Catoctin clarion., 1917-10-25
WAS LOTS OF FUN
Verdict Of Youngster Who Took
Remarkable Ride.
Curled Up Inside Automobile Tire
Girl Rolled Down Steep Hill and
Escaped UninJured.

Alvan is only five and his sister MIL
dred is seven. They live on the slope
of a great hill In Los Angeles, up
which cars are drawn by cable. The
automobile road that winds to the
summit describes the sweeping curves
Of the letter s. An electric car line
runs past the foot of the hill, and the
road that comes down from the sum.
init crosses it to join Pasadena ave
nue..
One day the children were playing
along the road, about three loops up
from the bottom, where the road runs
straight for half city block. Alvan
had a wrench that his father had bor-
rowed, and was supposed to be garry
ing it back to Its owner. They had
two more loops to make, and then some
stairs to climb to find the home OF the
wrench. 1t had taken an hour to come
down three loops in their way OF trav-
cling, says the Youths Companion.
At last conscience wakened III Mil
dred. She snatched the wrench and.
calling to Alvan to follow. began to
run. She rounded the first half Of the
next loop, and stopped. Before her
lay a tire, lost off some hurrying auto
mobile.
"Oh-ee! she said. Lets have some
fun, Alyan, Set It up and let me get
into It,"
Obedient to the mandate OF superior
age, the boy struggled with the heavy
tire. His sister dropped the wrench
and gave a helping hand. When the
tire was standing properly erect, she
turned 1t till 1t headed down the grade
and began to insinuate foot into Its
interior. Soon she stood, with one foot
ahsad Of the other, inside the Shell
Of rubber and canvas, her body bent
and the top of her head against the
casing. Pulling the fianges outward
with both hands, she jammed her head
hard against the opening and the
fanges gripped it. Then. with both
hands clinglng to the inner flanges, she
gave the word to loyal little Alvan to
Let 1t roll! !"
With as hard a push as his sturdy
frame could give, the boy sent the rub
Der hoop trundling down the steep
grade. All Of the turns on the grade
are banked, As the tire rolled down
to the first turn, 1t shot up on the
banked part, wavered little, ana
turned, At the outer curve 1t nearly
went over, but swung just In time. So
| It went careering round the last two
| loops and shot out on a straight line
at the bottom, toward the far track.
The motorman Of car M, l23l.
watching the track ahead, saw the tire
whizzing down from his right. He
laughed as he glimpsed its upper rim
above the bank Of flowers. Then the
tire shot out past the flowers, ana he
saw q curved, distorted body and
white face that whirled In rapid revo-
lutions, with yellow hair streaming
and skirts fluttering.
The passengers, who were not look
Ing ahead, wondered why the man
threw on the air brake so abruptly
that they bent double over backs OF
seats. They thought they would re-
port him.
The conductor and mOtorman
Jumped from the car and ran back.
There, Just across the track, lay the
tire and very dizzy little girl. Then
women swurmed from the car, to pet
and soothe. A careful examination re-
vealed only one bruise-a skinned ell
bow; and when the dizziness had
passed, Mildred sat up with grin.
ut was lots of fun" she said. Il
want to do 1t again.
That was not what her father said
when he carried the tire up the NIL
and returned 1t to his nelghbor, or
what he thought when he found that
the wrench was permanently lost,