Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-03-18

as 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 II
ever was 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 1t go?'
The chauffeur glanced her way
more in pity for her whole sex than ID
scorn for this one type, as he mum
bled:
Make it go? It'll take steam
winch a week to unwrap it from that
lamppost.'
The young man apologized.
u oughtn't to have yelled at you.
He was evidently very nice young
man. Not to be outdone IN courtesy,
the chauffeur retorted:
81 hadn't ought to have turned me
head"
The young woman thought, What
2 nice chauffeur" but she gasped:
Great heavens, you're hurt!"
It's muffin but a scratch on me
t'umb."
Lend me clean handkerchief,
Harry"
The young man whipped out his re-
serve supply, and in trice it was
bandage on the chautfeur's hand. The
chauffeur decided that the young WON.
an was even nicer than the young
man. But he could not settle on way
to say it, So he said nothing, and
grinned sheepishly as he said II.
The young man named Harry was
wondering how they were to proceed
He had already studied the region
with dismay, when the girl resolved:
Wen have to take another taxi,
Harry"
Yes, Marjorie, but we can't take 1t
till we get it,
You might wait here all night wit
cut ketchin' Gimp of one" the
chauffeur ventured. Il come this way
because you wanted me to take
short cut"
It's the longest short cut ever
saw" the young man sighed, as he
gazed. this way and that.
The place of their shipwreck was so
deserted that not even crowd had
gathered. The racket Of the collision
had not brought single policeman.
They were in dead world OF granite
warehouses, wholesale stores and fac
tories, all locked and forbidding, and
full of silent gloom.
In the daytime this was big trade
artery OF Chicago, and all day long 1t
was thunderous with trucks and COM
utterly abandoned that the night
watchmen rarely slept outside, and
no footpad found it worth while to
set up shop
The three castaways stared every
which way, and every which way was
peace. The ghost OF a pedestrian or
two hurried by in the far distance.
A cat or two went furtively in search
Of warfare or romance. The lamp.
posts stretched on and on in both d.
rections in two forevers.
In the faraway there was muf-
fed rumble and the faint clang of q
bell. Somewhere street car was
humping along its rails. i
Our only hope" said Harry. Come
along, Marjorie
He handed the chauffeur five dollars
as poultice to his wounds. tucked
the girl under one arm and the dog
basket under the other. and set out,
calling back to the chauffeur:
Good night"
Good night" the girl called back:
."Gcod night" the chauffeur echoed.
He stood watching them with the ten
der gaze that even chauffeur, may
feel for young love Fastening to a
honeymoon.
He stood beaming so, till their foot
stems died in the silence. Then he
turned back to the chaotic remnants
of his machine. He worked at 1t hope
lessly for some time, before he had
reason to look within. There ne
found the handbags and suitcases, UNI
brellas and other equipment. He ran
to the corner to call after the owners.
They were as absent OF body as they
had heen absent of mind.