Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-09
Molly Randolph's Letter to Her Father
(Continued).

masters
Molly Randolph's Letter to Her Father
(Continued).
That unspeatable Frenchman was shak-
ing himself like big dog. and sneaking
toward the house, with the farmer at MS
heels The farmer was big fellow, ana
dependable; still, 1 ran and locked the door.
1 suppose the beast finished dressing ana
packed his bag. 1 heard nothing; but haiI
an hour later I'd bathed and dressed IKE
lightning. for once). when we were just
sitting down to breakfast. and Brown had
come into the room to ask question, there
was a light pattering on the STAIRS tne
front door opened. and somebody Went
out. Two minutes later came the "hirrlns
of a motor and l jumped up.
'Oh, Brown 1 exclaimed. "if he should
have taken your carl! >, ,.
mo fear OF that" said Brown. Il Know
the sound lust IS know one human voice
from another. That's his Pieper. It's all
right"
Still 1 wasn't at ease. But he may have
done something bad to yours. He's capapie
of anything" l said. do let's 90 anu
see.'' -
Brown flushed up little. I'm co." he
said. He was off on the WORD racing
across the farm yard. couldn't eat my
did in a few minutes. 1 knew by his face
before he spoke that something was wrong
Il was fool to leave the Car for even
second till he was out OF 1.-THE way. SAD
doubt he'd have liked to smash up the car
altogether If he'd had time, but his object
was to do his worst and gen OH scot free:
He'd done both. It's thanks to you and
your quick thought that the damage Is SO
small .s4,
IF it hadn't been for me he wouldn't
have been here" l almost wept. Now
we're delayed again just when 1 began to
hope that all might be well,
'All shall be WE'LL answered Brown en-
couragingly. Wen go on the rims as
far Amboise.'
| didn't know what it was to go on the
rims, but when we'd settled up with the
farmer and I'd said last. long. good-by
to my cars bones (which made the land
lord a present of. found out. It's some
thing like going on your uppers. 1 don't
such beauty that seeing it with its tires
en- desha bile seemed an indignity. Brown
couldn't help showing his pride in 1t. and l
don't wonder. He is certainly mascot
to me. for he has got me out or every
scrape I've been in since he crossed My
path" as the melodramas say. And now
this lovely car! On the way to Amboise
he told me what 1t was to be let for. Only
twenty francs q day. l protested because
Rattray had said that good cars couldn't
be hired for less than 20 pounds a week;
but Brown explained that this was be-
cause his master liked him to drive 1t.
and that really it wasn't SO cheap as i
thought. I suppose It's all right funny.
though, that l should have the car of that
Mr.. John Winston, whose mother-l4ady
Brighthelmston-1 met in Paris and prom
Used to, meet again in Cannes. Fancy Aunt
Mary and me Iolling luxuriously Il love
that word ''lolling'D in snow-white car
with scarlet cushions all the brass work
cleaning like a tireman'S helmet-the rak-
iest smartest car Imaginable! There are
two seats in front and roomy tonneau
behind. The steering and other arrange
ments are quite different from those IN the
poor dead Dragon-rest its wicked soul!
There's a steering wheel. and below 1t two
ducky little handles that do everything.
Ones the advance sparkling lever. the
other the "mxture lever" There are no
horrid belts to break themselves-and your
heart at the same time, but instead a
change speed gear and a Clutch l had
my first lesson in driving, sitting by Brown
on the way to Amboise. He teaches aw-
fully we'll. and / was perfectly happy learn
ing. especially when found that the faster
we went the easier the. dear thing is to
steer. 1 was so interested that | didn't
know a bit what the road was like. except
that it was good and white and mostly
level. that when Brown suddenly said
There is the Chateau of Amboise, I ras
quite startled.
Luckily he was driving again by that
time, or 1 should probably have shot US
into the river instead Of turning to the
bridge; for we were on the other side of the
Loire looking across to the castle.
You poor. dear, stay-at-hOme dad, to
think of your never having seen
any Of these lovely places that you've
nobly sent me to browse among. You say
you admire Wall street more than French
chateaux, and that when you want
grand view you can go and look at
Brooklyn bridge or the statue of Liberty
by night; but you don't know what
you're missing. And II travelling would
really bore you. why do you like me to
describe things. so that can give you a
picture through my eyes"
l wonder II girls who have lived all
their lives in old. old countries can have
the same sort of awed surprised, almost
dream-like feeling that comes to me
when / see these great feudal castles
that are like history An stone? Yes. in
stone, and yet the stone seems alive. too
as if 1T were the flesh of history; and as
l think of all the things that have hap
pened behind the splsndidt walls can
hear history's heart beating as If 1t and
the world were young with me.
This chateau country Of the Loire must
be one of the most interesting spots on
earth, centering as it didtathe old court
life of France. and Brown, says 1t really
is so. He has travelled tremendously and
remembers everything. though he is moth
ing but chauffeur Dc 10
Each place We rhaYB- come TO I have
thought must be theubest; but I know
that no other castle will make me take
Amboise down off the, pedestal I've set
II on IN my mind. ! ST