Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-05-12


one with the lady driving. If l only
had an automobile now could follow.
1t will be several minutes before they
get out of that tangle."
Sure enough, the automobile, coal
wagon, department store delivery
wagon and a street car were mex
tricably mixed up. The two people
who occupied the seat of the automo-
bile were seemingly uncaring for the
circumstance. Their conversation
seemed to be very earnest. Now and
then the man bent tenderly toward the
woman and assisted her with the
steering apparatus.
1t was more than the poor little
woman standing helpless on the street
corner could endure. She made a
start toward the automobile. Discre-
tion caused her to retreat. With
despairing little cry she turned again
to her cabman.
IF you'll get me a machine I'll give
you dollar" she said
The cabman was sympathetic. IL
was going to get you one anyway" he
responded. You wait right here un-
til | come back"
He disappeared in the crowd that
surged endlessly toward the Auditor
ium hotel
When he came back with a motor
car the pitiful little woman gave her
instructions to the chauffeur briefly.
You are not to lose sight of that red
rtln % oh ,l,A
the car and waited.
1t was several minutes before the
red car moved down Wabash avenue
slowly. So engrossed had it's two oc-
cupants been in their conversation
that neither had looked about, so The
little woman was quite unnoticed.
That was about IL o'clock in the
morning. Until three in the afternoon
she followed the red runabout A
merry chase it led her, too. Once the
car in which she was driving had to
turn out into another street and run
the danger of losing the game.
That's a mighty fine car" said the
chauffeur. IF I'd known it was any
thing like this I'd "a driven a newer
machine myself. This is all right for
little trips, but not for such a chase
as this"
Her face grew white-whiter than it
was, that is. I'VE mustn't lose sight
of it, she said. IF we do" Here
the road was rough. She finished the
sentence to herself: I'll go to drug
store and buy some carbolic acid"
This happened out beyond Fort
Sheridan. In all those hours only one
stop did the red machine make. Then
the man went into a hotel and brought
the woman a glass of water.
AT three o'clock the red runabout
turned homeward. Straight toward
the city it came, even to the very front
of the building in which was her hus-
bands office. Half block behind the
white-faced little woman rode alone
in her hired car. Great shadows were
drawn in around her eyes. Her cheeks
had grown hollow. Intense mental
agony was in every line of her coun-
tenance. She halted her chauffeur,
left the car and paid him. A nice bill
1t was, too. The money she had
meant to pay her weeks household ex-
penses with. Swiftly she walked
toward the place where the red run
about stood. She paused in the en-
trance of the building, deliberately,
and looked into the face of the woman
who sat in the car. Her misery was
complete. ''She is younger and pret-
tier and wears better clothes than l
do" she acknowledged to herself.
THE truth of it is, he's got acquainted
with her somewhere and he just loves
her more than he does me-"
Her wonderjngs did not carry her
farther. 1t was too much agony to
wait for her husband to come out
again. She went straight to the ele-
waited station and took the south
bound train for her home.
She was moping in her room when
her husband came whistling up the
steps.
II won't go down to meet him." she
said to herself. 1t was the first time
she had ever failed in that. He called
to her, little impatiently. "Oh, Nell.
come down here, I've got something /
want to show you"
She stuck her head out of her bed
room door and replied stifny: "Pve
got too bad headache to come down."
He was up the stairs four steps at
time.
"You look it," he said, What on
earth have you been doing with your
self? You look ten years older than
you did when | went away this morn
ing"
The tears welled up In her eyes and
ran over.
1--WE got enough to make me look
Older" she replied, looking at him
with all the suspicion she could
muster.
He did not catch her meaning.
well, I've got something" he cried,
that will make you we'll in three min
utes. Come here"