Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1910-08-12


was creaking like that OF rusty
hinge. and the machine came to a
dead stop and refused to start again.
Mr. Fred Semple had owned an au.
tomobile for a year or more, but I'm.
Ill recently he had left the driving TO
n chauffeur. Then HIS ambition was
aroused. He knew as much about
mechanics as he did about the man
who superintended the job OF building
the pyramids. but he went ahead and
took lessons. When he had succeed
ed in covering three city blocks with
out knocking down any pillars OF the
elevated. chasing any street cars into
side streets, or upsetting any news
paper stands. be became unreasonably
conceited
That was the reason that, after look
ing at him for a minute. Colonel Kirke
offered to bet him 800 to half that
sum that he could not drive the ma
chine 10 miles and return without
help. The wager was made. II was
easy money. Mr.. sSemple crossed the
ferry to the Long Island depot In
company with the colonel and others,
and then set off up the island to do his
10 miles and back. Fifty or a hun
dred dollars didn't count much with
him, but honor and glory did.
How easyl II was merely matter
OF letting the machine go! Not a
farmer threw potatoes at him. and not
a train hit him at the crossings. Those
ctauffeurs were humbugs. A boy ten
years old with sawdust In his hair
could run an auto all around the
world. Colonel Kirke was thirty years
behind the age. and an old buffer, too,
In the bargain. Yes, sir. all you had
to do was to get her headed right. set
the speed. and then keep her going.
And then--the automobile stopped!
II was not far from civilization and
help az Is the usual case, but right
In front of a comfortable looking resi-
dence. Mr.. Semple got down to see
that was wrong, The machine might
be tired or something out Of gear SO
far as his experience went. the back.
action might have overcome the right
! angle. or the quadruple become mixed
u with the main-topmast. After peer.
Ing and investigating he came TO the
conclusion that wrench was needed
to lighted up or loosen something. He
looked In the tool box for a wrench,
but II had gone to the pawnshop, or
elsewhere
A house standing by itself. half a
mile from n village, ought to keep n
wrench on hand for emergencies, and
Mr.. Semple would go in and ask for
the loan OF II. His ing at the bell
was answered by woman about fifty
years old. Her Jaw was set and there
was no joyous welcome In her eyes
Yes; she believed there was wrench
somewhere in the house. II he would
step in. she would hunt for II, He
stepped In and she disappeared He
was looking around. as one will In a
strange room, and wondering what he
should wrench with the wrench when
he got II, when the woman returned
She didn't have the wrench in her
hand. She had a shotgun instead
and she came 10 a halt and pointed Il
at him and said:
yOu ihahc moNe' " DlOW the
top OF your head Off"
"W-what is IT." stammened Mr.
Semple. after moment.
"A loaded shotgun and deter
mined woman" she answered, as she
sat down to face him.
"But-I-l called to borrow
wrench"
Yes, know. So did a tin peddler
the other day asked him 10 wait
while got IT, and he sat down where
you are When ! got back he had
skipped with n SIS clock and s25
vase. I'm Aunt Ellen. am, and
can't be fooled twice running on
wrenches."
But. ma'am, I'm no tin pcddler
You may be worse. think you
are! think you are Ranles. AT any
rate, you have walked into a tran.
and you don't get out OF II until know
all about you from the day you were
born. II must have tlckled you lust 10
find an Old woman all alone I'm the
house You recEoned on binding and
gagging me In about five minutes. Ell?
Well. therell be no gagging here 10.
day. though there may be some shoot.
ing!"
Madam, there is a great mistake
here" said MIR. Semple as he endeav.
ored to collect his wits.
Yes? A mistake about getting in
the wrong house? Mistake about find.
ing Aunt Ellen instead OF servant
girl hereY Mistake about getting a
shotgun instead of wrench"
Il can prove to you that am a gen.
tleman. came down from the city in
an automobile. It's out there in front
OF the house, but something went
wrong with II. Here is my card and"
Hands down or | shoot" she ex.
claimed. as he felt for his card case.