you can have it out with him an' it won't cost you acent."

  "He was tall, angular, and whiskered"]

  "Much obliged," laughed Harding, "but nature evidently did not design mefor a matador."

  If Miss Lawrence does not develop into a great player it will not bebecause of a lack of assiduity in taking lessons. Since Wallace hasbecome professional at Woodmere she has taken one and sometimes twoeach day. She was starting to take one of these "lessons" when Hardingreturned.

  "See here, Wallace," he said with mock sternness, "I am becoming curiousto know if you are professional to our charming young friend or to theclub."

  "Why, Mr. Harding!" exclaimed Miss Lawrence, blushing furiously. "I havetaken only six lessons, and you have no idea how I have improved."

  "Without doubt," observed the remorseless millionaire, "but when do Iget a lesson? My game has steadily deteriorated since I hit my firstball. As Smith says, I am way off my game."

  "I shall be glad to give you a lesson any time to-morrow afternoon, Mr.Harding," said Wallace.

  "All right. You and I will play Smith and Carter, and you put me rightas we go along."

  That was satisfactory all around and Wallace turned his attention to hisfair pupil. I wonder if he is as exacting and she as interested at alltimes as during the few moments they were under our observation?

  "A little nearer the ball," he cautioned her. "Grip firmly but keep thewrists flexible. Let the club-head come back naturally. Be sure and keepthe weight of your body on the heels and not on the toes. That's better.Try that back swing again. Do not go so far back. Be sure that at thetop of the swing your entire weight is on the right leg, and that theknee is not bent. Do not pause at the top of the stroke. Keep the headperfectly still and your eyes on the ball; not on the top of it, but onthe exact spot where you propose to hit it. Now make a practise swing."