The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-25
Copyrighted. 1911
THE BoBBs-MERRILL COMPANY.


and that had to do with matters OF
time. At FIVE minutes OF 8 ne reach.
! ed for his hat: at three minutes OF Q
! he boarded the elevator.
Runs all right today, Sam, he re-
marked genially to the boy whom he
had half throttled the evening before.
He stood for a moment in the en-
trance of the building, enjoying the
sight of the crowds hurrying to their
cars, the elevated, the subway. and the
ferries. The clang and roar of the
city pleased his senses, as a vessel VI
brates to its master tone. Mccarthy
was telling largely paternal as he
stepped toward the corner, for to a
great extent the distinies of these peo-
pie were in his hands.
Easy marks~ was his philan-
thropic expression of this sentiment.
At the corner he stopped for a car.
He glanced up at the clock of the
Metropolitan tower. The bronze
hand pointed TO the stroke of six. As
he looked, the first note of the quar-
ter chimes rang out The car swung
the corner and headed down the street.
Mccarthy stepped forward. The
sweet chimes ceased their fourfold
phraising, and the great bell began its
spaced and solemn booming.
One. two, three, four, FIVE; six Nc
Carthy counted. At the recollection
of a crazy message from the Unknown
he smiled. He stepped forward to
hold up his hand at the car. Some
what to- his surprise the car had al
ready stopped some twenty feet away.
Mccarthy picked his way to the car.
Wonder you wouldn't stop at a
crossing" he growled. swinging aboard.
Juice give out" explained the mo-
torman.
Mccarthy clambered aboard and sat
down in a comfortably filled car. Up
and down the perspective Of the street
Ten minutes slipped by; then Malachi
Mccarthy grew, impatient, With a
muttered 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 Mccarthy. throwing his ad
dress 10 the expectant chaufer.
The man hoped down from his box
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 doz-
en- times. Then, grasping the starting
handle with frmer grip. he ''whirled"
the engine-without result.
What's the matter? Can't you
make her go:" demanded Mccarthy,
thrusting his head from the door
VIII you please listen. sir. and see
il you hear a buzz when | turn her
OVER? requested the chauffeur.
Il don't hear nothing was the YER
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. en-
tered the next taxi in line, and re-
peated the same experience. By now
the other chauffeurs. noticing the pre-
dicament OF their brethren, were anx-
iously and perspiringly at work. Not
an engine answered the call OF the
road 4 passing truck driver. grinning
from ear to ear. drove slowly down
the line, dealing out the ancient jests
rescued for the occasion from an OBJ
livion to which the perfection of the
automobile had consigned them
Mccarthy added his mite: he was
beginning to feely himself the victim
of a series OF nagging impertinenceS.
which he resented after his kind
If" said he. YOUR company would
put ont something on the street be-
sides a bunch OF retired grist-mills
with clock dials hitched on to them,