The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-04-17
CHAPTER !.
The Wreck Of the Taxicab.

man dlOHBSlue, as III she were terri
fed at the lawbreaking. neck-risking
speed. But evidently some greater
fear gusIen ser, for she gasped:
Cant he go a little taster?"
Cant you go little faster?" The
young man alongside howled as he
thrust his head and shoulders through
the window in the door
But the self-created taxigale swept
his voice att, and the taut chauffeur
perked his ear in vain to catch the
vanishing syllables.
whats that?" he roared.
Cant you go a little faster?'
The indignant charioteer simply
had to shoot one barbed glare of re-
proach into that passenger. lie turned
his head and growled:
Say, do youse want to lose me me
license?"
For just one instant he turned his
head. One instant was just enough.
The unguarded taxicab seized the OPP
portunity. bolted from the track, and
flung, as it were, its arms drunkenly
around a perfectly respectable lamp
post attending strictly to its business
on the curb. There ensued a con-
densed Fourth of July. Sparks flew,
tires exploded. metals ripped, two
wheels spun in air and one Wheel
neatly severed at the axle, went reel
Ing down the sidewalk half a block
before it leaned against a tree and
rested.
A dozen or more miracles conceded
to save the passengers from injury.
The young man found himself stand
ing on the pavement with the I'M
hinged door still around his neck. The
young woman's arms were round his
neck Her head was on his shoulder.
1t had reposed there often enough,
but never before in the street under
lamppost. The chauffeur found him
self in the road, walking about on all
tours, like a bewildered quadruped.
Evidently some empowering need
for speed possessed the young wom-
an, for even now she did not scream,
she did not faint, she did not muir
muir, Where am -" She simply said:
what time is it, honey
And the young man, not realizing
how befuddled he really was, or how
his hand trembled, fetched out his
watch and held it under the glow OF
the lamppost, which was now bent
over in a convenient but disreputable
attitude.
"A quarter to ten, sweetheart
Plenty of time for the train
But the minister, honey! What
about the Minister
The consideration of this riddle was
interrupted by a muffied hubbub OF
yelps, whimpers and canine Mysteries.
Immediately the young woman forgot
ministers, collisions, train-schedules-
everything She showed her first sign
OF panic.
"Snoozleums! Get Snoozleums!"
They CROPPED about in the topsy-
turvy taXicab, rummaged among a
tumble of suitcases, handbags, UNI
brellas and minor impedimenta, and
fished out a small dog-basket with an
inverted dog inside. Snoozleums was
ridiculous in any position, but as he
slid tail foremost from the wicker
basket, he resembled nothing so much
as a heap of tangled yarn tumbling
out of work-basket. He was an In
dignant skein, and had much to say
before he consented to snuggle under |,
his mistress chin.
About this time the chauffeur came |
prowling into view. He was too deep |
ly shocked to emit any language OF |
the garage. He was too deeply |
shocked to achieve any comment more |
brilliant than:
THAT mess don't look much like it |
ever was a taxicab, does it?"
The young man shrugged his Shout
ders, and stared up and down the |
long street for another. The young |
woman looked sorrowfully at the
wreck, and queried:
do you think you can make it go?"
The chauffeur glanced her way,
more in pity for her whole sex than in |
scorn for this one type, as he num-
bled:
Make II go? tn take a steam
winch a week to unwrap it from that
lamppost."
The young man apologized.
II oughtn't TO have yelled at you"
lie was evidently very nice young
man. Not to be outdone in courtesy,
the chauffeur retOrted:
Il hadn't ought to have turned me
head"
The young woman thought, what
nice chauffeur!" but she gasped:
Great heavens. you're hurt!"
tits nuttin' but scratch on me
t'umb."
Lend me a clean handkerchief,
Harry"
The young man whipped out his re-
serve supply. and in a trice II was a
bandage on the chauffeur's hand. The
chauffeur decided that the young wom-
an was even nicer than the young