The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-03

I
roads; and SO Jenkins talked dogmati-
cally of horseless wagons-and now
and then / say-a horse would look
out on the ingenious machines that
! hail taken away his harder labors.
/ You see the fun of the thing is that
we are not wearing out flesh and
( blood said Jenkins, pointing to the
horse i'm the field.
ooh, yes. Of course" said I absently
still thinking Of Mildred
[ think when I saw her two hours
later she never had appeared more
I beautiful My computations vanished
when she whispered as we stood by
ourselves,
Its fol YOU, Tom. RI I be false to
( Jim Smythr / shall at least make you
happy Duty begins and ends there"
wanted to say a deal; but / couldn't
when the whole room was outside that
alcoge / only whispered for her TO be
ON tie vcranda after dinner. How long
/ that dful,r seemed; how anxiety for
our plan troubled! Did the Van
Brttles suspect Fl looked at Van Brule,
! Pater: but he a rently didn't; and
who could suspect all that was behind
/ Mildred's occurrences. But at last the
/ endless courses ended; nothing can be
endless it seems. And then Mildred
was on the veranda. | told her my
man waited with a horseless cart at
the end of the lane.
II am ready, Tom" she said MINI
ute after, returning with a wrap.
Yes, my cart was there, and then we
were started, the groom behind | at
4 fr,ra
/ before we knew we were followed.
Thank Heaven" said dear Mildred,
there are no horses to kill"
"Only a machine" said / bending to
my duty Mildred was mute. The cart
might wear out; but | could not lose
her now.
There's a short cut, sir, if you take
the first turn to the left, said Simp-
son, the groom, entering into the spirit
OF the adventure.
1t was little wooded lane into
which we turned. Would they, too?
Mildred clung to me; and the moon
shine showed us chasing there between
wood and field Simpson behind with
erect head and folded arms. II the
Sleepy Hollow schooImaster could have
come to life how he would have run
from that apparition-strang than
any headless horseman-of a horseless
cart.
And still it is in this year, 1896, that
Fortune smiles on those that dare.
Soon we saw the lights of the little
old church For | had been careful to
have the church opened
IF we run away, Tom, we certainly
must have it III a church" Mildred had
said.
With beating hearts we drew up be-
fore this old church. Simpson jumped
down to the carts head.
We've beaten EN-" he said, with eX-
element.
Inside my young clergyman was
waiting expectantIy. An half dozen Of
my friends were there to give the oc-
casion a certain formality. The little
organ pealed out the march, and the
little organist looked about smiling eX-
citedly on us.
At the altar Mildred and / met, and
that was said which / never shall re-
greet.
But as the organ pealed out again, we
heard great disturbance at the door
only for a moment; and then with the
Van Brule, Pater, entered aghaSt; yet
cleyerness that turns defeat to victory,
he said urbanely:
Hum, see I'm ten minutes to late
and / supposed had the fastest light
wagon in Westchester. Well, you've
won fairly. Bless you my children"
So we won and we fooled back to
Van Brule Manor, a happy family
party; and Van Brule, Pater, contented
himself with saying, sat least this is
the first elopement that has been made
in a horseless cart. Tom, / believe
that cart of yours is worth fifteen
hundred"
'I looked back; for Simpson was
driving it just behind. Then | looked
at Mildred.
"Sir, / wouldn't take fifteen thousand
for it. When it has passed its days of
usefulness, it shall repose in my stable
in a comfortable old age"
mo, Tom, we never can sell it," said
Mildred 1T brought our happiness. "
Now Mildred said this | am sure, but
it was Jenkins voice that interrupted
jenkins who shook me.
ooh, 1 say, Forsythe, it's ten o'clock.
You seem to have an old mans trick of
SOiHB ~ SACCp III Oul 1ilciIs
Asleep" said ], looking at the club
clock. Yes, have been asleep for ten
years I believe. Oh, do you know how
the horseless carriage contest came out
to-day?"
He began to express some views
while / heard the clatter OF the town
the beat Of many hoofs that will end
when horses no longer shall have bur
dens; when the changing world shall
have exercised its ingenuity so that the
hard tasks all shall be done by ma
chinery the reincarnated Lo-
chinvar no longer shall carry his lassy
/ across the saddle bow. butt shall place
her on the comfortable cushions of his
motor driven cart-which shall be both
vehicle ard steed-when, the good horse
still shall be our companion in the ex-
| hilarating exercises: but when Mr..
| Bergh's good and famous society shall
/ have outlived the day of half its useful
ness.
THEY DIED TOO SOON.