Evening journal., 1910-04-05
TheChauffeur
By BEATRICE TUCKER
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.


you your gogglesT
Goggles? Mol Do you suppose I
would make myself hideous by wear
ing such thingsT
Imogen went out to the piazza, where
at the foot Of the steps the automo-
bile was waiting, and said to the
chauffeur:
"You needn't go today, William. I'm
going to drive myself"
Eyes. ma'am." $40
ais everything all rightY
ayes, ma'am."
"Come, Molly; let's be off,"
Molly came hurrying out, trying to
adjust a veil and pull on a pair Of
gloves at the same time. a somewhat
difficult feat to perform. The two got
into the auto. and the machine chug-
ged down the driveway to the gate.
1t was a mild spring morning, and the
roads were fine. Imogen was quite
an expert driver and there was moth
ing to mar the pleasure of the trip
till they had been out a couple of
hours and were some thirty miles
from home. Then one of the tires
subsided and let the wheel to which
1t belonged down on to the ground.
"Oh. dearl' exclaimed Molly.
"What shall we do?"
There's a shed or stable or some
thing over there; let's go over and
see If we can get any help"
Having placed the auto on the side
of the road. they both walked the hun
dred yards that separated them from
the house and found a man in over
alls tinkering with an automobile.
"Oh. how fortunate" exclaimed
Molly. 'Its n garage"
"We've got a puncture or some
thing" said Imogen to the man. "We've
left our auto out there in the road.
Would you mind coming out to see
what's the matterp
The man left his work, went with
them to their auto. inspected the wheel
and said;
Its not a case of puncture. There's
a rip in the tire"
"Oh, dearr exclaimed Imogen. "Can
It be fixed?"
mot here. / haven't the tools"
'What shall we doT
'I'll put enough wind in It to get
your machine into my garage, and
there it must be left till you can get
another tire. see you have no 'ex-
tra.'"
The man managed after much diff
Guilty to get the auto into the garage;
then he said to them:
II will take you to your home, and
you can send some one out with an
extra tire to take your auto back"
''Do you think that's the only thing
to do?"
"Yes. Please wait till go to the
house and get of these overalls. I'll
be back in a moment"
He went up a byroad and disappear
ed. The two girls occupied themselves
looking at an imposing mansion on the
top Of a hill, at the foot of which they
waited.
''That's a fine house." said Imogen.
''I wouldn't mind being at the head of
that house-that il, If had a husband
to be-
"At the foot" supplied Molly.
In few moments the man returned
in chauffeur costume.
Il should think you'd be hungry"
he said. Its past lunchtime, and
you'll not get home before 3 o'clock.
Perhaps you'd better so up to that
summer hotel" pointing to the house
they had been admiring, land get
soma hing to eat It's not yet opened
for Tie season. but 1 think you'll find
something to stay your appetite"
what beautiful site for a hotelv
exclaimed Imogen. I'VE thought it a
private house"
They climbed the hill. were admit
ted by a maid in white and black
uniform and shown into a dining
room having none Of the appearance
Of one belonging to a hotel. There 4
delicious luncheon was served. on
attempting to pay for it the mait
said that there was no one in the
house to receive cash and they would
have to pay another time.
"We'll leave It with the man at thl
garage down there" said Imogen.
"Yes, m'm," the girl assented.
Returning to the garage. they foun'
the man waiting for them with al
auto ready. They entered it ant
started for home. On the way hom
the chauffeur became more communi
cative, and Imogen remarked soft
voce to Molly that he used very goo
language for an auto tinker. Whe
they reached the house Imogen too
out her pocketbook. asking him hoy
much his charge would be, includin
the luncheon.
The chauffeur replied that there wa
no charge for the ride; on the cor
trary. he had been much honored. A
for the luncheon. he owned the hous
in which they had lunched, and
this, too. they had honored him.
The girls looked at each other /
CONSERVATION.
"But you said" Imogen protested
''that the house was a summer hotel.
Il lied there" said the man impel
turbably.
The three sat regarding one anothe
for few moments, then burst OF
laughing.
Pardon me-" said the chauffeur,
couldn't help it. You walked rigt
into your own trap"
That was some years ago. Toda
Imogen is at the head Of the house o