Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17


biles?
1t is said to be useless to ask of the men
in the trade. Whether they know or not,
1t seems natural that they should know,
and some sort of a bluff has to be put up
for reply. so-don't put them to the neces-
sity of bluffing-keep your eyes open.
A recent trip through the garden spot OF
Iowa. where the farmers have nothing but
money and ideas on tariff revision-cast a
bit of light on the subject as interesting as
1t is peculiar.
The observer. a travelling salesman, found
that old autos did not disappear after the
fashion of flies I'm winter and pins the year
| round. though previous belief, If he had
any would have limited at some equally
vague destination.
He was not looking for old autos, but
after few had been called to his attention
his auto vision became clear as 1t were
and none escaped him.
The first that fixed itself within his con-
seriousness was one of the familiar curved
dash Oldsmobile runabouts. bounding along
country road that paralleled the track
over which, in the caboose of a way
freight. the observer. with more noise than
| speed, was making the next town"
#k
The chauffeur was an apple-cheeked, bare
headed country boy of fifteen years or so,
who was bumped over in his seat in truly
professional style. He was racing with the
train. and thanks to the long string of cars
behind the little old engine, was holding
his own.
Me for the country-where my kids can
run autos over country roads, barefooted
wit bJrt IA q
pair of overalls and a hickory shirt
This soiloquy was recalled at the hotel
after supper, and the subject preached to
the clerk, observation No. / was recorded.
Him? Oh, he's Jim Haskins' boy. His
old man used that car eight years and then
he bought a bigger one. He traded the lit
tie one to the kids for two calves. and
they're in it all the time. They only live
about three miles out o town, and when
young Jim needs little pin-money he loafs
around here mornings on the chance to
pick up a travelling man without much
baggage for haul over to Scott City.
Why. want togo over there myself,
round in the morning."
II Dunno replied the clerk, but you
might ketch him at the post office now"
Young Jim was caught at the post
Office and bargain struck for the trip to
Scott City.
Two customers seen. two sample cases
and grip thrown aboard the little car, and
away went the boy and The observer down
the village street.
Many of these cars around here JIM
Yes. quite few. My cousin Bob Crane
got one-lives over on the Palmer road
He got 1t Of old man Jones, the blacksmith.
It'd been used a long time by a Teller that
moved down to Clinton, and old Jones he
used the engine for power to run his lathe.
Bob got it cheap an fixed it up. He s
older'n mean takes his girl ridin' in it.
The little car was bravely chugging along
under a blazing sun. and the observer felt
a humane sense of thankfulness, as he
mopped his perspirng face, that chance
had put 1t at his disposal, instead of some
poor livery horse, whose sufferinSs in the
cruel heat would have made drain upon
his sympathies
There's one now" said Jim. pointing
toward farm house that stood near the
road. Sure enough. there was the familiar
curved dash, lazy-back seat and all-the
exact counterpart OF the boy machine.
But what an undignified looking car.
Helpless in the hands of its master. or to-
tally lacking In self-respect-the rear axle
was elevated on a couple of horses" the
hind wheels pointing. If circular object
can be said to point skyward, while con-
Meeting belt attached to a food chopper
showed it's further degradation.
$50 that's what becomes of old machines
unused the observer auiibly.
That amt an old machine" volunteered
Jim. why, they amt had her more than
nine or ten years. They use her all the
time on the road when they want to-
well, I'm certainly learning something.
said the observer. II always had an idea
that the thing to do was to accumulate a
wad, buy a machine-brag about 1t the first
season-sell 1t and get another next sea-
son, and keep on until your financial road
to ruin was marked by bunch of has
beens that finally landed in the junk heap.
But see now that the proper thing to do
is to get a good car, take your girl riding
In it-take a trip in it for your honeymoon
run tanning mills with it-have the family
attend your funeral in it, and when your
will is read let 1t be passed along to your
eldest son so that he can repeat your ex-
periences."
.'Well, that amt what I'm going to do"
said Jim. I'm savin' up now for a Model
A, palace touring car, and when l get it..
the kids can have this one
when will that be, JIM"
"Oh six or seven years. There's Scott
City at the foot of the hill"
An experienced motorist has formulated
the following rules for beginners: Keep
one foot on the clutch pedal and one on
the brake; keep one hand on the steering
wheel and one on the horn, and, above all