The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1915-12-09

! shall not stop here to describe the
first stage Of our journey through the
narrow. rocky byroads. that ended
eventually In the broad alpine high
way south and west Of Vienna. Let
II be sufficient to say that we jostled
along for twelve or fifteen miles with.
out special incident, although We were
nervously anxious and apprehensive.
Our guidebook pointed. or rather twid.
died, route from the river fats into
the hills, where we came up with the
main road about O'Clock.
We were wrapped and goggled TO the
verge OF righteousness. II would have
been quite impossible TO penetrate our
motor masks and armor even for one
Possessed Of a keen and practiced eye.
The countess was heavily yelled. Grea
goggles bulged beneath the green.
gnuZy thing that protected her lovely
face from sun, wind and man. A mo-
tor coat two or three sizes too large
enveloped her slender, graceful figure.
and gauntlets covered her hands. Even
Rosemary's tiny face was wrapped In
a silken veil OF white. As for the rest
OF us, We could not have been mistak.
en- for anything on earth but American
automobiles ruthlessly inspired to see
Europe with the sole view TO compar.
Ing her roads with our own at home.
You would have said on seeing US that
We knew great deal about roads and
very little about home.
Colingraft and Britton. the latter at
the wheel. sat In the front seat, while
shared the broad cushions OF the
tonneau with the countess. part OF the
time holding Rosemary. who was clam.
oring for food. and the rest OF the time
holding my breath in the fear that we
might slip over a precipice. am al.
ways nervous when not driving the
chr myself.
We stopped for breakfast at a small
mountain inn fifteen miles from our
starting place. The countess, a faint
red spot In each cheek and a curiously
bright. feverish glow 10 her dark eyes,
revealed tendency TO monopolize the
conversation. condition properly at
iriutcd 10 nervous excitement
could see that she was vastly thrilled
by the experiences OF the hour Her
quick. alert brain was keeping pace
with the rush Of blood that stimulated
every fber In her body 10 new activi.
ties. She talked almost necessarily
and chiefly about matters entirely for
elgn TO the enterprise In hand. The
more ! see Of women the less ] know
about them. Why she should have
spent the whole half hour devoted to
breakfast to a surprisingly innocuous
dissertation ON Schopenhauer and
NietZSche II. or was. beyond me
How was | to know that tears lay
close to the surface OF those Skinner.
ing. vivacious eyesl How was 10
know that sobs took refuge behind a
simulated interest In philosophy?
We had luncheon picnic fashion half
way to our journeys end. diyerging
from the main road to dnd secluded
spot where we could spread our cloth
and open our hampers without fear Of
interruption or. 10 use more sinister
word. detection. II was rather a Jolly
AFFAIR. that first and last al fresco ban
suet Of ours under the spreading
branches Of mighty trees and beside
me trickllng waters Of a gay little
mountain brook that hurried like mad
down 70 the broad channel Of the DG1-
ube, now many miles away. The
strain Of the first few hours had slack.
ened. Success seemed assured. We
had encountered no difficulties. no dan
gers In town OF country. No one ap-
peared 10 be interested In US except
through idle curiosity; villagers and
peasants stared at US and grinned: pO-
hcemen and soldiers stood aside TO let
Us pass or gave directions politely
when requested to DO so. There were
no signs OF pursuit, no Indications O,
trouble ahead And so we could AZ.
ford TO be gay and confident at our
midday meal IN the hills bordering the
broad highway.
We even went so far as 10 arrange
for a jolly reunion In New York city
at no distant day! remember dis.
uDctly that We were to dine at Sher. |
RVS. To me the day seemed a long |
way on.
suppose. being a writer Of fiction.
/ should be able to supply at this point
In the narrative series Of thrilling. |
perhaps hair raising, encounters with
the enemy in the form Of spies. cut
threats, imperial mercenaries or what
ever came handlest 10 the imagina-
ton. II would be very simple mat.
ter TO transform this veracious history
tnfa Nha tn,at Iurta ~ .,..i.aro hu