ifice that there is on record. This time the golfer was not a
great one. He had his faults, and they were numerous, and for their
conquest and suppression he came to the conclusion that it would be
better if he went out alone over the links and wrestled with them
determinedly. A caddie watched him going out thus solitary, and felt
sorry, so he said to him, "I will carry your clubs for a shilling, sir."
But the golfer replied, "No, my boy, not to-day, thanks; I will carry
them myself." The golfer missed his drive, foozled his second, put his
third into a bunker, and endured other agonies. The caddie had been
following at a respectful distance, and when the ball had been duly
picked up out of the bunker, he made a further appeal. "I will carry
for ninepence, sir." "No, I do not want a caddie," was the answer again.
"I will carry for sixpence, then." "No, go away." On the next tee the
player, overcome by conflicting emotions, missed the ball altogether two
or three times, and then was the caddie's opportunity, which he seized
without hesitation. "I will carry for the fun of the thing, sir!"

This is a digression, but I fear that digressions are inevitable when
one enters upon the subject of caddies, and is persuaded to dip into
one's recollection of caddie stories. The ignorant caddie is trying, but
not less is the one who knows too much about the game, or thinks he
does, and insists upon inflicting his superior knowledge upon you during
the whole course of the round. Once when I was playing for the
Championship, my clubs were carried by a caddie who swore horribly at me
all the time, notwithstanding that from the beginning I was going
strongly for the first place. That boy got on my nerves. I was
approaching well, but my putting was certainly not so sure and confident
as it might have been. "What the ---- is the good of shooting at the flag
if you can't putt worth a d----!" he exclaimed in great disgust on one
occasion when I had the misfortune to miss holing out a somewhat short
putt. He has begged to be allowed to carry for me many times since then,
but I have steadfastly refused his offer, for I would not be handicapped
with him upon any consideration. The caddie I like best of all, and he
who I am convinced is the best servant for the average golfer, is he who
thoroughly understands the game, has a deep knowledge of the course that
is being played over, knows exactly what club to give you upon any and
every occasion, a