Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-01-01
H CONQUEST
OF Mr.. IDEAL.

1AhAAOAA.l
l had courted Millicent for two years
or more without success. l hadn't
proposed, for whenever I'd get spooney
she'd tell me just what kind of a man
her ideal was-no more like me than a
landau Is like a donkey cart. Her
lover must be intellectual, profound.
whereas l am stupid and scatter
Drained. But one thing | am, and I
know tim a dead game sport. At
tennis, football, horses or yachts 1 car
beat Mr.. Ideal every time.
One afternoon l called on Millicent
with my new four cylinder auto. If
Millicent was always worshiping this
imaginary pulled up being of ideas,
she didn't mind a sixty mile an hour
jog In an auto. Sometimes I used to
think she was holding the duffer up
to bother me, for l didn't see where
her w lofty sentiments came In.
Anyway she ran upstairs and In five
minutes was down again in a long
gray silk duster md her hat tied down
with no end of yelling. l was waiting
for her in the hall, but she was In such
a hurry that she brushed right past
me and out on to the stoop. There by
the curb was my automobile glistening
for all it was worth. She stood look
ing at it for a moment wrapped in adj
miration; then we both went down
to the curb.
what a beautiful shade of red!' she
exclaimed, jumping into the machine.
"Glad you admire it," I replied.
We logged along at a town pace till
we reached the open road; her 1 let
her out a trife. She was a lightweight
two seated vehicle and with all her
power on n match for q hurricane.
We soon put a matter of twenty miles
between us and the town and came to
n big stretch Of open country all on a
dead level. | wanted to get on another
road to my right and, knowing that
I'd have. to go around Robin Hoods
barn to do 1t, made up my mind to
take to the fields. The ground seemed
perfectly smooth, and there were but
few fences, some of them down. I
asked Millicent IL she would like a
ride of that kind, and she said she
would. So, swerying to the right be-
tween two telegraph poles, we took to
the open.
OF course we didn't attempt any
rapid gait, and, considering our springs
and big tires, we didn't find 1t uncom-
Portable wheeling. There were here
and there a house and scattered herds
Af ootfIo UUosJ oro, 1-,,1Io - AZ.
when we came to a rail fence directly
in our way. l got out to let down the
rails. | was getting the last rail out
of the way when, glancing at a herd
Of cattle grazing near. | saw a nower-
ful bull hreak fram-anong 1hen3 anA
trot toward us. | glanced at ny. red
auto shining in the afternoon sun and
took in the situation. The bull would
go for the machine, break up the ton
neau, and Millicent would be at his
mercy.
In two seconds | was in my seat and
had the power turned on. | gave a
quick look back and saw the bull COM
ing on a gallop. Passing through the
opening l had made, l FASTENED my
pace, and had we beer on a road we
could have laughed at the bull. But we
weren't, and as luck would have it we
struck the toughest piece Of ground to
be met in four counties. The best l
could do was about six miles an'hour.
and the bull could beat that easily.
"I1l keep my eye IN the ground
ahead while you watch the bull" |
said to Millicent, "and tell me if he
gains"
He's gaining every moment" she
cried. go faster"
The way became smoother, and l put
on more power, but it was a question
whether it was preferable to be knock
ed to pieces by the jolting or gored by
the bull. Millicent evidently preferred
the former, for she begged me to in
crease the speed. At the same time
l received a solace In our danger. Mil
licent in her terror put her arm around
my neck. She didn't know what she
was doing, but it felt nice all the same.
While 1 was enjoying it l saw
ahead the remains Of a swamp. There
was no water In II, but plenty of mud.
1 glanced to the right and the left,
only to see that 1t was a long way
round. l plunged into the bog, and
when l did so l knew 1t was all up
with us. The buH came on, and pretty
soon one could hear the thud of his
hoofs directly behind us. Millicent
chung to me, and 1 chung to the wheel.
We had nearly crossed the bog when I
noticed before us on the other side a
roiI fnnca Dut on as much aOepd "a
1 dared, and IN reaching the fence,
telling Millicent to crouch, 1 under
took to drive through 1t. At the mo-
ment the bull caught the machine on
his horns, we felt the tonneau rise,
and it and we and flying fence rails
came down In a scattered heap.
l saw Millicent rising on her knees,
the bull charging toward her. Picking