Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-02-24
An Automobile Acquiescence
By STACY E. BAKER
Copyright. lsie BY Associated Literary Press


When the automobile ran away with
Miss Lcnnie Lee 1t was on long
stretch of straight road. and its Jog
ging pace never would have establish
ed speed records. All this. therefore,
was a modification of trouble. and
hardly called for the shrill screams Of
the girl.
II all came about through Lonnie's
omnipresent curiosity. No sooner hac
her chum and hostess, Mrs. Greg Hol-
sen, dismounted to make q speedy en-
trance into small shop to pay a bill
than the blue-eyed, yellow-haired girl
from New York felt an uncomfortable
impulse to seize the wheel and give 1t
Just one wee turn.
In cab-cluttered Gotham Miss Lees
automobile excursions had been me-
chanically managed by her fathers
driver, with Miss Lee sedately seated
on q rear seat; but Mrs. Holsen's run
about was invariably guided by that
estimable young mstron herself II
was easy. Miss Lonnie Lee was posi-
tive of 1t. Besides, this was such an
infinitesimal bit of a machine. Any
one could run it.
Reaching forth a dainty gloved
hand, Lonnie seized the wheel and
gave It a sharp turn. With joyous
throb the little machine seemed to
culver for a moment; then 1t positive
ly sprang into the air and raced down
the road.
Miss Lonnie had expected a mild,
lady-like response to her touch. Such
q demonstration as this drove the wee,
undeveloped germ of reason out of
her frivolous little head, and scream
after scream. two-lung power. pune
tured the country silence, and fright
ened the Carcordians almost into fits.
Carcord was only the smallest OF
dots on the map of the state. 1t was
conservative, reserved, and-until now
quiet. Only the best summer so
iourners from the larger cities visited
Carcord, for the possession Of all
available property in this select COM
munity was limited to a few discern
ing people-people who knew the ear
marks Of blue blood without asking
one who his or her great-great-grand-
father was.
Mrs. Greg Holsen, at Lonnie's first
staccato stab at the atmosphere, ma
terialized in the door of the shop. Her
excited advice to the maid was drown
ed in more hair-raising shrieks from
the runabout. Miss Lonnie was not in
a receptive mood.
The runabout kept to the road, am
bling along in a business-like way,
and, as this was down grade, gradu-
ally increasing in motion. 1t was ear
ly in the season at Carcord. Later a
dozen cars would have instantly start
ed in pursuit. but now Mrs. Greg Hol-
sen, with the guests of her house
party, were the only summer sojourn-
ers in the community. and automo-
biles were conspicuously rare among
the natives.
Lonnie Lee, shifting speedily from
center stage. SO to speak. left an able
understudy in the pretty person OF
Mrs. Holsen. The screams of the de-
parted damsel were as nothing com
pared to the lung-expanding yells es-
Gaping the fair lips of the young ma.
tron. Open-mouthed. the natives con.
gregated. This was a new phase of
city sensatioralism.
Just as the hysterical Mrs. Greg
Holsen was about to establish a rec
ord spurt. red car honked a husky
warning to the whiskered ones inter
ested in the lady's vocal demonstra-
ton and drew to an abrupt stop in
front of the little shop.
"Louisel" An impatient hand grasp
ed, not too daintily, the arm of the
woman. Stop that noise. and tell me
what 1t is all about!"
With one last shrek for good meas
ure. Mrs. Greg obeyed. and turned an.
cry eyes on her brother.
Jack How can you stand here
when that poor. dear girl may be
dashed to pieces at any moment?"
What. poor. dear girl?'" demanded
the youth. impatiently. And for
heavens sake. Louise. quit smiling
and get down to facts"
Jack Ellston was an athletic youth
broad shouldered. His night-black eyes
stared impatiently at his sister
"Well?" he demanded.
why, Lonnie Lee. of course" wall.
ed the overwrought matron. who
else started away with me In my run.
about-and now it's run away with
her!"
Ellston wanted to hear no mere. In
an instant he was In his machine. and
with bound the great car rolled
down the broad pike in the direction
the runaway runabout had taken.
Only the evening before the youth
had ventured 10 ask a certain favor
Of Miss Lonnie Lee. This favor had
been withheld. pending careful
thought, but Miss Lea gave little en-
couragement for a report calculated
to please the Eilston scion. Lonnie
Lee at times took herself most seri.
ously. While winsome In these moods
she was slso quite unapproachable
Professional careers a-plsnty she had
mapped out for herBelf. Now she
would be a nurse.
Ellston reviewed the situation az he