Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1914-04-03
MAID AND A BUBBLE
She Thought There Was Some
thing the Matter With the
Sparker-There Was.
BY EMMETT cAMBPELL HALL.

BY EMMETT CAMPBELL HALL.
Perhaps | should have waited until
was more familiar with the mechan
ism of the thing before inviting Rose
to take a spin in my bubble; | was
very particular TO say spin and
"bubbie," as indicating an easy famil
iarity with automobiles. very far from
the true state OF affairs.
Miss Prescott Il did not say
Rose" when addressing her con
TESS that have always been bit
bashful with girls.) would be de
lighted. Thursday afternoon?
That was on Monday. | had some
secret misgivings as 10 the outcome
OF the expedition. and spent SO much
time out in the machine as to incur
the frown of the senior member OF
the firm, who coldly intiInated that In
his junior days men were expected 10
remain at the Office longer than the
period required TO ask IL there was
any mail for them. However, ! was
doing first rate with the machine. SC
didn't mind old Tomkins growls
much. Even Williams. from the agency
after an afternoon during which had
only run over one dog, a chicken. and
collided with two trucks, admitted re
luctantly that maybe in year or two
| might be able to travel along coun
try road, If there wasn't nobody else
wantin' to use 1t the came day"
had known Miss Prescott for a
long time, and generally whenever
there was anything doing We did II
together. AS a matter of fact, when
come to think il over, she Is about
the only girl that have even called
on oftener than enough to keep az
acquaintance. Somehow II seemed
the natural thing to drop In there sun
day afternoons, and she always ex
pected, as a matter of course, that
0ould stay for supper. Yes. on the
whole, ! suppose | spent about all oil
my spare time In her company.
never bothered 70 think about II, spe
cialiy. however, till on two Sunday
afternoons In succession found Billy
Eagnn there when | dropped ID.
didn't stay to supper. and went away
feeling injured And presently peo
pie began to make little comments
on how much they were together
watching me out OF the corners oil
their eyes.
Thursday afternoon came around
on schedule time, and ! brought the
machine up TO Bliss Prescott's door
with what considered quite credit
able dash. She was sitting on the
porch. talking to Billy Eagan. They
both got up and came down the steps
We'll, you children run along" said
Billy. in that dlsgustingly easy way
Of his. Take my advice. Norton
and the Blairville road. The country
is so we'll populated along that route
that when you break down IL will be
near house. and you can get team
to tow you in"
| didn't deem this levity worthy OF a
reply, but ! instantly abandoned my
former intention of going out on the
Blairyille road. and determined 70
take. the valley road, on which the
houses are set at intervals OF about
four miles Billy stood back and
waved his handkerchief as We started
II he expected to see me make an
exhibition of myself in getting out OF
the driveway gate. he was disap
pointed, as | had fully two inches to
spare as we passed the gate post
After we had gotten clear of the
town and were skimming smoothly
along the country road, was able to
give little less attention to my steer
ing and a little more to Rose. She
did not seem in quite her usual
spirits and there was little drooI
at the corners OF her mouth, but she
presently braced up, and ratified
along In a way that struck me as be
ing bit feyerish. ! mentioned Billy
Eagan. and she rather pointedly
changed the subject.
There is pretty spring just off the
road, about four miles out from town
and Rose suggested that we stoT
there in the shade for while: sc
when we reached the place | steered
the machine TO the side OF the road
and we got out. We had walked q
/ hundred yards perhaps when Rose
suddnely turned back.
ssWait a minute. | forgot my hand