Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-10-17

wide seat, and Jack can curl ub at my
feet on the bottom. We can stow away
the baskets somewhere, and off We'll
CO."
"Hooray" shouted Jack.
"Good" cried Dorothy.
you're genius" added, land we
will go and have happy day together
outdoors
Thus was 1t settled.
We arose very early next day, for we
had decided to start before the cool
breath Of morning had departed, and
after hasty breakfast had been eaten
all four of us stood in the barn inspect
ing the carriage.
Looks sort of solemn, doesn't it?'
Theodore said in low tones, as IL the
vehicle might hear her and be Offend
ed. Sort of like strange dog with
his eyes shut-you don't know whether
he's really asleep or just shamming
and waiting to bite you"
In truth the horseless carriage did
look strange. its bulky, ungraceful
shape dimly outlined in the barn.
"Oh, that's only your imagination,",l
replied. "The carriage is all right"
While speaking l had stepped into II
and essayed to start the vehicle. In
stantly there was n low rumble of ma
chinery, which sounded so very omi-
nous that stopped the wheels ere they
had made two revolutions. Theodore
uttered startled little exclamation
and hurriedly led the children out of
the barn.
We'll wait for you out front by the
horse block" she explained.
Again started the motor, and with 4
sort of protesting "br-r-r" it commenc-
ed to work. 1t didn't seem to go as
easily us on the evening previous, and
when / drew up at the horse block the
machinery gave an indignant snort
that made Theodore jump again.
do you think it's tiredy she ask
ed and then laughed nervously when
she realized how silly her question
was. She stepped in beside me. We
placed Dorothy between us, and Jack
was on the floor. Thus we started.
while Nora ut the Kitchen window
shook her head and asked the saints
to "presarve" us.
We whirled down the street and
just beyond the village limits met a
load of hay drawn by two horses. os-
tensibly driven by an elderly farmer.
who was almost lost to sight far above
in his mass of dried. timothy and clio
yer. His horses had been slowly pull
ing the heavy load. their heads down.
their eyes half shut. But their ears
must have been wide open. for long
ere we met them they suddenly stop
ped. threw up their heads and gazed
wildly at us. Three minutes later Theo-
dora's carriage met them and they pro-
ceeded with surprising celebrity to
climb q rail fence. IL could have
stopped Theodora's new toy would
have done so. but the sight of those
horses endeayoring to swarm over q
high fence, the load of hay swinging
and swaying In midair, the farmer
swearing at his steeds and then at us.
was enough to disturb the mind of al
most any one. So we rushed by him
and out of sight around curve In the
road. Jack was greatly interested in
the horses athletic exercises and asked
me to stop his mothers carriage so
he could see If the animals succeeded
in getting over the fence. He has since
ascertained that only one of them sue
ceeded, but the farmer, l understand.
intends to sue me for damages. | have
notified him. by the way, that he is
likely to be arrested for violating a
local ordinance which forbids wild,
undomesticated or insutticiently train
ed animals appearing on the public
highway. His horses were all three,
and, judging from his own expression
of countenance and profane vocifer-
BUSINESS, think he was also.
However, that is another pa.tsa4-
,ef+ .,,e-ss,ts-a..,ssp tfie road. 1t w
s.sssff.drp curve. md l Ind fc