Middletown transcript., 1906-08-25

W
nsinuls ana tmIukled like stars the llext.
he would Kick man Dff his frol2 step
and islan Invite him ID 10 have . dfinko
hard cides and forget Il.
Rideeville il peFched up among the hills
oi Norlh-westefn Connecticut, and for a
long time iler rough and steep roads kept
automobiles away efiectually, and the
farmers stood ID no fear oi runaway acci-
dents from meeting the lsesfangled
wagons.
When the first automobile came pntfing
up mountainous Chestnut Hill and
caused Joel BeecIler's iiorse 70 run into
Joel Beecher's fence, TO the great demora-
lisation of fence, buggy, and horse, Joel
Beecher vowed red geance on the whole
tribe Of antos. electric, gasolene, and
steam,
BIZ thunder and Mars !said lie. What
do these youDgsters take US for2 Auto
mobiles are All right ii the city where
there amt any nervous farm horses. but
when they take to clinbin hills that
have bothered us and our horses for gem
erations, and 90 putin and snortin BY
like gang Bf devils, its time for era to
be stopped.
But, Joel, said his next-door neigl,bor,
q summer resident who contemplated
buying an automobile, they're come 70
stay. Yon can't stop them. any more
than you can stop steam cars or trolleys.
Well, by ginger and sennad I'd like
to see sem speed by here after I've warned
'em as selectman that they can't Near's
can make out this is America, and as
near as can make out America was set
tied in the country first of ell. Cities
were an alter-consideratioB. People in
the country have rights that city men are
bound to respect, and when these moth
in -bns-play people come pnffiT and
snortin' up on these eternal hills at rate
to frighten a locomotive, they We got to
consider that Joel Beecher amt ago'n' to
have IL!
just what JoePs rights were need not
appear. It was not many days before he
announced that the, autoist who had
frightened bis hc5es had bought him a
new buggy, and The day after Mat large
sign was placed By him at the foot Of
Chestnut Hill
All automo- -biiers 1.-The division was his
own] are hereby forbidden toinn through
Ridge Street at pace aster than five
miles an hour. Ridge Street is at the top
Of The hill.
BY erder Of
JEL. BERcaER, Seiectman.
Chestnut Hill xas too steep 10 be
tempting to the average autoist, and most
% those who read the sign passed BY on
the other side
But q esrtasn maa from New Ysrk..
owner Of strong car and an equally
strong win saw the sign. and chuckting
TO bis companiens, straie4,tway left his
mapped-oat ronte and chlgsednp the hill.
Il was something Of atesf even for this.
machine but be made il. aad, once at
the top, with sstoot ofderision, he put on
all speed and raced along Ridges
country road some three miles in length,
leading BY score Of typical Connecticut
faFm-houses, at a forty-inile gait.
joel was busy in the barn yard, and lie
did not know what was happening until
he heard the toot, and then it was too
late to DO anything. But ii added fuel 10
the fame Of his singer. His language was
scarlet In conception, although aImqrt en-.
tirely made up Of home made oaths. BIZ
the great Godfrey Of Goshen said he.
running to the road and shaking his fist
at the cloud Of dust and the penetrating
odor, I'll be entirely hornswoggled il you
80 through again without a punctured
tirei
II the New York man liad had the
sefnerity to turn and come back he would
have been met by Joel ar.aed with re-
soiver, aud at least ONE If bis tires would
have been relieved Of air. But tie tourist
was content. He lad decorated the road
with an eighth of a mile of pet
dog, and he and his companions went o.,
their way with glad hearts, thinking no
more Of Joel Beecher and Ridge st.
That srening at mail-titpe joel ilnpro-
yised an indignation meeting in the post
office. Most of the residents Of Ridge-st
and the parallel roads uerp there. and all
ct them were serions IN their determina
lion to put stop 70 The speeding ef auto
mobiles on the venerable Highway that
had been sacred 10 tile dx team ever since
Ridgeyille was settled By adveatnrons
Windsor people.
Who owns the roads, anyhow said |
Joel. Who pays the taxes up here 2-do
we or do those blamed city dudes
Would we LEI any, of or own people
play steam snGne on this old street? Not
BY a jngGd. Aud We amt eo'n' 10 let
those smart Alecs come up here TO race
their had4emellin' automobiles I'm
go'n' to fasten piece Of tape across the
road at Bijah Weedon's just as hila to |
stop. Or ewn teams can lift It over si,eir
heads.like clothes-lines and Stand the in.
for tile public good.
No one objected to this reasonable idea,
and Joel continued And ! thought /
'twould be good idee to have just be-
yond the tape, say in front Of my Io,lse,
. couple Of ropes meetin' across the rnad
and snapped together by clips. Onr
teamsters can unbnckle 'em and pass on
and bsckIs 'en up again but automobiles
will be brought to al fun stop, and then
III 90 out and, bein' Justice Of the
peace, I'll fine 'sm II they've been Ro'n'
loo last.
sHppoain' aley ain't got any money
aid one.
That's aA them fellers have got Amt |
yes any brains, Or they weuIdn't ride in
The pesisg toys.
Josps scheme was voted good one.