The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-26
EDeningStory
His Prehistoric Auto.
BY FRANK H. WILLIAMS.

Folks in the seventeen hundred
block on Brampton street used to say
that it sounded like a blacksmith shop
on a busy day when Jim Staples rat
tied down the street in his flivver to
the johnson home to call on pretty
Ruth johnson.
Folks were about right in the mat
ter at that. Certainly 'Jim's car looked
like a relic of the prehistoric past
wheeling, coughing approach cats
were known to flee in terror and dogs
were wont to lift their voices in
mournful baying at the moon.
| But Jim and Ruth had a good time
in the old wreck. On soft spring
nights they buzzed downtown to pic
ture shows or to an ice-cream parlor,
and Sunday afternoons generally found
them well out into the country eating
the dust of larger and less antique
machines.
Perhaps they would still have been
sedately and noisily travelling here and
there in Maxine as Jim called his
machine, if it hadn't been for the adj
vent of Henry Ferguson and his Twin
Eight Whizz,
Henry was a newcomer in the town.
| He was some years older than Jim
and many times more successful and
| aggressive. Right away when he saw
Ruth he fell for her with a thud
which reverberated in gossip at bridge
parties and other social gatherings for
days. He managed always to be on
| hand when she was leaving the office
for home and he always invited her
for ride to her house.
| And, of course, Ruth liked riding in
( the WhiZZ because it slipped along as
soft as silk and with only faint purr,
which reminded Ruth of the family
cat announcing its happiness as e lay
| haf fire NJ. ar N qh
OF course Henry's advent in no way
| interfered with Jims regular schedule
| of calls. He still bounced in his fliv-
yer to the Johnson home every Tues
day, Thursday. Saturday and Sunday
night and Sunday afternoon. But there
surprised sly smiles on the faces of the
johnson family as they looked at
Maxine. And quite frequently he felt
as tho he was being compared with
Henry much to the latter's benefit
and his own discredit.
'I simply can't afford to buy
Whizz car like F'erguson's!" gasped
Henry boyishly and rather wrathfully
| to Ruth one Sunday afternoon.
Then it would be foolish even to
think of doing such a thing" said
Ruth emphatically.
Jim felt somewhat cheered up at
this
do you-would you" he began
hesitatingly as he gulped a bit.
He looked sideways at Ruth. She
was looking at him expectantly, but
with an unfathomable look on her
face.
do you began Jim again.
Then he stopped suddenly. A faint
purr sounded behind him, and then
the Twin Eight Whizz passed him i'll
cloud of dust. Jim saw Henry turn
and tip his hat to Ruth. and then in
an incredibly short length of time the
Whizz was only a speck far in the dis
lance.
Jim's afternoon was spoiled right
there. He writhed as he thought of
the sardonic look on Henry's face, and
he kicked Maxines pedals wrathfully
as he thought of his financial inabil-
ity to purchase a Whizz or any other
high-priced car.
What were you going to Say?"
queried Ruth beside him.
Jim gave a fleeting glance at her.
felt his heart bound at the sight of
her piquant prettiness and then
turned somberly away.
"Nothing!" he calculated. and gave
Maxine more gas until she sounded
like an express train pounding over
the great continental divide and
rolled and rocked like an ocean liner
on a stormy night at sea.
1t was on the next Sunday after
noon that Jim had an engagement to
call for Ruth at 2 o'clock at the home
of a friend where she was to take din
ner. From there Jim was to take her
to see another friend who was leaving
the city at 8 o'clock, and then the rest
spend out riding in the country
OF course, when so much depended
on Maxine she had to get balky
When Jim turned the crank on her
Sunday noon she simply wouldn't do
her customary shimmy. She stood
perfectly still. refused to cough and
merely looked cynical.
Jim gave her an extra shot OF gas.
then cranked again. Nothing doing.
Jim took off his coat and put more
elbow grease into his task. Still there
was nothing doing. Finally, however,
when Jim was about ready to call up
Ruth and tell her his troubles and sug-
gest that she get a taxi and that he
would meet her later, Maxine gave a
grunt and began heaving nightly.
street at a speed which might have
made even the Twin Eight Whizz sit
up and take notice.
AS Jim neared the house where he
was to meet Ruth he looked at his
watch and gasped. 1t was 2:45i And
then as he came in sight of the house
his heart sank to his boots. Ruth
was just getting in Henry's Whizzi
Even as Jim gazed at them the Whizz
started down the road.
jim started IN pursuit. running
down hill he seemed to gain on them.
Then as the Whizz shot up a hill as
easy as you please and as Jim put
Maxine into low and labored to make
the grade. he nearly lost all sight of
them. Finally they did pass from view.
And when Jim at the top of a hill
again caught sight of them he saw
Ruth leaving her second friends house
and stepping into the Whizz again.
So Henry was going to take Ruth rid
ing this afternoon
AS this thought came to Jim he saw
red.
"Confound this fool car anyhow"
cried Jim.
He brought Maxine to a wheeling
halt. Then he ran to the side of the
road which ran along a cliff overlook
ing a rocky river some distance below
and looked down.
This crazy thing isn't worth the
- Z -.