Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-02
LEN ADAIR GOES
JT AUTOMOBILING
!. IN STRANGE CAR
Gets Her First Glimpse
the .Conviviality of a
Wayside Inn. and Meets a
Peculiar Couple.


only wanted peace and solitude. But
such were not for me that night.
- True to his word. at o clock my escort
( did arrive. His coming was herslded by
n strange noises, and loud, rattling, bump
81 ing sound over the uneven paving of the
y street The music of foghorn such as
Il the White Star liner carried broke the
quiet stiffness of the evening air. ] have
never heard more appalling melody!
Behind my windowpane | saw a curious
sight. A large and ancient motorcar, which
4 had a battered, Yet withal strangely
rakish air, waS making odd endeavors
to halt outside the lodging house door,
This veritable Noah's Ark gave forth a
e. aoud, GO gasping sound the while it
d turned and twisted. Around
children of the street were con-
- nstantaneously.
=, he driver pull UP sharp, and mop
Il. .l4 IS ~ anxious forehead. THANK good
Fe old tub and l are here quite safe!'
tA9Afd him murmur ferventiy At first
f~I did not recognize this strange chauffeur.
Then he dismounted, and saw my friend!
But what a change was there! Gone
was the quiet demeanor, gone the unob-
truslve air! He and his curious chariot
shared the same odd jaunty look. Per-
4 haps have misjudged him, but it struck
a ME that his clothes were of a loud and
\ noisy cut. The oldest little hat that I
have ever seen was perched at q strange
angle on his head. Beneath 1t beamed a
very kindly face, its true-perhaps | am
too sensitive to outward looks, but OH l
thought the enormous rose he sported in
mis- buttonhole was il-advised.
I slowly came down to the entrance
n hall and met him there. He seized my
hand in genuine glee. "Why, Miss Adair."
cried he, you do look fine tonight! My
car Is waiting, SO please step right in.
y Where would you care to dine tonight?"
"A The landlady was eyeing him in undis-
. az
N from the kitchen door, a look of wonder
aon her rosy countenance. We must have
looked an ill-assorted couple. he and l!
n felt my cheeks grow hot beneath her
gaze.
please take me anywher only let us
nrt of as quickly as possible" I answered
Eously.
10 millionaire with $4,000 car was
yer prouder than my friend of his ma
hine,
"A most reliable car" said he as he
anded me in, mot of the latest pattern.
Is true, but then these latest cars have
10 stability Give ne this one for style
Ind staying power!'
tz They say that truth turks in the
strangest sayings, and his last words did
come true--not in the sense that he in
tended It!
THE START
~ The cranking OF the car took quite an
AEe-the comments of the children in the
Iss Estreet were dreadful, and my cheeks did
n not cool of until we started.
We set off with sudden, violent jerk
that flung me forward Unexpectedly. |
felt most oddly disconnected at the start!
The children in the street cheered most
vociferously.
'T see you are not accustomed to auto
rnobilins," remarked my companion air
fly, "before the evenings over. you will
feel quite at home inside motorcar"
felt that most certainly should not!
also noticed that, for the professed
owner OF a car, this gay young man dis
played strange ignorance OF the very
elements OF its mechanism. We swayed
along in most uncertain fashion,
thought the steering gear was not quite
right.
''win We not hit the sidewalk" cried
zsIt, "Oh, please be careful, we just
Aesed that trolley car by half-an-inch!'
lever shall forget that dreadful ride.
a4',h convinced that this strange chauffeur
ID never driven car in all his life be-
35re!
You do not sound your horn at all?'
~ said inquiringly.
! THE horn got damaged when !
y oranked the car. 1t will not sound"
said no. sepulchrally, as on We rushed,
The prospect did not sound encourag-
ing.
At almost every corner We ran up on
the pavement and only by most violent
brium restored II was a dreadful,
dreadful time!
At length We reached a roadside inn,
and there we paused, In spite of
strange shaking OF the knees, scrambled
out with all celerity.
The place was lit up garishly, and at
the little tables everywhere I saw an
odd variety OF people sitting In one
corner piano was humping out a
popular air. while strange young man
Eambolsd playfully around the room
assuring every one in a high fslsetto
thGI thu high cost OF loving" was
Keeping him broke" that "the high cost
Of living was "only toke'-that he
borrowed from mother, from sister and
6rothsr to try TO keep up with the
strenuous efforts were OF no avail, for
he'd have to stop loving awhile"
Ny companion and sat doWn at the
nearest table, and the frst thing he
ordered struck me as rather peculiar
II was two "Breaths OF Spring" ! had
never heard OF anything so strange!
please bring a Bronx along, too" he
called out after the waiter.
THE DIZZY BLONDE.
I hooked around the crowded room and
saw great gaasty everywhere Right at
q table opposite were the oldest couple
very large, very stout LADY Of uncer-
= very small. very timid-looking little
man. He stggled wildly at her poorest
Jokes, yet looked as II he really were
afraid OF her He had a tmid, de-
prscatinB air.
The Iady's coinurs was a dizzy shade
OF gold Her gown was a bright blue.
and, like herself, a good long way from
it's first youthful freshness. Yet she had
truly artless ana a kittenish air, and
every now and then would playfully tap
her little partner opposite with a large
and heavy hand / noticed that he
started neryously at each approaching
symptom OF such playfulnessi Surely
the punctuation OF her Jokes did not re-
quirs such Spartan methods!
A curious thing occurred Just at this
moment My escort turned and saw this
oddly assorted couple. With a loud shout
Of glss. he whisked across the room, and
seized the large hands OF the dizzy
blonde heard him address her In
rapturOus tones as "Kiddo" Why, she
looked over forty. II day. Just for one
moment ] thought that this must be
s01s aful joke that he was playing
a H.