The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-02-23
His Prehistoric
Auto
.t
BY FRANK H. WILLIAMS.

that 1t sounded like a blacksmith ShOL
IN a busy day when Jim Staples rat
tied down the street in his fliyyer .tG
the johnson home to call On pretty
Ruth Johnson. asa@ ts~ Aa& &
Folks were about right in the mat
ter at that. Certainly Jim's car looked
like relic of the prehistoric past, and
at the sound Of it's painting, 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 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 ma
chimes. * FTs; ..
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 ad-
vent of Henry Ferguson and his Twin
Eight Whizz.
Henry was 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 thud which
reverberated in gossip at bridge par
ties 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 it's happiness as it lay be-
fore the open fire on winter night.
OF course Henry's advent in no way
interfered with Jim's regular schedule
Of calls. He still bounced in his fiv-
Yer to the johnson home every Tues
day, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
night and Sunday afternoon. But
there was a difference. Now and then
he surprised sly smiles on the faces
Of the Johnson family as they looked
at Maxine. And quite frequently he
felt as though he was being compared
with Henry much to the latter's bene-
fit and his own discredit.
II simply can't afford to buy a
Whizz car like Ferguson's!" gasped
Henry boyishly and rather wrathfully
to Ruth one Sunday afternoon.
"Then 1t 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
rurr sounded behind him. and then
the Twin Eight Whizz passed him In
q 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 speck far In the
distance.
Jim's afternoon was spoiled right
there. He writhed as he thought Of
the sardonic look on Henry's face, and
he kicked Maxine's pedals wrathfully
as he thought Of his financial inability
to purchase Whizz or any other high
priced car.
"What were you going to say1'' quer-
led Ruth beside him.
Jim gave feeting glance at her,
felt his heart bound at the sight Of |
fer 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.
It was on the nexi Sunday afternoon
that Jim had an engagement to call
FOR Ruth at two e. .ck at the home Of
q friend where 80 was to take din
ner. From there sac was to take her
to see another friend who was leaving
The city at three o'clock and then the
rest Of the afternoon they were 60
Ing to spend riding out in the country.
OF course, when 80 much depended
m Maxine she had to get balky. When
Jim turned the crank on her Sunday
loon she simply wouldn't do her Gus
omary shimmy. She stood perfectly
till, refused to cough and merely
ooked cynical.
Jim gave her an extra shot Of gas,
hen cranked again. Nothing doing.
lin took of his coat and put more
,lbow grease into his task. Still there l
vas nothing doing. Finally, however,
when Jim was about ready to cali up
Ruth and tell her his troubles and sug-
|ast that she get a taxi and that he
$ouSd meet her later, Maxine gave a
rus and began heaving nightly.
I'M Jumped in and scooted down the
A-nt ~ anoed which might have