Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1907-11-28
The Red Car


A big red car belonging to the new
tenants at the Hall was speeding
along the Boswell common road lead
ing into the village.
Mrs. Ackers- Maitland was alone in
the tonneau, with her pretty smiling
features wearing their habitual air of
childish disdain. No doubt her face
reflected the ecstasy of mind which
had followed upon the privilege of
taking home the Honorable Mrs. Clay
ton after that lady's first call upon
the newcomers. This was decidedly a
good start for the stockholders wife
in her social steeplechase.
What nuisance these village
children are, Dickson!" she apathet-
ically remarked to her chauffeur as
the near approach of the huge car to
the village had caused Dickson to
slacken his speed somewhat. "They
might easily find more convenient
place to play, with so many. cars using
the road"
Since Mrs. Ackers- Maitland's hus-
band had bought her the automobile,
she had felt the increasing nuisance
of a speed limit, and Of persons who
persist in walking the Kings high
way. She had forgotten the fact that
it was only two years since fortune
cher husband's) had lifted her from
a grumbling and dust-coyered pedes-
trian to the apotheosis of the gods of
petrol
Dickson, no doubt, held sentiments
similar to those expressed by his mis-
tress, but he was too well trained to
offer more than perfunctory Yes,
ma am as he increased speed to take
the High street hill.
The late autumn day had almost
lost the warm touch Of the sun, and
the sweet dusk was already envelop-
ing the pretty English village with the
shadows of evening.
Mrs. Ackers-M aitland's mind was at
this time too busily engaged to castle
building to induce other qualities of
thought. AS chief architect she was
rearing social fabric of which the
| lofty pinnacle reached the clouds of
highest ambition-county society.
The car had taken the hill grandly,
much to the CONSERVATION of the vii
layers, who were accustomed from
time immemorial to walk in the mid
| die of the road, and was descending
the curved dip leading through Clark's
lane to the Hall. Mrs. Ackers- Matt
lands mental building had arrived at
the third story, visioned in an imag-
mary invitation to the Hunt ball,
when she caught momentary
glimpse of little white figure darting
out from one of the narrow lanes
which gave upon the road.
"Oh!" And her heart stood still
even as she put up her hands to shield
her eyes from what followed.
There came childs cry of deadly
| fear, a sudden jerk to the car as Dick
son threw out the clutch and put on
the brakes--yet the hands remained
before the pretty white face.
| When the first hot desire of self
preservation had passed, the dainty
gloved fingers slowly allowed her eyes
to rest upon a small lifeless burden.
under a workmans coat.
| Dickson? 1t was her own fault,
wasn't it? We couldn't help it you
know"
Eyes, num- answered the chauf-
feur naively. Were all right.
used the horn often enough, and was
we'll under the limit, too"
A small crowd of angry men and
women had gathered around the car,
and their faces denoted desire to
| take more than d passive interest in
| the accident They made way for the
constable, who advanced, notebook in
hand, with an irritating air Of impor-
lance. So it seemed to pretty Mrs.
Ackers-Maitland
Il shall be willing to compensate
the parents" she said, endeavoring to
smile affably upon the bucolic police
nan. MY husband, I'm sure, Will
make it all right with them, so they
WON'T feel it very much"
sI'm afraid, Missis, compinsation
won't touch 'er lot; they be gentle
folk" said the constable without q
touch of sympathy. There's nurse
as is sobbin 'er cart out behind that
hedge as says the boy belong to the
new people up at the Ala county
magistrate ear--Ackers- something.
I think she said they called i'm"