The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-23
> = = = = . = = = = . = 20 .
); MAKING
!; HISTORY
, Only 1t Pertained to Two :
Persons Instead of .
, a Nation
Dy ALAN HlNSDALE

+%++++++++*+++++*+ +
l was driving my auto along a
country road, enjoying the constantly
changing scenery. The spring had de
veloped into summer; the leaves Oh the
trees were full blown, birds were sing
ing In the trees, range Of distant hills
stood soft and mellow against the
horizon, light, feecy clouds sailed
laxily over an azure sky.
l am one of those who love to ride
slowly, that l may see each vista, each
landscape, near objects. enjoying them
while look. have no patience with
those who must be always tearing
along so rapidly that no sooner d cA
one get an eye on green velvet slope
with cattle feeding upon it than, pres
to! 1t has vanished and its place ''
taken by a ragged height covered WIN
scrub trees, past which the road may
be so uneven as to require tn..u
mile an hour gait. Such drivers will
6CI ONCI CNcht! VI Dtdulll III
scenery in a jiffy, to drag and 1t
along beside a quarry or a street lined
with novels
On this summer morning of which
speak my heart had been warmed by
the beautiful fecked sunlight beside
the road, and felt especially char.
liable toward all the world. was mo-
toring along narrow dirt road but
extremely smooth lined with broad
space Of turf on either side to the
fences, when l saw before me a femi-
nine figure whose lines and dress indi-
Gated that she was young girl. She
was carrying a satchel Of ample dimen-
siOns on her arm and used a staff.
When l came up with her I brought
my machine almost to standstill, she
turned her face toward me, and I no.
ticed that 1t was comely.
Shall give you lift?" asked
Thank YoK sT. haye far to 80 and
Scotch accent which in a woman is
especially musical. though from man
the words usually come like bullets
from the muzzle Of a pistol.
She was about to climb into the rear
seat when opened the forward door,
and she took the seat beside me-
Where do you go?" l asked
II dinna know at present" she an
swered. II am to meet my brother at
Medbury. Where we shall 60 from
there Gamma tell
got out my road map, asked the girl
to unfold 1t and while held the wheel
with one hand held the map with the
other. I saw that Medbury was a
matter of ten miles as the crow flies,
but 1t was fifteen by road and nearly
thirty by such roads as would he suit
able to an auto.
AT what hour do you expect to meet
your brother?' asked.
This afternoon"
1t was 8 o'clock in the morning,
was not required to be at any particu-
lar place at any particular time. There
was plenty Of time to get the girl to
her destination before she was due
there. She was pretty, her voice was
very sweet, and saw no reason why
should not enjoy her companionship
for the greater part Of the day instead
of riding alone
logged along till we came to fork
in the road, and as / was about to turn
into the right road the girl made a
move to alight, saying that her route
lay over the left road, which was only
a lane. ] told her that would take
her to her destination over motorable
roads. and she consented. Again l ex-
amined my road map and laid out
course involving a fifty mile ride, and
since preferred slow gait we would
make Mcdbury at noontime. AS We
rolled along l led my companion to
talk about herself, for l felt some GU.
riosity concerning her. She was not
dressed us farmers daughter, and
ali louGh her accent was Scotch. II was
moi peasant accent | could not un-
derstand why so refined person
should be trudging along on foot. and
l did not consider the lonely roads a
proper place for a young girl to be un.
attended.
During our conversation she gave
me her name as Edith MacDownell
Her father and mother had come to
America from Scotland when she was
about ten years old, which accounted
for her retaining only portion Of the
dialect Of her native country. Her IA
ther had been a landed proprietor to a
very limited extent In Scotland and.
having been seized with the desire to
extend his possessions. had sold his
property and come to America. where
the proceeds Of the sale would pur
chase more extended domain. But II
did not appear from what the girl told
me that he had utilized his American
acres except in devoting some Of them
In the cultivation of fruit.
As we do not realize that we are
making history, SO we do not recognize
In small events that we are shaping
our lives. l often revert to that pleas
ant summer day when l took into NV
auto for lift a girl l had never seen
before, intending at the start to sat