Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-04-26
"Ge Terror"
'pyright, 1906, by Homer Spraeue.1

; Colonel Whiteside was lawyer. he
was we'll to do. of middle age and had
1ondness for athletics. He had rec
ord as a bikist, and he owned and
aroVe trotting horse. When the auto
appeared his friends knew that he
"oulG soon have machine.
"A perfect machine-a thing of brass
ana steel as easily controlled as a
snuds toy, an almost living, breathing
creature, moving at walk, if the d.
rector willed, or flying along the high
way at the rate of mile a minute
Stood IN garage, and the colonel in
spected it He had scarcely begun
when fear crept over him. To others
the machine was an object Of curiosi-
T. To him there was something I'm.
canny about it.
A year passed, and yet the colonel
had not Joined the ranks of the auto
lists. Then men began to smile and
throw out sarcastic hints. Out of every
hundred autoists ninety eight are
afraid of their machines. The other
two are reckless of consequences. The
ninety-eight know that they take their
lives in their hands every time they go
out.
Until Colonel Whiteside realized that
he was an object of unfavorable COM
ment he needed the warning whispers.
When his nerve was questioned he
was forced to buy. He talked, and the
salesman and the chauffeur talked.
Some one else talked also. It was the
auto, and he alone heard it's words. It
breathed heavily. 1t Kissed warming
~. Its ''chug, chug, chug," had men,
ace. 1t said:
Buy me if you will, but look out. l
am creature Of strange moods. l
balk; stampede; go wrong as often
rs go right Buy me and possess me.
but remember that some day I will be
the death of you.''
The auto was purchased, and the
colonel took instructions in it's manage
ment For fortnight he went about
with his heart in his mouth and ever
on the watch for accident. Then he
began to feel a contempt for the warn
ing, a determination to defy and drive
and take the upper hand. It was
child's play. 4 turn Of the wheel this
way-that way-more speed-less speed
go ahead-stop. Why, the most docile
horse he ever owned was not so servile
and obedient. His bicycle had never
been under such command. Ten miles
an hour had satisfied him, but one day
when the warnings required to him he
became indignant and put the speed up
to twenty. No calamity followed. He
was as safe as he had been at half the
speed. He returned home feeling that
he was master
The autoist who confines his pace to
fifteen miles an hour this week will be
making twenty next week. He must
do it. He is driven to do it. His fellow
towards will laugh and grin if he does
not do it, and he can't stand that.
When Colonel Whiteside knew that he
had made twenty miles an hour he
was pleased and proud. Every minute
Of that hour he had expected accident.
After that he got chauffeur. That's
the usual course Of the ninety eight
They leave the driving to somebody
else and lean back and try to look
placid and nonchalant. Now came
twenty-five, thirty. forty-fve miles an
hour. The colonel gasped and felt a
pain in his heart. He did not speak to
the chauffeur because he was afraid
his voice would betray him. He had a
weakness OF the knees, and things
blurred to his vision. But for pride
and fear Of ridicule he would have
said that never again would he ride at
feather and the man beside him would
grin in his face and then tell the news
to a hundred others. Let it be whis-
pered that q man is afraid Of his auto
and he is done for. The other ninety
seven are also afraid, but they will
y-eighth to conceal their fear.
"This machine can make a mile a
minute" said the chauffeur in the ga
rage one day as the colonel was ready
for his spin.
; "Yes?"
"And We'll let her out today"
Every WE'LL"
There were a dozen men about, but
had there been only the chauffeur to
listen the colonel would not have
dared to protest. He must acquiesce
or be thought tinid He nodded his
head and smiled. but at that moment
the auto said:
Eyes, I will make a mile minute,
but look out for me. I have given
you several warnings, but you have
not needed them. Today you shall
feel the sensation of flying. but will
you sleep in your bed tonight"
The start was made. More obedient
than any horse that ever wore har
ness. the machine rolled over the as
phalt streets, guided ly the slightest
touch. There vas time for the colonel
to suggest that The pace be limited to
thirty-tive o.. forty miles an hour when
the long stI"ir:l stretch Of country
road should to reached. but he feared
to do SO. The chauffeur is the real
boss CT the auto. He makes or I'M