The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-05

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You amt heerd about our new car?
Well. we got one-leastways. the mid
dle-sized Jimkins boy has got it, but
bein' as we're sort of a partnership
family. share and share alike, me and
Pa Jimkins and the little Jimkins and
the biggest Jimkins boy all feel like
we own it.
I reckon we was the only family in
/ town that amt had a car before now.
But what with buyin shoe leather and
stockings and bread and milk and a
place to lay our heads. there amt
never been nothin' left over to buy a
car with.
1 ulster to argue with Pa Jimkins
that payin' for a car wouldn't cost no
| more than what our rent was, and II
we had a car we wouldn't need a
house, because seems as If people that
| have cars live in them, and don't new
er stay in their houses now ~.
| But Pa Jimkins allus said he
| couldn't sleep nowise in a. third of an
automobile seat, which would be his
share of the car. and that If he slept
on the ground he'd be ct up with CHG
gers.
allus thought it'd be awful nice to
| have a car SOS 1 could haul all the
other women that had cars to parties
and club meetings. Theys certain I'M
written laws, seems llkes the
actions of car owners, and that there
is one of them. Oncet in awhile there
| is somebody that likes to be different
and don't never take nobody but them
that's too poor to own cars their
selves, but they amt many that's got
the courage to be that fanatical and
unethical
But about this yere car that be-
longs to the middle sized Jimkins boy.
He come home the other day. proud
as punch and announced casual like
that he's bought car OF course l
thought he was joking, but he soon
convinced me that he was serious, and
said he'd bring out the next day to
show me and take me for a drive.
So come the next day, he driv up
in front of the house and whistled, the
tooter bein' out of commission. 1 put
on my hat and went out with the
littlest one. and the biggest Jimpkins
boy, who was excited, too, about the
honor that had come to the family,
only he tried to conceal 1t behind
what Lord Chesterfield ulster call
badinage, when folks talk back and
forth. mo tin the spirit of anger, but
the spirit of repartee.'
What model is this yere old ark
anyway" he asks the middle sized
boy with grin
''It's a 1906 model" the middle-sized
one replies, tryin' to keep the pride
outen his voice, because I've allus tried
to keep 'em from bein' too set up over
worldly possessions.
1t was a right pretty car, I thought,
tho of course 1t needed paint awful
bad, an the windshield was cracked.
But at that. the middle-sized one ex-
planned, 1t had more'n Johnnie BIS car,
him havin' no top and no lights, which
ours had both.
I clumb in the back seat whites the
middle-sized one cranked it; leastways
he tried to crank it, but didn't succeed.
So the biggest one he tried, but didn't
have no luck at all. The critter never
budged.
I got to thinkin' about the Peterkin
family that I read about oncet. and
how they was all so proud of the new
horse and buggy they'd bought, and
got in to take a ride, but couldn't get
the horse to go. So they sent for the
| lady from Philadelphia. who allus
| solved their problems for them, and
she said that mebbe If they'd unite
the horse he might start.
I couldn't help wishin' that the lady
| from Philadelphia was here to tell us
what to do. and then, just thinkin'
| that mebbe the critter hadn't been
united, staggered right out, and the
middle-sized one looked at me re-
proachful like.
First one of them boys tried and
| then the other, but couldn't neither
| one of them do a thing.
bangle some hay before 1t and see
If that works. the biggest one sug-
| gested, grinning some more.
Put salt on its tall" cried the lit
tlest one enthusiastic like, him havin'
just been promoted to be a Boy Scout,
| and KNOWN a lot about wild animals.
The middle-sized one sweat and
| said things under his breath, like he
was imploring the critter to stop bein'
stubborn.
Finally he broke 1t to me that he
/
| ride that day. I told him 1t was right
hot to be out in a car anyway, and
some Sunday 1t might be cooler.
What did you call the thing?" the
| biggest one asked.
But the middle-sized one acted like
he didn't hear, and said over his
| shoulder as he ran to catch the ever
reliable old street car, "I'n bring out
| its old owner tomorrow to see what
wrong with it,"
"Mebbe he can talk It into bein'
good" the biggest one jeered. But the
middle-sized one was already droppin'
his cents in the slot and never heard
him.
So out there the Jimkins car stands,
| taking well-earned rest, and waitin'
I for its old master to come out and
whisper to It that these yere folks is
goin' to be kind to it, and please to
\ hold out a little longer.
/ I can't help thinkin' that automo-
/ biles is like horses. and that after
i they've served faithful for fifteen or
| twenty years in one family, 1t hurts
| their feelings to be sold to strangers.
i special when they've been expectin' to
be turned out to Craze in green pas
lures, to spend the rest OF their lives
just nibblin' grass down in a shady
meader. with a brook runnin' thru 1t.
Illuminating on the days when they was
young and skittish. So as look out
Of my winder at that there old car just
standin' still and refusing to work, l
can't help wondering If it's really
sulky and stubborn or If its feeling
is hurt at bein' sold to strangers.
1890 IH,e,