The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-11-09

poulng 1 steereO 1t around the corner
upon the main street and then increas-
ed the speed gradually as the agent
had done 1t worked to q charm.
found that could make it 60 faster or
more slowly by exerting little pres
sure and that it would swerve to the
right or left with ease Once I put on
the brake hard and reversed The mo-
tor to see bow quickly the carriage
could be stopped in case of sudden
emergency. And it stopped so sud
denly that was almost hurled over
the dashboard. The experiment was
satisfactory, and none other was tried.
When reached home safely and
guided the new purchase up the little
driveway and into the barn, thought
that Theodore might be right after ALL
There it was, safe and sound, needing
no embarrassing or rubbing down or
water and fodder. If l wanted to go
away ana leave it for week, well and
good. There it would be, needing no
attention, no care. l locked the barn
and went into the house, and during
supper we planned a picnic for the
next day.
well start early" said Theodore,
radiantly happy. II can sit beside you
with Dorothy between us on that big,
wide seat. and Jack can curl up at my
feet on the bottom. We can stow away
the baskets somewhere, and off we'll
60"
"Hoorayv' shouted Jack.
"Good!" cried Dorothy.
you're a genius l added, "and we
will go and have happy day together
outdoors"
Thus was it 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 if 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, it's bulky, ungraceful
shape dimly outlined in the barn.
ooh, that's only your Imagination"
replied. "The carriage is all right"
While speaking had stepped into it
and essayed to start the vehicle. In
stantly there was 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 l started the motor. and with a
sort of protesting 'br-r-r'' it commenc-
ed to work. 1t didn't seem to go as
easily as 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 tired?' she ask
ed and then laughed nervously when
she realized how silly her question
was. She stepped in beside me. We
was on the floor. Thus we started.
while Nora at 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 clo-
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 rail fence. If could have
stopped Theodora's new toy would
have done so, but the sight of those
horses endeavoring to swarm over
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, understand,
intends to sue me for damages. have
notified him, by the way, that he is
likely to be arrested for violating
local ordinance which forbids wild,
undomesticated or insufficiently 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 matter. We
left the unfortunate farmer and whirl-
ed around curve in the road 1t was
rather a sharp curve, and l had for.
gotten that the road just beyond had
been mended with large quantities of
broken stone until we. were jolting over
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