Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-04-19
''Gbe Terror"


Colonel Whites:de was a lawyer lie
was we'll to do, of middle age and hau |
fondness for athletics. He had a rec
ord as a bikist, and he owned anu
drove a trotting horse When the auto |
appeared his friends knew that he
would soon have q machine.
A perfect machine~-a thing of brass
and steel as easily controlled as a
child's toy, an almost living, breathing
creature. moving ct walk, if the di-
rector willed, or flying along the high
way at the rate of a mile a mnute-
stood in garage, and the colonel In
spected II. He had scarcely begun
when fear crept over him. To others
the machine was an object of curiosi
ty. To him there vas something I'M
canny about it.
4 year passed, and vet 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 "A buy. He talked. and the
salesman anu the chauffeur talked.
Some one else talked also 1t was the
auto, and he alone heard its words. 1t
| breathed heavily. 1t Kissed warning
ly. Its "chug, chug, chug," had men
ace 1t said
! Buy me If you will, but look out. !
am a creature of strange moods. l
balk; stampede; l so wrong as often
as l go right Buy me and possess me,
but remember that some day will be
the death of you"
The auto was purchased, and the
colonel took instructions in its manage
ment. For a 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, determination to defy and drive
and take the Upper hand. 1t was
child's play. A 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 a chauffeur. That's
the usual course of the ninety-eight
They leave the driving to somebody
q else and lean back and try to look
: placid and nonchalant Now came
:, twenty-five, thirty, forty-five miles al
hour The colonel gasped and felt 4
pain in his heart. He did not speak tC
;, the chauffeur because he was afraiC
his voice would betray him. He had {
f., 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 a
such a pace. Let him show the white
a feather and the man beside him woulC
;. grin in his face and then tell the new
q to a hundred others. Let it be whis
pered that a man is afraid of his aut'
r. 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 fe4.
"This machine can make a mile
minute" said the chauffeur in the ga
,. rage one day as the colonel was read
4 for his spin.
\. "YesT
"And Wen let her out today"
Every WELL"
There were a dozen men about bu
y had there been only the chauffeur t
listen the colonel would not hav
70 dared to protest. He must acquiesc
70 or be thought timid He nodded hi
n head and smiled. but at that momen
~ the auto said:
eyes, will make a mile a minutt
but look out for me. I have give
you several warnings, but you hav
:, not needed them. Today you sha
~ feel the sensation of flying, but wi
you sleep in your bed tonight?'
g., The start was made. More obedier
n than any horse that ever wore ha
~ ness, the machine rolled over the al
phalt streets. guided by the slightei
touch. There was time for the colon'
to suggest that the pace be limited
q thirty-five or forty miles an hour whe
10 the long, straight stretch of countI