Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1905-06-08

the situation and decided that the only
way to DO looked upon as genuine au-
tomobilists would be to wear goggles
and look prosperous and mad at
everybody. We took turns looking
mad at everybody we passed on the
road, and got It down so fino that peo-
pie picked up rocks after we had
passed. and threw them ut US. and then
We knew that we were succeeding In
being considered genuine, rich auto
mobile tourists.
After We had succeeded for an hour
or two In convincing the people that
we were properly heartless and purse
proud, dad said the only thing we
needed TO make the trip success was
to run over somebody. He said nearly
all the American automobile tourists
In Europe had killed somebody and
had been Obliged to settle and sup
port family or two In France or
Italy, and they were prouder OF 1t than
they would be II they endowed uni
versity. or built church, and he said
he trusted our chauffeur would not be
too careful In running through the
country, but would at least cripple
some one.
Well, just before we got to Nice, and
darkness was settling down on the
road, the chauffeur blew his horn.
there was a scream that would raise
hair on Horace Greeley's head, the au-
tomobile stopped. and there was a
bundle of dusty old clothes, with an
old woman done up in them. and we
jumped out and lifted her up, and there
We were, the woman. In q faint, the
peasants gathering around us with
scythes and rakes and clubs, demand
ing our lives. The bloody-faced wom-
an was taken into home, the crowd
held us, until finally doctor came.
and after examining the woman said
she might live, but It would be tight
squeeze. We wanted to go on, but we
didn't want to be cut open with a
scythe, so finally a man, who said he
was the husband Of the woman. came
out with a gum, dad got down on his
knees and tried to say q prayer. the
Dakota man held up both hands like 1t
was q stage being held up. and / cried.
Finally the chauffeur said, in broken
English, that the husband would set
tie for $500, because he could pay
the funeral expenses, get another wife
for half the money and have some
thing left to lay up for Christmas
As the mans gun was pointed at dad,
he quit praying and gave up the
money and agreed to send $50 a
month for IL years, until the oldest
child was Of age.
Well, we got away, alive, got into
Nice, and the chauffeur started back
and we cabled home for money to be
sent to Geneva, Switzerland. But,
say; you have not heard the sequel.
A story that has sequel is always
the best, and I hope to die II the po-
lice OF Nice didn't tell us that we were
buncoed by that old woman and that
the chauffeur was in the scheme and
got part of dads money. The way
they do 1t is to wait till dark, and then
roll the woman in the dust and put
some red ink on her face, and she pre-
tends to be run over, and the doctor
is hired by the month, and they average
$500 a night, playing that game on au-
tomobile tourists from America. After
the woman is run over every night,
and the money is collected, and the
victims have been allowed to 90 on
their way, the whole community gath
ers at the house Of the injured wom-
an and they have celebration and
dance, and probably our Chauffeur got