Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-17

Gently went out for pleasant spin III their
car, Presently something went wrong
with the spark plug, or the srinature, or
tho feed pipe, or the electric what-you-
may-call it. or some of the other million
thingamajugs with which the little insides
of automobiles are SO literally supplied.
Anyway. the doctor got out and put up
the hood and poked and pried around, and
Iummcd this, and iabhed that, without
results. His wife made fun Of him, and he
dragged her out Of the machine and beat
and kicked her, whereupon the lady Ind
him arrested. when the aforementioned
facts were elucldated. But instead OF
sending the husband 10 jul the Judge DIS
missed the case aud handed down tins
momcnto,ls decision.
CAS- a rule, said he, Il do not in any
sense condone wife heating, but II appears
that in this case The assalant suffered
great provoCation
This ruling Of the court calls attention
10 a strange phenomenon of masculine
psychology which every ol servant woman
must already have noticed, and that Is
the strange effect that driving an auto
mobile has on a mans disposition No
one has ever attempted TO explain 1t, 81
far IA know, but the effect Of sitting be-
hind the steering wheel Of car appears to
bo precisely that of the evil spirit which
turned the amiable and kindly DIR. Jekyl
into the cruel and brutal MIR Hyde Any
kind Of car will do it, men exhibiting the
same curious metamorphosis OF character
whether they are driving Rolls Royce or
Fords
When automobiles were first invented
they were called Devil Wagons. Perhaps
this was because We had an lntuitive
knowledge of the malign influence they
were destined to have upon the tempers Of
men, and that, like some fabled genii Of
old, they were TO have the power OF
changing lamb-like gentlemen into roar
ing lions going about seeking whom they
would devour.
Whatever the reason, it ls indisputahly
true that the man driving a car, and the
man at home are two entirely different
beings Sitting in his own library, or on
his own front porch, man may be the
most patient and long suffering OF human
beings He may be thoroughly house
broken. the kind of man who calls his
wife mother, and asks her advice, and
lets her pick out his clothes, and go with
him when he buys new hat. The mo
ment he takes his scat in car, however,
he is changed creature.
He who was q loving husband and
father, snaps and snarls at his women
kind if they so much as venture an opinion
about the rate OF speed they are going lie
who never makes move in business with
out getting his wife's good, hard, horse
sense on the trade, looks bloody murder at
her if she reminds him that a certain road
Is shut off for repairs, or that the Blue
Book says that you turn to the left IN
stead Of the right 10 go 10 Squecdunk.
As for making suggestions 10 a man who
Is TRYING TO diagnose the case OF a TEN
peramental machine that has suddenly
stuck, or entering into pleasant and cheer
ful conversation with one who Is changing
the tire of a wheel = well. that is something
that no sane woman ever does second
time 1t makes her shudder to her dying
dav TO recall the short, sharp ugly word
that her orstwhilc chivalrots and devoted
husband flung at her, and tie baleful look
that accompanied It.
That Is why, when YOU see i car IN
trouble hy the roadside ard grim per
spring man y ith damn written all over
him. tiEkering with 1t, vou will also OBJ
serve that the ladies Of hls party a.