The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-04
THE EVENING STORY
Two Runabouts.
(By Donald Allen. }

| Young DIR. Bennett had just opened
his office at Scottsville, and the people
Of Scottsville. including the two doc
tors who had been there for years,
| were wondering how long it would take
him to starve out.
| DR.. Scott had a few hundred dollars
left after receiving his diploma, and
| instead of setting up his office III
| the woodshed and preparing to
| visit patients on foot he had fitted up
nice quarters and bought runabour
| machine, just as it had planned to sail
right to the top within three months.
| He also wore gloves and a silk hat,
and he didn't hang around the post
office and talk politics. Scottsville had
it's way, and it didn't like young Dr.
| Scott's way.
The only other runabout owned i'll
| the vicinity was the machine belonging
to Miss Ida June, daughter of the
broker in the city, who had an all-the-
| year house a mile from the village. The
| coming of a second machine was re-
scented by the villagers and by Miss
| Ida. 1t wasn't overcroWding the fled
| but it was a handsomer vehicle and
was said to be speedier, and then 1t
| had been introduced without warning.
| The doctor hadn't even limited that
| he intended to work such an innovation
| in country practice, and feeling of
pique was aroused. He had made
! bad start. He had not taken the VII
/
Every day Miss Ida came into the
village in her runabout after the mail.
DR. Scott met her at the postoffice.
He didn't stare, and her glances were
furtive, but the impression Of neither
was favorable.
Proud, naughty and selfish" was
the doctors verdict.
Thinks he's quite some, and needs
to be taken down." was the verdict of
the girl.
It was inevitable that the two ma
chimes should meet. They did meet.
Miss Ida looked straight ahead, as If
passing a load of straw, and the doc
tor only cast swift glance at her ana
wondered if she thought she owned the
earth. 1t was the same the second and
the third time. Then some one told the
girl that the doctor was Boosting that
his machine could travel three miles
to her two He hadn't said any such
thing. but the report acted on her the
same as the truth, and she repheo
with great spirit:
IF I ever catch that young man out
on the road I will give him lesson to
do him good"
And then some one told the doctor
that Miss Ida was going to lay Tor
him and make a holy show OF ms
machine and though he only smiled
in reply he determined to humillate
that~gfrl if opportunity offered
It was a month before it offered.
him on the broad highway, and she
started off with a defiant squeal of the
horn He didn't attempt to oVertaKe
her 1t wouldn't be dignity, to over
take and pass a young lady the very
first time Besides, there was a good
deal of dust flying. and he also thought
he could make out that she was a Dit
reckless in her driving.
ON the second occasion, while the
doctor was driving at a fair gait the
nd UbiZZPd mast him,
and he would have laid any odds that
he heard a sneering laugh. On the
third he was sure of the sheer and
the laugh, and he said that he would
not spare her again. A week later ne
found her on the road waiting for him
She had descended to Gull wild flow
ers but as soon as he appeared IN
sight she took her seat in the machine,
deliberately looked back and went
ahead. 1t was her den, and it was
accented, She was going to take that
young man down a peg or two, ana
he was going to bring about humll1-
alton
Farmer Henderson had sold a load
of straw to the livery stable the day
before; and on this day was driving
it into town. He was driving in the
middle of the road, of course. He was
half asleep, of course. There was no
particular reaso1 why he should keep
to the right" and have his eyes wide
open By and by he thought he heard
a noise behind him, and he looked back
to brace up and exclaim
Nov, then, shoot my cats if that
June girl and that new doctor amt
thin don't happen, then I don't know
AS a matter of fact. the doctor did
have the better machine
1t was geared for higher speed, and
rerhaps he was the better driver. 1T
began to creep up and up, and Miss
Ida's actions showed that she was get
ting nervous. AS the machines ran
side by side the load of straw doomed
up eighty rods away. 1t was right IN
the middle of the road, and evidently
intended to stay there There were
deep bitches on either side of the high
way, and the doctor called to the girl:
Lets slow down and call 1t draw.
1t will be dangerous to try to pass:
you can STOP replied the girl as
she looked straight ahead and shut her
teeth hard.
'I shall keep on!"
And 1 shall win!''
Gee whizz but the idiots are goin'
to bang into me-" shouted the farmer
Whoa there-stop, stop!"
In his alarm he pulled on the right
hand rein and the horses and load
swerved that way. That swerve re-
duced the speed and crowded the girl
into the ditch and the machine turned
turtle.
The doctor stopped as soon as he
heard the crash. and the farmer gath
cred up his reins and said:
Eyes, she's in the ditch there and
probably as dead as a door nail. and
can't make out what ails you folksi
When you see a load of straw ahead
of you why in Sam Hill don't you
stop?"
but you'n stop and help me-"
asked the doctor.
"Oh, she amt dead after all. Hear
haT VPl1inQf ONLY got arm a
leg broke. and / guess you can man
age. 1 like to help folks, but they
want this straw right away
No, Miss Ida had not been killed.
She had an arm broken and received
several bruises. but when the doctor
had heaved the wrecked machine over
she coolly said:
you saw didn't you that I was