Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-10-26

We'll start carlv." said Thcod"r'i
radiantly happy. Il can sit beside you
with Dorothy between III on that hIg .
wide seat. and Jack can curl up AT a.! |
feet ON the bottom. We can stow away .
the baskets somewhere. and OF vel
go"
"IIoorayr' shouted lack.
Good cried Dorothy.
YOU'RE a genius" | added. "and wf
will 20 and have a happy day together
outdoors"
Thus was il settled.
We arose very early next day. for We
had decided To start before the coo.
breath of morning had departed. anG
after hasty breakfast had been eatol
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 he 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 horscless carriage did
look strange. its bulky. ungraccfui
shape dimly outlined in the barn.
"Oh. that's only your Imagination" !
replied. The carriage is all right"
While speaking | had stepped into v
and esSayed to start the vehicle. III
stantly there was n low rumble of ma
II; eA,n1Al nn1i.
nous that stopped the wheels ere they
had made two revolutions. Theodore
uttered a 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" 1t commenc
ed to work. 1t didn't seem to 20 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 tiredY she ask
ed and then laughed ncrvOusly 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 ga.eC
wildly at us. Three minutes later fheo
dora's carriage met them and they pro
ceeded with surprising celebrity t
climb a rail fence. If could hay,
stopped Thpodora'S new toy | woult
have done so. but the sight of thos'
horses endeavoring to swarm over /
|
al swaying in midair, the farme
! swearing at his SteedS and then ut us
was enough to disturb the mind of al
most any one. So we rushed by hin
and out of sight around a curve in tn
road. Jack was greatly interested il
the horses athletic exercises and askc'
me to stop his mothers carriage s.
he could see if the animals succeede,
in getting over the fence. He has sine
ascertained that only one of them sue
ceeded. but the farmer, | understand
intends to sue me for damages. hav
notified him. by the way, that he
likely to be arrested for violating
local ordinance which forbids wilt
undomesticated or insutticiently trail
ed animals appearing on the publ
highway. His horses were all tire,
and. Judging from his own eXpressio
of countenance and profane vocifel
BUSINESS. think he was also.
However. that is another matter W
left the unfortunate farmer and whil
ed around Z curve in the road. 1t Wa
. | RATHER IL Nul We. anu uttt w
gotten that the road just beyond la
been mended with large quantities {
broken stone until we were jolting ov,
it in the most distressing manner. b
that was passed at last and we Er
ceeded several miles without other a.
, venture, save that we attracted conSi
srable attention from children playii
near various farmhouses who had ne
Ar seen horseless carriage before. ar
. who ran after us, a long, irregular lii
If them reaching far back along Il
road, evidently under the impressiC
that we were preceding circus parad
And then something else happene
We were bowling along perfectly lie
. ell stretch Of road. whereupon dust Ii
rather deep. when Theodore said:
ooh. there comes Mr.. Winfield on b
!, wheel-now do be carefulw
!, glanced far ahead and saw the POI
u ly figure of our rector astride bicyc
Z laboriOusly pedaling onward, for
l. this time the sun was well up. and t
=, day was hot indeed, even for Angus
- Rev. Mr.. Winfield is not an expe
- wheelman. In fact, he learned to rit
only this season in hopes Of reducl
:, his somewhat supertluous flesh, and
confess that even when afar off it cOu
!, be readily noticed that his face W;
- very red from physical eXertion, tn
- his breath evidently came in sho
~, gasps and that his wheel wabbled Il
- steadily, indicating that he was f
-, tigued. OF course there was only o.
-, thing to do, and that was to pass hi
- leaving a good margin between his V
~ hicle and Theodora's; and that shou
ie be easily accomplished, | reasoned,
~ the road was unusually wide at til