The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-10-17


not good enough. certainly not fast
enough, for him. He has his own au.
tomobile. capable of making n mile n
minute, and II has often taken him
from bis house TO his Office IN half an
hour.
The Arlington turnpike furnished a
direct line between Mr.. Portley's house
and his office, and on that pike is a
straight piece Of road over which he
| gave his chauffeur orders 10 make fifty
miles an hour AT quarter past 10
every week day morning and n quar-.
I ter past In the evening. the hours Of
| Mr.. Portley's passage, the farmers llv-
Ing on this stretch Of road were oblig-
no children or stock In the way. Amos
Green lost horse and Joseph Briggs O
4 cow. In both these cases Mr.. Portley
sat in his car, was handed check
book by his secretary, filed out checks
! for double the amount claimed by the
owners OF the stock, tossed them at the
farmers, and ms the papers fluttered to
the ground TO be picked up by the pay
ees the payer dashed away.
The next thing to fall under Mr..
Portley's juggernaut was something
that could not be paid for In money
Daisy Burton, fourteen years old, wa.
crossing the road when she heard the
squawk Of horn and saw Mr.. Port
ley's automobile coming She turned
back, but, seeing the automobile turn
Ing IN the same direction. started again
to cross. The automobile changed Its
course nj the same time II had slow
cd down, but could not be stopped In
time TO prevent collision. Daisy was
knocked TO distance OF twenty feet.
where she lay In heap. Mr. Portley
took In the situation and ordered his
chauffeur to drive on, A cloud Of dust
marked his going, and n crowd OF In
dlgnant countrymen. among whom
stood the father Of the child, shaking
his flst at the retreating automoblllst.
marked the scene Of the accident.
Hiram Perkins, middle aged,
weather beaten farmer, whose skin
hung loose In grooves on his face and
neck. lived on the next farm TO the
Burtons. The only thing IN the world
be loved was Daisy From the time
she could tOddle across the fields be-
tween his and her fathers house he
had made pet ~ her While her ia
ther was shaking his fist at portley
Perkins picked up the glrI. covered
with dust and blood, and carried her
Into her home. There he bent over her
and groaned When she opened her
eyes and looked at him with n faint
attempt Of smile he dashed out Of
the house, mounted horse and gal
loped away for doctor.
The only Inconvenience II occasioneh
Mr portley was having 10 take the
train every morning TO the city instead
OF bis automobile He dared not so
over the Arlington pike TIL the dam
age had been paid, and there was no
other direct road 70 town. Farmer
Burton did not come AT once 10 frame
OF mind 10 accept money for the injury
10 his child. and II was some time be-
fore the matter was settled
Meanwhile the farmers living on the
nike discussed the situation Daisy
would be crippled for life Must they
continue to risk the same mlsfo.,une
or worse for their chlldrent There
wss state law regulating the speed
~ automobiles. bat there was 30 one
whose duty IL was 10 enforce II. nor
sas there any hope OF Us being en-.
forced.
whlie the Others talked there was
one man who thoHglt Hiram Perkins
did not recover fron hAslag seen his
liule pct made cripple. He resolved
that Fwiieys automobile should never
pass his place again Rut how was be
10 prevent NJ By means Of tie i3wi
r0riiey's poc&esi,ook was migbtief
lhan the iaw, big q trCueh across the
road and mask ~ That would be
murder One day Hiram read an ad
rersisenicus of tie sale ~ government
condemned goods This gave him an
ilra. and bis l3ea gnea 20 a plan.
Az 4 quarter past 10 0n the morning
after Farmer Burton hsd signed an
Instrument acknowledging fan indem.
pau tgg tbs injury doae bis dsughtsr