Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-03
b A r G AIN, $3.50.

The man said: She's a one-lunger, but
she's a good little boat
As ! did not care to betray my profound
ignorance Of automobiles in general !
simply agreed heartily without having the
remotest idea what he was talking about.
All could see was a nice leather cushion
and black shiny wheels, and a lot Of pipes
and things, all Of which, doubtless, had
their uses or they wouldn't be there.
'Wil it go?" / timidly asked.
Co.. he roared. You bet your life
she'll go and do thirty easy. And she can
take Hobart hin on the high, too, and
that's goln' some for a road-house"-au-
other reference that was not entirely clear
to me.
VOL ! said. give M a little ride in
it. and II it runs all right ! will buy it,
said all this quickly, because he had
been telling me about another man that
had almost decided to take it, and I was
in fear and trembling that the other man
might come in at any minute and my
chance OF a lifetime would be gone forever.
We rode about a mile, fairly skimming
the ground like a bird. He showed me the
few simple things necessary to start and
stop II. and let me steer it on the low, "
and l paid him $50 good, hard-earned dol
lars.
The next step was to get a friend to give
ne a few lessons. He knew about cars
and. in fact, owned one. He looked over
my bargain, took off the seat and peered
into its vitals. meanwhile making a funny
kind of a hummlnE noise. Finally he said:
'Stung! She's got a cracked cylinder" l
cou d tell from his manner hat 1t was
something she ought not to have, but
J rlavcly asked: What will a new one
,ost?"
guess they don't make 'em any more, 4"
lie rcpliyd by way Of comfort. But maybe
IN viii go anyway"
lie showed me the crack. a tiny little
thing that | thought it ridiculous to make
such a big fuss over, and we prepared to
take a ride. Somehow it did go, though
not so smoothly as when the other man
had run It, and we started to make a
twenty mile trip to the house of a friend
out in the country on this trip l learned
to run and steer it, which, as a matter of
fact, proved to be absurdiy easy. We were
within half a mile of our destination when
the engine began to give forth a series
OF pig-like grunts and squeals. Then II
started pounding. We made a hurried in
spection and decided to run slowly to our
destination, If we could, and see what
the trouble was. AS ii was nearly dark,
we did this with great difficulty, the motor
protesting and swearing all the way, and
we had just turned into the driveway when
the machine stopped altogether.
The car has never turned a wheel since
a, least not for me, A careful inspection
next morning showed that the trouble haG
started with the oil cup. The glass on thi.
had broken and the oil feed pipe was CLOSED
by a tiny splinter Of glass. A lack of OF
caused the cylinder TO pound. This brok,
the crank case. l bought a new one anC
sent it and the car to a nearby garage
l didn't feel like hunting for more troubl,
myself. They managed to break the ear.
off the cylinder where 1t bolted to tn,
frame. The car had to be worn out. One,
or twice they tried to get It together ant
test II, but It ratified like an old mowln,
machine. l had a man look II over, anc
the things that he enumerated that 1
would need new TO put 1t in running orde.
would in my humble opinion, of them
selves make a pretty fair 1
properly put together. without using any
thing that l had left OF my first $50 worth
l had spent $50 In repairs, and stll ma,
nothing. | had bought a cheap car. an,
what l know now the other man knew
when he sold il to me-. l finally sold tn
remains for $50, and had the satisfaction o
seeing It towed away at the tail OF a cart
a fitting humiliation Tor It's mworthiness
This all happened four years ago. l an
sam without an automobile, but l hav
at least learned about them-for eNperlenc
is The teacher even OF fools. shall wal
until | can buy a new car before I be
come a motorist, The first wear is tn
best, The life Of an engine is limited, eve
though the limit may be large, Perhap,
a one knows the life history OF an auto
mobile, the risk is not great in buying
secondhand. But never again for me!-C
M. D'Enyllle In Country Life In America