Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-07

gate. The box was vacant, and he
climbed up and gathered the reins.
He sat there for some time, longing
intensely for cigar, good cigar, such
as gentlemen smoked.
Seventeen" came hoarsely along
on the wings Of the night. Number
II, and lively there!"
Warburton's pulse doubled its beat
His number.
"Skt!" the bay and the gray started
forward, took the half-circle and
stopped under the porte-cochere War
burton recollected that fashionable
groom never turned his head unless
spoken to; SO he leveled his gaze at
his horses ears and waited
But from the very corner of his eye
he caught glimpse of two women,
one of whom was enveloped in Grim
son cloak. He thrilled with exultation.
What joke it was! He felt the car
riage list as the women stepped in.
The door slammed to and the rare
good joke was on the way.
"Off with you!" cried the pompous
footman, with an imperious wave of
the hand. Number 99!"
''Ninety-nine! Ninety-nine!" bawled
the carriage man.
Our Njehu turned into the avenue,
holding a tolerable rein. He clucked
and lightly touched the horses with
the lash. This was true sport; this
was humor, genuine, initiative, I'M
forced. He could imagine the girls
and their fright when he finally slowed
down, opened the door, and kissed
them both. Wouldn't they let out a
yell, though? His plan was to drive
furiously for half a dozen blocks,
ztgzag from one side of the street to
the other, taking the corners sharply,
and then make for Scott Circle.
Now, lad Of six can tell the differ
ence between II and II. But this as
tonishing jehu of mine had been con-
sptcuous as the worst mathematician
and the best soldier in his class at
West Point. No more did he remem-
Der that he was not IN the wild west,
and that here in the east there were
laws prohibiting reckless driving.
He drove deeently till he struck
Dupont Circle. From here he turned
into New Hampshire, thinking it to be
Rhode Island. Mistake number two.
He had studied the city map, but he
was conscious of not knowing it as we'll
as he should have known it, but, true
to his nature, he trusted to luck.
Aside from all this, he forgot that
woman might appreciate this joke
only when she heard it recounted. To
live through it was altogether differ
emit matter. In an episode like this,
woman's Imagination, given the
darkness such as usually fills car.
riage at night, becomes round of
terrors. Every moment Is freighted
with death or Disagreement. Her
nerves are like the taut strings of
harp in wintry wind, ready to snap
at any moment; and then, hysteria.
With man the play, and only the play,
Is the thing.
Snap-crack! The surprised horses,
sensitive and quick-tempered as all
highly organized beings are, nearly
leaped out Of the harness. Never be-
fore had their TANKS received a more
unwarranted stroke of the lash. They
reared and plunged and broke into a
mad gallop, which was exactly what
the rascal on the box desired. Anexpert
horseman, he gagged the strength of
the animals the moment they bolted,
and he knew that they we're his. Once
the rubber-tired vehicle slid sidewise
on the wet asphalt, and he heard a
stifed scream.
He laughed, and let forth sounding
"whoop," which nowise allayed the
fright Of the women inside the car
riage. He wheeled into street, scrap
ing the curb as he did so. Pedestrians
stopped and stared at him. A police
man waved his club helplessly, even
hopelessly. On, on: to Warburtons
mind this ride was as wild as that
which the Bishop of vannes took from
Belle-Isle to Paris in the useless effort
to save Fouquet from the wrath of
Louis XIV, and to anticipate the preg-
nant discoveries of one D'Artagnan.
The screams were renewed. A hand
beat against the forward window and
a muf1ed but wrathful voice called
forth command to stop. This voice
was Immediately drowned by another's
prolonged scream. Our jehu began to
find all this very interesting, very ex-
citing
"I'll wager dollar that Nan isn't
doing that screaming. The Warbur-
toms never cry out when they are
frightened. Hang it!"-suddenly;
this street doesn't look familiar. I
ought to have reached Scott Circle
by this time. All, here's a broader
street, going lickety-clip into YER
mont.
A glass went jingling to the pave
ment.
"oho! Nancy will be jumping out
the next thing. This will never do"
He began to draw in.
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