Evening star., 1941-12-26

hat boxes, vacuum cleaners and
most of the other items that go to
make home a heap o. fun TO live in.
Naturally, I hadn't figured on
bringing these things with me.
Original plans for the trip South
called for everything but a few bare
essentials to be Grated and shipped
so that for once the occupants Of
the car wouldn't be secondary to
unappreciative household goods.
These plans apparently were fol-
lowed to T. Expressmen ranged in
and out Of the house for days before
our departure. 1t seemed that every
thing that needed to be shipped had
been shipped. Then came the morn
ing of our departure and the pack
| ing Of the car
1t was a matter OF moments To put
the handful of luggage in and it
seemed that We would get away at
o'clock as planned and beat the
traffic out of New York. The big
parade of the little things that had
been overlooked" started.
Pillows, end tables, waste baskets.
Out they came to be piled on tho
sidewalk in an ever growing stack.
Coat hangers, a portable radio. an
ivy plant, the dogs basket, the dogs
dishes, the dogs food,
A few early risers gathered in an
interested little group, thinking
they were looking on the sad sight
of an eviction. Out came the lug
gage from the car. Everything had
TO be done over again. The sun
began to rise. So did tempers. Fl
nally, around 7 o'clock, We reached
the stage in our packing of the car
where it had become almost a
game to see if we could squeeze
in the last topcoat, the last UNI
brella and the odd pairs of shoes.
At quarter to 8 everything IVES
in-everything, that is, except the
human cargo. We eventually made
it. The dog sat on my typewriter
on the front seat. MY wife sat
partly on the typewriter and partly
on the dog. holding the road maps.
I sat partly on my wife and partly
on Virginia and North and South
Carolina.
The group which had watched us
pack gave small cheer when
was able to close the door anc
drive off.
The thought of what would hap.
pen to us if we chanced to break
down was never out of my mind as
we moved through the countryside.
There would be nothing for us to
do but stay right where we broke
down. No train, no bus, no plane
could handle us. OF course, there
was this small comfort: Aside from
heat, light and plumbing we had
enough stuff in the car to set up
light housekeeping
1t took Grant longer to get to
Richmond than it took us, but he
couldn't possibly have had as much
trouble. Every 100 miles or so a
stop had to be made to readjust the
hardware and dry goods in the back
seat to prevent its avalanche-like
creep into the front seat. There
were times, in taking curves, when
1t was touch-and-go as to whether
or not we would be buried alive.
1t was nearing the .witching hour
Of l0:47 pm, when the lights of
Richmond came into view. Thank
goodness" my wife said. I'VE won't
have any trouble with luggage when
we get to the hotel. I put every
thing we'll need in the little over
night bag Unfortunately, the hotel
doorman didn't know about this. and
before I could shout a warning he
had opened the back door. 1t was
just as if he had opened the gates Of
mighty dam. With all the dignity
that went with his gold braid he
tried to fight off the objects that
cascaded over him.
Boss" he cried as the ivy plant
struck him in the chest, Boss, are
yall taking all this stuff IMP"
"Oh, just remembered. It's In
the compartment in the back, under
the golf clubs and the big suitcases."
We drew a much bigger house
| tnln all