The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-09-18
PLAYING
CHAUFFEUR
By RYLAND BILL

camp" said Lieutenant Brayton. but
I'd rather be the generals orderly in
camp"
"Or drive caisson." chimed in Cap
tain Cogswell.
Speaking of driving guns. I'd like
to tackle an automobile"
"Why don't you hire out for a chauf-
feur?
by Jove. there's an idea! believe
I'll adopt it,
Brayton was just out of West Point
and had been appointed one of the
presidents aids because he was a de
scendant of commodore in the navy
who tlourished in the war of 1872 He
hired an automobile. and after coming
very near causing the wrecking of
several cars and couple of dozen per
sons he went back to the garage and
asked to be taken on for chauffeur.
The proprietor, having a call for a car
from house in a fashionable quarter
of the city and noticing Braytons gen
teel appearance, sent him to do the
curbstone. He came near mounting it,
A young lady standing in the window,
dressed to go out, came to the door
and descended to the car.
Take me for a ride" she said-"I
don't care where"
Brayton put on the clutch and speed
ed southwark down the Potomac
BE careful" said the young lady as
he skidded round a corner Have you
been driver long?"
Yes. miss" was the reply as he
barely escaped wrecking donkey
cart.
Presently they got out where the
road was more open. and the young
lady began to ask questions. This led
to her giving her handsome chauffeur
Information about herself, Her ia
Their was Senator Brown. but recently
elected and Washington was new to
his family Brayton represented him
self as the son of cab driver. He
said in being chauffeur he had got
point ahead of the old man.
He was talking to the girl with the
/ back of his head forward when he
| heard a toot-toot and Il yell and felt
a smash. An auto rounding q corner
had run him down, The young lady
1 being in the back seat, was unhurt
| but Brayton was sent flying out of his
| seat and landed in the street. He was
! picked up unconscious. The man who
had plunged into his car was beside
/ himself with anxiety. Brayton re-
turned to consciousness and asked
what was the matter He was placed
In the car that had run him down be-
side Miss Brown, and she directed that
they be driven to her fathers house.
The senator was not at home Bray
ton had recovered sufficiently to de-
sire to keep his identity a secret and
gave his name TO several newspaper
reporters as Patrick Doolan. Miss
Brown directed that he be carried into
the house. but he insisted on walking
supported by man on each side. Miss
Brown wished to send him upstairs to
bed. but he preferred resting on a
lounge.
West Point is a good school to edu-
cate young men to hard knocks. and
Brayton had the pluck of a soldier
Nevertheless he 'Sojered," Miss Brown
was SO pretty. so attentive, SO sympa-
thetic. that he preferred to lnger. So
he made several feeble attempts TO
stand on his feet, but when he saw the
color leave her cheeks at witnessing
hn off nj hi hon b.,r-
pain-whiCh he did not feel himself
he lay down again.
Senator Brown, who was busy at the
capital at a meeting of committee of
which he was a member, did not hear
Of the accident. and since his daughter
had not been injured he was not in
formed of it. About o'clock in the
evening he came home. and Mrs
Brown met him at the door to tell him
what had occurred and that the in
jured chauffeur was lying on a lounge
IN the library, being fed dainties and
braced with choice wines by Alice,
their daughter Senator Brown said
he would go in and see the man and
have him removed to his home or a
hospital. whichever seemed best.
When the gentleman stood in the Ii
brary doorway and saw young Bray
ton lying on a lounge. table covered
with luXurtes beside him and Alice
bending over him. look of surprise
dawned in his face. while Brayton
returned look of CONSERVATION The
senator was quite sure he had seen
the chauffeur somewhere and the
chauffeur knew the senator very well
by sight. having seen him often at the
White House
"Are you not one Of the presidents
attendants?" asked Mr. Brown
"1t's all up with me-" replied the
officer ''Im Lieutenant Brayton the
presidents aid thought I'd turn
chauffeur for lark"
Mr. Brayton was forgiven for hay
ing endangered the life of Miss Brown
and invited to remain in the house
till he had recovered. He said that
his chief wish was to keep the matter
from being known. especially to the
newspapers Miss Alice thereupon sug-
gested that it would be best for him to
remain till every vestige of injury had
disappeared.
Attended by a pretty girl, it was
not to be expected that he would re
cover in hurry 1t was a couple Of
weeks before he left the house. and in