HIS LAST STROKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1543, 12 September 1912, Page 6

HIS LAST STROKE.

"THE REDAN" IN THREE. A. GOLF STORY. e , e The golfing men had drifted into the smoking-room, and, as the wood fire e crackled and the .noiseless waiters sup- . plied the required cocktails and cigarettes, the conversation turned from the coming . championship to individual experiences. Nearly everyone hud spoken, or boasted, of his greatest feat, with the exception ' of the -Major, who had remained silent throughout tho afternoon. A casual re- ' mark on the fearful fascination of the I game' touched a chord in his memory. "When I was quartered at the Curragh shortly before 1 left the regiment," ho I- said, "I became very friendly with a Dr. , Shenstone,'whom I frequently met on the . links there. He was a good fellow and . a keen golfer, but unfortunately, poor t chap, suffered from an aneurism of tho heart. We frequently played together, . and were very evenly matched, winning or r losing just as we happened to bo on or i off our game. , "The last timo I played with him was I on a Monday. We had arranged overt night to be on tho links early, so as to get in two good rounds. It was a perfect day frr golf, and we wore both at tho top of our form. I won the fourteenth hole, and we started off from the fifteenth " tee all square. The doctor drove off first, ' and got in a goad straight, ball in what ' looked like a good position for his next ■ stroke. My drive was not so good, but j had the great merit of being clean and 1 straight. My next stroke was better, and ' landed within easy approach of the grcon. When we came to the doctor's' ball wo ' saw that it was an awkward lie. How- ' ever, he managed to make a really bril- ' limit iron shot, and we saw the ball hit ■ an old stump, and rebound into the small 1 hollow on the left side of the green. Tho ' doctor, followed by his caddie, walked '■ towards Ins ball, while I proceeded to 1 mine, and with a fair approach shot I managed to bo mi the green in tliree. I was just about to step on to the green when I heard tho sharp ring of the doctor's club, and saw tho ball land gently on tho ' green with a slight bounce, and roll slowly into the hole. The doctor had held off 1 his mashie and done the Redan in three! "I was just about to walk across the ' green and shout the news to the doctor, when his caddie, with a face the colour '■ of chalk, rushed up and breathlessly announced that the doctor was ill. I dropped my club and followed the frightened • boy down tho slope. My friend was doubled up on the ground, lying oil his side, and f knew that ho was past all human aid. I left Ireland shortly afterwards, and went abroad for a considerable i time, during which I played on nearly all of the leading Continental links. "A few weeks ago 1 had occasion.to revisit Ireland, and having a few days tc spare, determined to spend them at Curragh and revisit some of my old friends there. The weather was glorious, and the second day I was there some friends called for mo in the morning, and we motored to the. links. It was the first, timo I hod played on Ihese links since that tragic i round with the doctor, but this did not occur to me till we had started playing. I did the fourteen in five, and was about '. to drive off from the fifteenth tee when I had a sudden and vivid glimpse into the past, and tho last time I had driven oil from the same tee when I was playing with the doctor. My drive was good, but I noted with a feeling akin to terror that it landed in almost the same spot as the doctor's ball had done nearly three years ago. I could have taken my brassie to the , next stroke, but by this tiino I seemed to be under some sort of spell, quite unconsciously, it seemed to me. I chose an iron. As I swung my club my eyes became riveted on the old stump in the distance, and it was no surprise to me when I saw my ball strike it and rebound down into the hollow, From that moment i became fascinated, and even -when I noticed that my partner had walked on up to tho green, just as I had done when playing with the doctor, I did not hesitate, but walked straight up to my ball and-put out my hand for the mashie the caddie was pulling from my bag. "It is quite impossible for me to describe, my feelings at that moment. I only remember that everything I did seemed to be predestined—as if an inevitable fate ordained my movements. I could scarcely grip my club, and as I made a strained attempt to swing it I felt a sudden and awful contraction of the-heart, and a peculiar bitterness in the mouth. For a few drawn-out limitless seconds I seemed to be fighting for my life. With a shudder I turned away from tho spot, without picking up my ball, made a hasty excuse to my partner, and returned to the golf-house. Next day I left the Curragh. for I seemed to have a presentiment that if I stayed there I would oithor play that third stroke or go mad. "The next few days I .spent at my home, but although I did my best to occupy my mind with business affairs, I could not help dwelling upon tho death of my friend, and upon my own horrible experience. I finally got so nervy that I ran up to town, an'd went to see a heart specialist. The doctor sounded mo in tho usual manner, and after asking me innumerable questions, told me I was suffering from an interesting and peculiar aneurism of the heart. 'I have only once before had a similar case,' Baid he, 'and that was with an old college chum of mine—Dr. Shenstone was his name— who in the latter part of his life was subject to just such attacks, and finally succumbed to one of them while playing golf in Ireland.. I afterwards ' met the doctor who conducted tho post-mortem examination on Shenstone, and lie minutely described the symptoms for me. Your case appears to me to be very much similar. You must give up golf,' no concluded. So you see, said the Major, with a wry face, I'm out of it now." i , , . j , , \ j .