The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-12-10
A Gasoline
Romance
BY FREDERICK HART

1t had been bright sunlight when
Elsie set out for town, but before she
had gone half-mile down the road
heavy clouds had rolled up from the
west and to the accompaniment of
ominous rumblings and grumblings
from the darkened heavens the rain
had begun to fall. Not that Elsie mind
ed wetting; she had lived too long in
the country to let damp shoes and wet
clothes bother her; but under her arm,
carefully wrapped in brown paper, was
her new dress which she simply had to
have for the party that Saturday; and
while brown paper is an excellent pro-
tective against dust, it has never been
famous for its understanding qualities.
So Elsie fled precipitately to the shell
ter Of an overhanging bush by the
fence at the side of the road and wait
ed for the shower to pass.
But the shower showed no intentions
of passing. The rain continued to
come down, not with its first violence,
but with a sullen, steady intentness
that presaged a long-cOntinued drip.
Elsie was wondering what she could
do. She could go home, but in that
case the dress would probably get wet
and it was good three-quarters of
mile farther to the village. She
wished that she had hitched up Dob
bin and taken the Concord buggy; but
1t was too late for wishing. There
seemed nothing to do but to try and
wait the rain out.
She had spent nearly half an hour
in her damp retreat, and was feeling
rather cramped and decidedly at odds
with the weather man, when she heard
mOnstrous chugging from down the
road, interspersed with the grinding
of gears on gears. In a moment lum-
Der truck heaved into sight, its driver
perched high in the air on the seat and
trouble in steering his ungainly charge
In the slippery mud. But what Elsie
noticed first was that while the driv-
er's seat was high it was also dry--a
snug cab, confined by curtains and
protected by glass. She raised her
self to ask for lift when the truck
suddenly slowed, slid sidewise to the
edge of the road, and stopped scant
yard from where she was sitting. The
curtains parted and a curly shock of
red hair was thrust out, while CHEEKY
voice cried:
Hello! Coin anywhere? I'll give
you a liftl''
Elsie waited not on ceremony. She
handed up her precious parcel, which
disappeared into the nav of the seat,
and then, aided by strong tug from
the drivers stout arm, she found her.
self seated beside him. The little In
closure of the seat seemed c0zy after
the cherries shelter of the bush. The
panes of the windshield, steaming with
rain, made the view of the road ahead
blurred and indistinct; the gray light
Of day let in sort of twilight in which
she could make out queer levers and
buttons and all sorts of funny clock
faces on the dashboard. The driver
made mysterious gestures with a lever
that projected from the floor, and in
moment they were rumbling down
the road. Not until then did Elsie
take the opportunity to look at him.
Her look bore out the favorable i'm
preston she had had when he rescued
her. He had a nice face, she thought,
with some very attractive freckles, a
nose that tilted ever so slightly, and
chin that bespoke firmness as well
as unbOunded good humor. He was
muffled in a raincoat, and his hands
were encased in gloves; and he ham
died the great truck as easily as Elsie
herself handled Dobbin. She was
moved to admiration.
You're an awfully good driver,
aren't you?" she said.
He grinned, but he did not take his
eyes off the road ahead.
"Oh, / can drive little" he said
modestly. At that moment the truck
skidded wildly to the right, and with
quick, skilled twist Of the wheel and
a judicious application of power he
brought 1t back to the road again.
"Ohw cried Elsie. The young mans
grin widened. "That's nothing" he
encouraged her. Bound to skid
little on a day like this. reckon
can handle her-you going to town."
"Yes-to the dressmaker's."
"Well, you just tell me where to
drop you and I'll do it. I'm new to
these parts-just got this job yester-
day-driving for Simpson & Co.
make regular trips between their
branch store out at Bogg's Corners
and the village. Go past here about
the same time every day. Say-do
you go up to town often?'
Elsie blushed at the direct question,
but answered shyly, "Why, yes-al-
most every day."
THAT'S fine!" The young man said
no more, and Elsie did not inquire
why he should appear so pleased at