The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-04-17
-'66e Terror, J,
~ ee>seSeeeSS>ess
fcopyrlght. 100 b. Homer sprague.

was well to do. Of middle agesand had
fondness for athletics. He had a rec
lord as bikist, and he owned and
drove trotting horse. When the auto
appeared his friends knew that he
would soon have machine.
perfect machine a thing OF brass
and steel ms easily controlled us a
chtld's toy, an almost living. breathing
creature, moving at walk. IL the d.
rector w!lled, or flying along the high.
way ut the rate Of a milo minute
stood In garage, ana the colonel In
| spected 1t. lie Ind scarcely begun
when a fear crept over him. TO others
the maesl,:a i-as an object Of clrlosl-
ty To him there was something un-
canny about it.
4 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-cight know that they take their
| lives in their hands every time they 60
out
Lntii Colonel Whlteside 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 ana the chauffeur talked.
Some one else talked also 1t was the
Eauio. aud he alone heard its words. 1t
hreathed heavily. II Kissed warning
! y. It's "ehug, chug, chug,' had mem
nee 1t said:
Buy me If you win, but look out /
lain a creature OF strange moods. l
halk; l stampede: l go wrong us often
as I 20 right. Buy me and possess me,
but remember that some day win he
4 the death OF you"
\ The auto YVES purchased, aud the
oianel took Instructions in its manage.
meat For fortnight he went about
! with his heart in his mouth and ever
on the watch for accident Then he
began 10 feel contempt for the warn
Ing, a determination to defy and drive
AMI take the upper hand 1t was
chiiG's play A turn of the wheel this
way that way-more speed-less speed
/ go ahead-stop. Why, the most docile
hose 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 IL he does
not dD ii, and lie can't stand that.
When Colonel Whiteslde knew that he
had made tyenty 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 10 somebody
else and lean back and try to look
placid and nonchalant Now came
twenty-five, thirty. forty-fivc miles an
hour. The colonel gasped and felt
pain in his heart He did not speak to
the chauffeur because he was afraid
his voice would betray him. lie had
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
such pace Let him show the white
feather and the man beside him would
grin in his face and then tell the news
to a hundred others. Let 1t he whis-
pered that man is afraid of his auto
and he is done for. The other ninety
seven are also afraid, but they will
make common cause against the nine
ty-eighth TO conceal their fear.
''This machine can make a mile a
minute" said the chauffeur in the ga
rage one dav us the colonel was ready
for his spin.
"YesY
"And wen let her out today"
Every we'll"
There We're a dozen men about bnt
had there been only the chauffeur to
listen the colonel would not have
dared to protest. lie must acquiesce
or be thought timid. He nodded his
head and smiled. but Mt that moment
the auto said:
"Yes. win make'a mile minute.
but look out for me. / have given
you several warnings. but you have
not needed them. Today you shall
feel the sensation Of flying. hut win
lyon sleep in your he'd tonight:e
| The start was made. More obedEent
than amy horse that ever wore har-
ness the machine rolled over the as
phat streets. guided ny the slightest
touch. There was time for the colonel
to suggest that the pace lie limited TO
ftliiriy-iive or forty miles an hour when
the long. straight stretch Of country
1 fnsbHN Ill. 4