The Prescott daily news., 1908-07-23
THE LADY IN THE
 AUTOMOBILE.

toLnoDIe rlue, stood at front window waiting. She was country girl with the glow of health on her cheeks who had come to the city the day before and stopped in one of a row of stone front houses, but she was not to re- main there. Her cousin, Tom Archard was coming with his automobile to take her to his fathers place in suburban town. She had never seen her cousin or her uncle or her aunt not any one of that family. She had never ridden in an automobile. Tom was to call for her at 10 o'clock. and at 10:30 he had not arrived. Mary was growing impatient.
 Suddenly beautiful machine turned . corner, came up the street and stop ped in front of the house. In 1t was Cousin Tom-who else could it be D. handsome young fellow, who got out and was about to mount the steps when he looked up at the number above the door, then turned to the next house. Mary, naturally assuming that he was making a mistake. rushed to the door to call him. Too late; he had disappeared.
 No matter. He would discover his mistake and return. She would wait for him on the stoop. She stood there few minutes admiring the beautiful spick and span dark green machine with it's polished brass mountings. It looked so pretty that she thought she yxrnt ds,x tA ,Io there step into it was so easy and the cushioned seat so tempting that she got in and sat down.
 Now, the gentleman who had gone in next door was not Cousin Tom at all. but Harry Craven, one of those graceless scamps who was not likely to throw an adventure over his shoul- der. From a window of his club-he had called to replenish his cigar case he was surprised to see pretty girl sitting in his machine with as much composure as if she owned it. He was going for spin and wished she would stay there. But he didn't ex- pect that she would. AS soon as he appeared she would discover that she had made a mistake.
 He went out prepared for anything On seeing him approach the lady smiled, put out her hand and said: "Why, Cousin Tom, what has made you so late?'
 "Late?
 'Yes. And why did you go into 36? I wrote you to come to 3S."
 "Well, now! Upon my word. Sizes and eights are much alike. But this is no way for cousins to greet one an- other" And the rascal bent forward and kissed her through her veil. Then he took his seat beside his newly found cousin. There was a series of chugs and off went the machine
 Now commenced a sparring on the part of the cousinless Mir. Craven to prevent detection. He skilfully avoid ed committing himself on anything till he had learned something about 1t from the lady. He gathered that he was expected to take her to his fa- ther's residence in the suburbs. It so happened that his own father lived fin the suburbs, and his mother and sis ters and himself as well. He turned his course homeward.
 Just before luncheon Mrs. Craven and her daughters were sitting on the front piazza, engaged at reading and needlework, when up the roadway to the house came Harry in his auto, young lady beside him.
 Bless mel" said Alice Craven. Here comes Harry with some one, and I look fright"
 Good eraciousv' exclaimed Mrs. Craven And we've nothing but scraps from yesterdays dinner for lunch"
 Mother" cried Harry as he round ed the machine up to the porch, you've forced me to make a guy of myself by not keeping me posted. Here's Cousin Mary come to visit us, and if it hadn't been that she's stay ing next door to the club would have missed her entirely"
 The excitement attending the meet ing of her aunt and cousins for the first time prevented Mary from taking in the real meaning of this. Harry handed her out, and, going to her SUD- posed aunt, she threw her arms around her neck and kissed her, then did the same with the others. She was ap- palled at the coldness of her reception and was wondering what to do next | when Harry tipped his favorlte sister the wink and suggested that their | cousin be taken upstairs ito brush off | the dust"
 While they were gone Harry made q to his mother. After a |