Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-11-29
: Y friend Buggles had gone
so far as to put a name to
his automobile. not the

III so far as to put a name to
~ a asn: '" !; q: ns s:' ; ss:
graved On its various inwards. nor yet
the name OF Buggles himself. dangling
on patent leather tag just above the
steam. So you can see that he was
pretty far gone. as automobiles go. 1
think he called it the Pea Green Des-
perado.
The reason I happened TO mention
BuggleS and his machine Mt all was
that he came round the other day and
asked me TO take a spin in it with
him. 1t seemed 10 me as though the
account OF what followed might be
interesting. / can't hope. of course.
to stir any one up by plain black and
white story of the spin" as l was
stirred up. but if l can impart to this
tale hundredth part of what l felt
shall be well repaid.
Understand, in the first oplace, that
I'm not an automobile man and not
used TO the machines any way. and
that my heart is weak and l have n
prejudice-foGish perhaps-agains get
ting arrested
But Buggles came around and asked
me to come along with him. and, as
you may have found yourself. there's
n good deal in the idea of Gathering
about the drives in one of the things.
whether you own it or not, with every
one marking You down for having
money. If you're careful not to make
up too much like professional chauf-
feur. you know. they're bound to think
you're worth sometlling-an automobile
is vulgarly supposed to be sign of
lucre. They all cost pretty high, too.
i know how much Bucgles's cost. for
one-he must have told me dozen
times.
Well. he came around and caught
me just as | was feeling particularly
perky and daring. any way. He had
on a shiny automobile cap and an
isinglass eyeshade and fine large oily
gloves. and he looked just like the
pictures of chauffeurs in the comic
papers. drawn as standing ut the pris-
oners' dock in court. by preference.
Come along with me, old boss" said
Buggles, I'll take you rafting up the
Drive in the Pea Green Desperate and
We'll scare ail the old ladies out of
their wits from here to the Monu-
ment."
The long and the short of it was that
/ climbed into his machine. standing
outside my house with 4 crowd around
it. watching it gurgle and tremble. and
all the neighbors hiding behind their
lace curtains and wondering who my
expensive friend was. / didn't see
them-the neishbors-but l knew they
were there. Because I've done it my
self.
1t was n pretty instrument-Bug-
sles's automobile. AS you might have
guessed from its so3riquet. it was a
line bright green. except the waist of
1t-as you might say-where you sit
and work ii. That was red and oily.
There were 4 number Of shiny Ian
terms and things stuck over the front
slope of it, and down on the Prov was
shutter that steam came through.
You can see that 1t was the bona fide
article.
We got into it and Buggles grasped
mustache and glanced up at Miss
Guinness window - in No. 81 and
wondered if she was home. There
was terrific steamy clatter that near
IL shook my shoes off. cloud of smoke
dashed into my eyes, and by the time
had assured myself that my head had
not been snapped OFF we were in 4
strange street
The rate OF speed that BuSgles was
going at was positively sickening. /
am willing to swear that when our big
fat wheels hit a manhole the whole
engine jumped foot. We went around
corners on one wheel, with women fall
ing Imply into policemen's arms on the
curb, and the policemen shouting m
us until their yells sank to n drone in
the distance. We ran over yellow
dog and threw the animal into the air
behind us in the most talented fash
n. 1t landed on the top of a brougham
rasheS stylish position for a yellow
i noticed these things then, but
didn't appeal to me as interest
The most interesting thing Just
rs the preservation of my life.
N Buggles's hand-I felt that
giles was about as careless of
h it was the life of a Rock
into the Park on a curve
80 gravel of of the
yer belated May
ltely looked to me