Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-01-01
THE LADY IN THE
AUTOMOBILE.
[Original,l


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 te
take her to his fathers place in
suburban town. She had never seer
her cousin OF her uncle or her aunt
not any one Of that family. She had
never ridden in an automobile. Ton
was to call for her at 10 O'Clock, and
at 1870 he had not arrived. Mary
was growing impatient.
Suddenly beautiful machine turned
a corner, came up the street and stop
ped in front Of the house. In it WA
Cousin Tom-who else could It beE
a 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 mistake, rushed
to the door to call him. Too late; be
had disappeared.
No matter. He would discover his
mistake and return. She would waii
for him on the stoop. She stood there
a few minutes admiring the beautiful
spick and span dark green machine
with it's polished brass mountings. Il
looked so pretty that she thought sht
would go down to it., When she go
there a step into it was so easy ane
the cushioned seat so tempting thai
she got in and sat down.
Now, the gentleman who had gonS
in next door was not Cousin Tom al
all, but Harry Craven, one of those
graceless scamps who was not likely
to throw an adventure over his shout
der. From a window of his club-he
| had called to replenish his cigar case
| he was surprised to see a pretty CIR
sitting in his machine with as mucf
| composure as If she owned 1t. He
| was going for spin and wished she
would STAY there. But he didn't eX
pect that she would. AS soon as hf
appeared she would discover that sh'
! had made a mistake.
He went out prepared for anything
/ On seeing him approach the lad.
smiled, put out her hand and said
'Why. Cousin Tom, what has mad
you so late?'
Later"
"Yess And why did you go into 81
1 wrote you to come to So"
"Wen, now. Upon my word. Sixe
and Fights are much alike. But thi
is no way for cousins to greet one al
other" And the rascal bent forwar
and kissed her through her veil. The
he took his seat beside his newly foun
cousin. There was a series OF chus
and off went the machine.
Now commenced a sparring on tt
part of the cousinless Mr.. Craven
prevent detection. He skilfully avoi
ed committing himself on anything tt
he had learned something about
from the lady. He gathered that
was expected to take her to his I
> theirs residence in the suburbs. 1t
! happened that his own father lived
the suburbs, and his mother and 81
ters and himself as well. He turn'
y his course homeward.
;. Just before luncheon Mrs. Crav'
and her daughters were sitting on t
. front piazza, engaged at reading al
q needlework, when up the roadway
y the house came Harry in his auto,
young lady beside him.
s'Bless mev said Alice Craven. HE
comes Harry with some one, and
o look fright"
. Good graciousw exclaimed NJ
Craven. "And we've nothing but scra
: from Yesterdays dinner for lunch"
- Mother" cried Harry as he rou1
ed the machine up to the por
you've forced me to make a guy
n myself by not keeping me post
. Here's Cousin Mary come to visit
% and if it hadn't been that she's ST
~ ing next door to the club l would hf
= missed her entirely"
The excitement attending the me
ing of her aunt and cousins for
- FIRST time prevented Mary from tax
- in the real meaning of this. Ha
handed her out, and, going to her S
- posed aunt, she threw her arms arol
- her neck and kissed her, then did
T same with the others. She was
palled at the GOODNESS of her RECEIPT
%. and was wondering what to do 4
~ when Harry tipped his favorite si
20 the wink and suggested that Il
-, cousin be taken upstairs "to brush
mi the dust"
,or While they were gone Harry mac
"A confession to his mother. Ate
he sound rating she agreed with him
.be the poor girl must be extricated f
Nv her narrowing position with great I
Nd cacy and that to do this the decep
,w- must be kept up for time.
v,s When Mary reappeared she
i+b made heartily welcome. That a.
noon Harry went about telling all
mo friends that cousin was visiting t
and arranged for series Of enter
rod ments. He kept Mary much of
,,ra time out with him in his autom'
and devoted himself exclusively to
,, But whenever his mother propose
,rst bring the comedy to close he put
off. 1t was not till he saw n
him in the newspapers of the dlsapl
ance of Mary King and the ter
,ack anxiety of her family and friends
+be he came to his senses and begged
Golf mother to break the matter to the
oad naped girl and beg her to be meI
mr. to him.
How all this was accomplished
+.n the matter hushed up never got
ped Sealed Ups TOT once pleNei'eo -
II porters from getting at the truth
riedt Harry finally atoned for his ind
the ton by making the girl he had :
ed away q model husband. ;,
v SILVIA LEWIS BALDS