The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-12-03
The Cross
Country Ride
A Story of an Automobile.
By GEORGE E. WALSH.

roads were-well, my muddy tires would
not recommend them.
Broke DOWN." l asked with that evi
dent concern a man always feels for two
helpless ladies stranded by the waysde
in an automobile. OF course had antici
pated my answer before the question was
asked, for it was self evident.
Eyes. The electricity or something has
given out"
1t was a sweet, girlish voice, which
admired, and the face harmonized with
it. The other occupant of the vehicle was
the mother, and not quite so attractive.
"a bad place to break down. l sug-
gested, dismounting. "See what / can do
for you"
Its very kind of you"
1--WE wouldn't like to detain you,
though" added the mother, looking at me
as if she thought l was a highwayman.
"No particular hurry" l replied. 81
was out for pleasant spin and got lost
on this abominable road"
"And we, too, thought we would have
ride all alone. Papa never likes to have
me go alone, but John was away, and |
told mamma l knew how to run the ma
chine. And 1 dov'
Certainly. But repairing it is another
thing
Eyes. John had no business to let it
get out of order"
eff you will dismount" l said, 81 might
make an investigation.
held out my arm to assist her, but her
mother protested.
as it necessary? The roads are so
muddy"
mo, not necessary for both" l added,
already holding the arm of her daughter.
She stood by my side and watched me
open the box, giving advice and directions
about the location of the tools, which
appreciated.
1.-The electricity has not given out"
announced later, "but there is something
wrong with the battery There's power
enough in it to carry you fifty miles or
kill dozen men,
Mercy, Stella, is there any danger?'
queried the woman in the automobile.
mo, mamma"
"Not any, madam, l added reassuring
| ly. However, l must get at the board
under your feet. If you will kindly hold
! them up moment
"Wait! l will get out with Stella"
mot at all necessary"
But she climbed down in a hurry, and
I proceeded to lift the board. 1t was a
common enough battery and motor, but
| little kinky in its actions at times. Be-
ing somewhat of an electrician, | promis-
ed to repair the injury in a short time.
Its fortunate we met you" said Stel-
la laughingly, "or we might have had to
walk back to town."
"Yes, it is very fortunate for me-"
replied, without looking up, but through
the machinery l could see looks of disap-
proval on the mothers face. That pro-
voked me to work in silence for some
minutes. Then, jumping into the auto
mobile, / said
'Now think the thing will 60 Which
lever do you use?"
"This one"
| She sprang lightly into the vehicle and
touched the handle, giving it sudden
twist. Then the machinery did go. There
were a whirring and buzzing that made us
turn in alarm. The wheels dug into the
mud so fast that they flung a handful
straight at the mother, who stood directly
back of us The vehicle darted forward
! like a race horse.
"Shut off the powerr" said quickly.
! Stella looked at me with a peculiar
smile and said:
81 can't"
"Why not? Let me try"
| took the lever from her hand and
| turned it clear around, but there was no
diminution in the speed of the automo-
bile If anything, it seemed to gallop
faster. We were now a hundred yards
from our starting point. | turned to see
the mother running after us, shouting:
stop, thief! Stop, stop! I'll have you
arrested"
But / was helpless. We were running
too fast to jump. 1t was sure death to
attempt it. So l tried to collect myself
and said:
This is serious. We must keep our
heads"
eyes, very serious. But I'm not afraid
mot yet"
'Nor am l, out here in the country.
It's like cross country ride.
Eyes; but we can't tell where it will
end"
We were making twenty miles an hour
then, unless my calculations were wrong,
and I had difficulty in holding the ma
chine straight in its course
eve been in runaways before" l gasp
ed as the wind nearly blew my breath
away, "but never in an automobile"
''Nor have L." she answered, grasping
her loosened hair, which streamed behind
her. But I've always wanted to be in
one"
"Then you'll have all you want before
we get through with this. l think we are
increasing our speed"
We passed a team, which SHE'D at our
vehicle and nearly upset the carriage in
the gutter.
Eve must be creating a sensation" 1
suggested grimly, trying again to shut off
the power.
shouldn't wonder" she replied. Then
eagerly, But it's fun"
Yes, lots of fun" l assented not wish
ing to be beaten by a girl
I'm glad you're not afraid" she add
ed, ''for if you were l think l might be-"
ooh, Pm not bit afraid" l replied,
trying to keep a tremor from spelling my
voice. $50 long as we keep the thing
going we are all right"
1--WE bumped over a cat that tried to
run across our path and scattered hairs
and screeches around that vanished al
most as soon as we noticed them.
"Are you going through the village"
she asked moment later.
st wouldn't if l could help it. l like
the country much better. 70 It there are
no forks in the road and at this speed I'm
afraid l could not turn around gracefully
on this narrow road"
She laughed--softly and unsteady.
Il should think not. We might be
spilled OUT
Eyes; spilled OUT / shivered.
"What's the matter? Are you afraid
now?'
Not a bit" as | narrowly escaped
knocking man over, who shook his cane
at us. I'm just beginning to enjoy il"
Il suppose mamma will be worried
about u.s."
Eyes, about you" l answered with diff
iculty. But not about me. l think she
would like to see me killed and man
gled."
''She thought you were trying to steal
the automoble-or me. Now she must
be sure of it,"
81 wouldn't steal this old-this ma
chine for anything" l gasped. But
you
Well what were you going to say?"
demurely.
You are quite another story, as some
body has said"
''Kipling, you mean"
''No; mean you"
ooh, see. meant the story, or the
one who said that
"Here we come to the village" | in
terrupted desperately Are you afraid
now?'
mo, not unless you are"
''Me afraid? Never don't know
what fear is..''
Neither do lat least not when-I'm
with you"
"Nlat's kind of you. But l wish that
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