Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-01-06
A Mechanical
Chauffeur
Ne Made Himself Useful to {
Newly Licensed Driver
By MlLLARD MALTBlE

to run an automobile. I'm going out
in the car"
ats too cold. You'll freeze. Be-
sides. there's Ice on the road. and your
machine Is liable to skid"
"Oh, I shall drive very carefully
around corners and keep my speed
down to dozen miles an hourT
winifred, who was used to doing
pretty much as she pleased, called for
her car. BY the time II was brought mp
10 the door she was arrayed In a FUR
coat, cap and goggles and, getting Into
the drivers seat. was soon whirllng
along at what she considered nothing
more than fair pace. She stopped at
the house of a friend and invited her
to drive. but the young lady had other
matters on hand. She tried another
and another, but they were either out
or busy. and Mt last she made up her
mind that she must spin alone.
The air was crisp. with plenty OF
ozone In 1t. and. since Winifred was
we'll protected, she was not cold. AS
soon as she got out Of the city. coming
70 straight wide road. she put on more
speed. 1t was delightful bowling along
with her hands On the steering gear
and her foot on the brake, ready to re-
duce speed at the slightest sign Of dam
ger. She had been impatiently waiting
for birthday which would give her
the age required to obtain license.
and, this being the first time she had
been out without some one to act as
instructor, she was very proud Of her,
self. besides being much exhilarated.
She put on little more speed and still
little more till she was going at a
pretty good gait.
Auto drivers seldom realize how fast
they are going. Winifred certainly did
not. Coming to turn In the road. she
slowed down. us she thought. quite
enough to 60 around the curve safely,
but did not count on ice. To weather
that turn she would have needed to
move no faster than person would
walk. Instead Of that she was going at
the rate of five or six miles an hour.
| The consequence was that she skidded
into a ditch beside the road and re-
mained Mt IN angle not quite sufficient
to throw her cur over.
What was to be done2 Nothing but
iump out. for she was not sure that the
machine might turn turtle. after all.
This she did and stood looking at 1t
ruefully. She dare not try to run 1t by
It's own power up on to the road. and
there was no other way to get 1t there.
She cast an lnquiring glance up the
road and was relieved to see car
coming. When 1t reached her the
| driver. who occupied 1t alone, came to
| stop and took in the situation.
He was evidently either a mechanic
or Il chauffeur. for. throwing off an
overcoat. he displayed suit Of over
alls. Jumping out Of his car, he stood
looking ut Winifred's as If celebrating
ON the best plan to get 1t up on to the
road.
II could pull 1t up with my ma
chine" he said. but have no tackle.
see no way for me to proceed except
by going for rope VIII you 60 with
me or wait here till ! return"
| Winifred concluded to remain with
her machine. The wind was blowing
cold. but she could walk to and fro. The
man thought he could get back with
some sort OF tackle without going very
far and. promising to hurry. left her.
She sauntered back and forth. remain
ing near her car. In order to keep
warm. Now and again teams or cars
passed her, and she received offers OF
help, but declined them all. stating
that she was being served already. II
was not long before the man in over.
alls returned with chain and some
rope. besides stout piece of wood to
place under the wheels on the lower
side of the car to prevent 1t from go
ing over. Having got the wood under
by means Of jacking up the forward
wheel. he connected the auto with bis
own ard succeeded In drawing 1t up
on the road.
But on examining Its machinery be
found that certain parts had been bent
or broken. and the car could not be
moved by Its own power. He told
Winifred that he would drag II to his
shop and ax 1t for her.
81 haven't any money with me to pay
for all this" she said. but can SEND
It to you"
"Oh. that's all right" said the man
Don't worry about that. think you
would better get into your auto to steer
It and put on the brake when neces
,ary."
Winifred did MS she was bidden, ant
the two autos made their way slowly
I'LL the mechanic turned into thu
grounds of n country place ant
brought up at what was evidently c
private garage.
"Have you the tools here to enable
you to do the work?" asked Winifred.
"Yes." was the reply. II do most o
the repairing on the cars in thi'
garage"
J 81 see." said Winifred. "You are
mechanic and chauffeur In one wisl
papa would employ such man: i
would be 80 nice to have the repairing
dono uyithnuf sanding the car some
where else. should think II wouk
be less expensive too"
The young man by this time was en-
gagged In putting Winifred's car mt
the garage and over pit from whicl
he could work on It's lower machinery
AS soon as he had got 1t into position
; he drew up O chair for Winifred ant
asked her to be seated. The garag
was artiHcially heated. and. throwin
back her wraps. she sat down In q pc
, sItiou where she could see the ma
work. She had been 50 absorbed 1
her accident and what to do In tn
matter that she had not especially NJ
tlced him. Now she saw that he wa
about twenty-five years old and ha
3 he not been in overalls would douD'
Q less have been quite good looking. sh
3 had noticed. too. that his voice wa
we'll modulated and there were n
: breaks in his English. Bis eyes wer
particularly attractive. being e1pre'
siye gray ones