owledge is purely
academic.]

On the table in front of me stands the finest golf trophy which ever
delighted the eye of a devotee of the game. It is the bronze figure of a
player whose mashie is in the position of that valuable iron club at the
end of a short approach. It is the work of a French sculptor, and in
design and execution it is nothing short of an inspiration. The position
of the feet, body, arms, and shoulders, the expression of the face and
eyes; all these details are perfect.

The figure is twenty-four inches in height and is mounted on an ebony
pedestal.

Mr. Harding has given this magnificent bronze to the club, and it is in
my keeping, as chairman of the Greens Committee. It will be presented to
the winner of this year's championship of Woodvale by Miss Grace
Harding, and I have posted an announcement of the conditions of the
competition. It is open to all members, sixteen best scores to qualify,
and then match play of eighteen holes, with thirty-six for the finals.
The tournament starts a week from Tuesday.

Between watching Wall Street and getting in shape for this competition I
am likely to have a busy week.

Mr. Harding called me into his apartments yesterday evening, displayed
this gem of a bronze, and told me how he came to acquire it.

"It was the Kid's suggestion, but I endorsed it in a minute," he said,
passing a box of cigars. "We were prowling around the jewelry haunts,
Grace and I, seeing what she could flim-flam me into buying for her,
when we ran across this thing. She thought it was great. I looked it
over and saw that this bronze gentleman does not hold his club the way I
do, and was in favour of letting him wait for another owner. Then she
suggested that it would be a great scheme to buy it and give it to the
club. I thought it over a minute and decided that it might be a good
idea, and so I bought it, and here it is. Now you boys will have to
scrap it out among yourselves, and may the best one win."

"This is the finest trophy ever offered to the club," I said, "and on
behalf of the members I wish to thank you as donor and Miss Harding as
the instigator."

"I'll create enough trouble around here to work out any indebtedness you
fellows owe me for that gee-gaw," he laughed. "I've had an awful time
since you have been down town, Smith. I reckon I've ploughed up as much
turf as Jim Bishop did all last spring. Speaking of Bishop, did you know
we're invited over to his place Monda