The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-27
Eoening Story
A Gasoline Romance.
BY FREDERICK HART.

had gone a 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
minded a 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 protective against dust, it
has never been famous for its water
turning qualities. So Elsie fled pre-
cipitately to the shelter of an over
hanging bush by the fence at the side
of the road and waited for the shower
to pass.
But the shower showed no inten
lions of passing. The rain continued
to come down, not with its first vio-
Ience, but with a sullen, steady intent
ness that presaged long-contlnued
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 a good three-quarters
of a mile farther to the village. She
wished that she had hitched up Dobbin
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
lin her damp retreat, and was feeling
rather crarnped and decidedly at ODDS
with the weather man, when she hearo
a monstrous chugging from down the
road, interspersed with the grinding OF
gears on gears. In a moment a lum-
bering truck heaved into sight. its
driver perched high in the air on the
seat and evidently having a certain
amount of trouble in steering his I'M
calmly charge in the slippery mud. But
what Elsie noticed first was that While
the drivers seat was high it was also
dry-a snug cab, confined by curtains
and protected by glass. She raised
herself to ask for a lift when the truck
suddenly slowed, slid sidewise to the
edNe 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 cheery
voice cried:
Hello! Coin anywhere? I'll give
you a lift!"
Elsie waited not on ceremony. She
handed up her precious parcel, which
disappeared into the NAV of the seat,
and then, aided by a strong tug from
the drivers stout arm. she found her
self seated beside him. The little in
closure of the seat seemed coy after
the cherries shelter of the bush. The
panes of the Windshield. streaming
with rain, made the view of the road
ahead blurred and indistinct; the gray
light of day let in a sort of twilight in
which she could make out queer levers
and buttons and~au sorts of funny
clockfaces on the dashboard. The
driver made mysterious gestures with
a lever that projected from the floor,
and in a moment they were rumbling
down the road. Not until then dfd
Elsie take the opportunity to look at
him.
Her look bore out the favorable I'M
preston she had had when he res
cued her. He had a nice face, she
thought, with some very attractive
freckles, a nose that tilted ever SO
slightly, and a chin that bespoke firm
ness as well as unbounded good hui
NOR. He was muffled in raincoat,
and his hands Were encased in gloves;
and he handled 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, I can drive little" he said
modest1y. At that moment the truck
skidded wildly to the right. and with a
quick, skilled swish of the wheel and
judicious application of power he
brought it back to the road again.
"Oh!' cried Elsie. The young mans
grin widened. That's nothing" he
encouraged her. Bound to skid a lit
tie on a day like this. I reckon I 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-driying for Simpson & Co;
+r@&xa hot hni
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."
sHThat's finel' The young man said
no more, and Elsie did not inquire why
he should appear so pleased at her
statement. She was silent, apparently
absorbed in her thoughts The young
man also said nothing; but he might
have been interested had he known
that Elsie was wondering how she
could square it with herr conscience for
saying she went to town almost every
day when as a matter of fact twice
month was almost her limit. They
drove on in dead silence. In a few
moments the village appeared, drip
ping, before their eyes. and Elsie
SnOWeQ nGr j emu the
he stopped, but before raising the cur
tains, he held out his hand with a
frank smile and said. TIL probably
see you again sometime. My names
Edwards, they call
me-
Mines Elsie-Elsie Goodhart-and
thank you ever SO much for giving me
a lift. I'd have drowned if you hadn't
come along"
"Oh-that's all right-Tm sure glad
to have been some help, anyway" This
with smile. What nice teeth he hadi !
You surely were help-Td never |
have got to town without you-good- |
byeI" And she scurried into the dress |
AS the nice young man had pre-
dicted, they did see each other again, |
It was amazing how many times Elsie |
found something to take her to town I
Just about the time Billy Edwards I
came runabIing past in his truck. And |