The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-14
Strange Sights Witnessed
Riding at Night.
UNIQUE PICTURES OF A TOUR
At Midnight Upon n Country Road
the MOtOrist Experiences Unusual
SensntiOns-The Lively Chronicle
of n Trip Worth Remembering.
Beauty and Mystery Combined.


The Conventional Man hung up his
phone. He didn't soliloqhize, because he
wasn't the hero OF an historical novel.
But he thought. and what he thought
was not complimentary 10 the Expert
Driver. Crazy idiot start motoring at
IL at night and get home after dawn
Why can't he 80 at a decent hour?"
Nevertheless, at II o'clock the Conven-
tional Man was on hand. He found the
Expert Driver lighting the big lamps
which make they automobile a monster,
with two iaring eyes. and calling to his
other passengers not TO forget their coats
and wraps.
What do you want OF coats, a warm
night like this?" said the Conventional
Man.
You'll see, said the Expert Driver.
We're going to the strange, far country
of nowhere, in the middle of the world
Of darkness, and it has changeable
climate. It's likely TO freeze before
morning"
"Crazy-crazy as LOOM The Conven-
tional Man dropped back resignedly. Il
don't have TO wear il, anyhow" he
thought.
a big basket went into the tonneau.
and the Expert Drivers wife appeared
carrying a Ratchet Next came Mutual
Friend with camera. a tripod. and a
curious affair Of brass and tubing.
'Ah We're going TO have some snap
shots, I See remarked the Conventional
Man, sarcastically. Every one knows you
can't make snap shots at night"
Yes" agreed the Mutual Friend
night snap shots are very pretty. and 1
want some Land of Nowhere pictures"
'Humph! He's crazy. too! Wish I
hadn't come"
Out Upon the Dark Road.
But in the lively joting of the two
ladies, and the gentle jolting OF the ma
chine over the car tracks, the Conven-
tional Man forgot his strictness and be-
gan to enjoy himself The world was
very much alive In spite Of the hour.
The street cars were crowded. the sum-
mer gardens lively with people coming
and going; the highways brightly lit
But the city was vision for but a few
moments. Then came long blocks OF
houses. with only here and there a light
ed window 10 tell Of some disroblng and
tired pleasure seeker. late abed. or the
lonely vigil beside some sufferer. The
street lamps became farther and farther
apart. The exhaust, muffied as II was.
sounded plainly on the still night air.
The hum Of the motor took on a higher
pitch.
The streets gave way TO roads. bright
In the glare Of the two powerful search
lights-they we're in the country.
Now" said the Expert Driver. I'm
going TO stop for coats You VIII all be
cold in ten minutes If you don't put them
on" So he and the Mutual Friend and
the Two Ladies wrapped up. But the
Conventional Man wouldn't I'm hot
now he said. IN be glad TO get cool"
SO they went on again And from q |
purr the motor hum became a song. and |
from a song. roar, and the cool night /
wind whstled by their heads and laid |
damp upon their clothing. and soon
the Conventional Man vas struggling
into his coat Il hadn't thought of The
dew he confessed. why didn't you |
tell me?" But no one heard him.
Ahead the road stretched out fair and I
snow white for perhaps sixty Yards |
=
Ahead of that was a blank. black wall |
The road was a ribbon-a tightly wound /
ribbon on some giant spool ahead. IN I
winding as II was needed-and, as there /
was no road 10 be seen behind. o. course I
there was another spool under the ma /
chine on which the road was wound /
Seeing is believing. even in the Country |
OF Nowhere.
Strange Sensations of the Trip.
The Conventional Man took note Of other /
strange things. His companions were ST. /
lent, staring out ahead and drinking in |
the air. and a strange and nameless
something which he had never expert /
enced before. He noticed that there were /
but two dimensions instead OF three. in |
this Country OF Nowhere. Trees were
painted scenery. with breadth and length.
but no thickness. The road. when Il
was not ribbon, was a part of the ma
chine. always being pushed ahead as the
machine sped on. He noted. too. that
they shot over many terrific chasms In
the road; he could see them plainly in
the glare OF the lights deep. black riffs
across the path, but that their wheels
never touched the edges. Once. as a par
ticularly vicious looking hole in the road
showed up. he grasped the Expert Driv-
er's shoulder. The Expert Driver turned
a grinning face. Those are the pc
culiar crevasses which abound in the
roads OF the Country OF Nowhere" he
said. They never hurt the machine"
But Mrs. Expert Driver, taking pity on
his puzzled face. said: "They are little
ia nh !
make seem huge chasms. A real chasm
has a sharp edge"
There was something new The Con-
ventional Man had never found IN mo-
toring before in this swift rush through
the night. following the flaming javelin
Of the searchlights. which could pierce
only little way. He recalled reading a
treatise on alchemy once and wondering
II the writer. who said that in the dark
all men were a little crazy. wasn't right
lie began 10 feel. as the Expert Driver
and his companions apparently felt
strangely happy and contented. The
damp night wind was now a benedlction.
The distrust Of the road and It's chasms
had given way to spirit Of languor. He
no longer cared where he went or when
he came back. It was enough Just 10 be
going. He knew inside his mind that
he must be somewhere which in the day
time would prove familiar country Now
he had knowledge Of neither distance.
direction. nor location.
Yes he said aloud. Il like this Coun-
try OF Nowhere I'm glad came
Hurryins Through the Darkness.
The Expert Driver said nothing. But he
did something 10 the little brass things