The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-08-01
UNDER H CAR
OF J~UGGERNAUTI
fcopyright, 1908, by r c. Mcclure

WHICH SnaQe0 the piazza WHefe D0fO
thy Bennett was embroidering impossi.
BILE stra wberrfes onta dolly. A small
brown sparrow perched on the rail
viewed the work critically for several
away. As her eyes followed it's flight
TO a neighboring cherry tree she heard
the front gate bang and, turning, be-
held coming up the path Mr.. James
Dent. better known to the summer colo
NY, from the most staid matron to the
smallest urchin. as Jimmy.
He came up to the veranda, stretched
himself comfortably in a steamer chair
and mopped q perspiring brow.
"Sorter warm like, isn't itY' he said
cheerfully.
Dorothy nodded.
What variety of vegetable are you
making nowT he inquired amiably.
bending over her work. strawberry
l thought it was a tomato"
Dorothy made q feint at him with her
needle. which he discreetly lodged.
There's a polo game at the club to-
morrow" he went on. Want to Gomez"
Indeed | do. II you'll take me-" she
said.
I'm yours to command. as usual" he
answered.
He lighted a cigarette and smoked for
several moments in silence. his brows
puckered in thought. Presently he
Strengthened himself in his chair.
Dorothy" he said gravely. what
Ia re you been doing to young Ash
ford?"
$50 after all it was partly curiosity
that brought you here today" she said.
But despite the nonchalance of her
words h colored slightly. What have
+ been doing to young Ashford? Why,
I've been acting M prettiest for him.
OF course"
"Um-m,' Dent unused. $50 l feared"
he said laconically. Doll. it's too bad
Ashford is really a mighty nice kid.
and he's taken it very much to heart
too"
Dorothy laid down her work rather
abruptly.
Jimmy Dent" she exclaimed, what
is 1t young Ashford has taken so to
heart, and, for heavens sake, why is it
too bad?"
MY Lady Innocence" he said, Il
nave seen all this many times before.
History repeats itself, as it were. When
! see a young man ~monopoliZing the
society of the most charming girl in
Cedarville and when suddenly said
young man quits her society, puts on a
face like a craven image, stays much
at the bar of the Country club and acts
generally as IL he wished the world
would cave in on him, it's a pretty
good indication that said young man
has been proposing to said los charm
Ing girl and that she has has t'run
him down.
IL can't marry every man who
proposes to me-" she protested.
'Of curse not" he admitted, hut
you might shut them off a trihe sooner.
1t seems to me a girl with your intui-
ton should be quick to discover matri-
monial intention in its incipient stage
and nip it in the bud. It's only when
the disease is advanced that it is trou.
blesome. Now. there's Ashford, poor
chap. AS | say, he's a really nice kid.
He's running away with the idea that
the light of his soul is gone out forever
and all that sort of thing. Doll, it's too
bad"
1T doesn't seem to me you're called
upon to fight his battles" she said.
"Oh, I'm not fighting his battle. He
did that himself and lost" he chuckled.
I'm merely urging a little clemency on
the part of his captor. I'm really sorry
for A~shford-and the rest, for that
matter"
The rest?" she inquired.
Yes. The field, we might call it, l
suppose" be said. There was-Iet's
see-Stanley. He went to Cuba"
And married a Spanish girl" she
supplemented.
And Crayton," he went on. What
became of himY'
He married an actress" she said
shortly.
"And numerous Others" he said. Its
a regular juggernaut every season,
Doll. The roadway is strewn with
dead and dying when the car has
passed"
"If they throw themselves beneath
the wheels | can't help it." she said.
MY dear young woman" he expos
tulated. not that. They try to climb
aboard the car and slip off. Perhaps il
the goddess were not so smiling and
inviting many of the casualties might
be averted."
Indeed" she said m~ockingly. This
grows quite serious"
II could give you quite a list of those
who have fallen beneath the wheels
and yet whose doleful grCans you have
never heard"
He sat twirling his cigarette thought
fully for a moment.
Suppose" he continued slowly, that
I should tell you I-even I-haye been
more or less damaged"
"I should say 1t was the choicest
piece OF fiction published this summer"
she laughed.
Its gospel TRUTH" he said solemnly.
"1t will be my tnrn lei to wear a,
mask of sorrow and drink too much
at the Country club bar"