Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-05-15

could be seen other cars, also stalled
Ten minutes slipped by: then Malachi
Mccarthy grew impatient With NUT
tered growl he rose, elbowed his way
through the strap-hangers and stepped
to the street. A row of idle taxicabs
stood in front OF the Atlas building.
Into the first of these bounced Mo
Carthy, throwing his address to the
expectant chauffeur.
The man hoped down from hts boz,
threw on the coil switch and ran to
the front He turned the engine over
the compression, but no explosion fol-
lowed. He repeated the effort q dozen
times. Then, grasping the starting
handle with firmer grip, he
"whirled" the engine without result.
What's the matter? Can't you make
her go?" demanded Mccarthy, thrust
Ing his head from the door.
will you please listen. SIR. and SEQ
II you hear buzz when turn her
over?" requested the chauffeur.
Il don't hear nothing" was the ver-
dict.
I'm sorry. but you'll have to take
another cab." then said the man. my
coils gone back ON me-"
Mccarthy impatiently descended,
entered the next taxi in line. and re-
peated the same experience. BY now
the other chauffeurs, noticing the
precicament OF their brethren, were
anxfously and perspiringly at work.
Not an engine answered the call Of
the road! A passing truck driver, grim
ming from ear to ear, drove slowly
down the line, dealing out the ancient
jests rescued for the occasion from an
oblivion to which the perfection Of the
automobile had consigned them.
Mccarthy added his mite; he. was
beginning to feel himself the victim Of
a series Of nagging impertinences,
which he resented after his kind.
IT," said he, your company would
put out something on the street be-
sides a bunch of retired grist-mills
with clock tiials hitched on to them,
you might be able to give the public
some service. I've got lots of time.
Don't hurry through your afternoon
exercise on my account just buy q
lawn mower and q chatelaine watch
apiece-you'd do just as we'll"
BY now every man had his battery
box open. Mccarthy left them. puzxling
over the singular failure OF tho
electrical apparatus, which Is the
nervous system of the modern auto
mobile.
He turned into Fifth avenue. An
astonishing sight met his eyes.
The old days had returned. The
center Of the long roadway down
which ordinarily long file of the pur-
ring monsters Of gasoline creep and
dash. shouldering aside the few han
SONS and v1ctorias remaining from q
bygone age, now showed but swing
ing slashing trot Of horses.
Hansoms, hacks, broughams; up
raised whips, whirling in signal; the
spat spat of horses hoofs; all the
obsolescent vehicles that ordinarily
doze in hope along the stands OF the
side streets: 1t was a gay sight OF the
past raised again for the moment to
reality by the same mysterious blight
that had Swallowed the Atlas building
the night before.
Along the curbs, where they had
been hand-pushed under direction
from the traffic squad. stood an UNI
broken line of automobiles. And the,
hood OF each was raised for the eager
tinkering OF it's chauffeur. Past them
streamed the horses, and the faces Of
their drivers were illumined by broad
grlns.
Mccarthy looked about him for a
hanson. There was none unengaged.
In fact, the boss soon determined that
many others, like himself, were wait
Ing for a chance at the first vacant
one. Reluctantly he made up his mind
to walk. He glanced up at the tower
OF the Metropolitan building; then
stared in astonishment. The hands Of
the great dial were still perpendicular
the hour indicated was still 6 o'clock.