Evening star., 1942-04-27

lent me upon
learning that my
own car was In
the shop having
patches put on
the seats Of its
Henry MsLsnsrs. tires.
The friend had recommissioned
the pride Of woodrow Wilson's first
term when automobiles and tires
were frozen. With almost the same
reverence that the curator of the
Smithsonian Institution would put
Ell whitney's cotton gin into op-
Grafton again, he had busted Oh the
kerosene lamps OF the antique, filled
Its meager little under-the-fr 'front.'
seat tank with gasoline. and started
the barking, coughing, little motor
which. like Rip Van Wrinkle, had
been sleeping for 20 many years.
It was the sound Of that motor
which made me suspect that the
Willow Run plant did not exist.
It had the deep-throated roar Of Q
peanut whistle. the sweet, powerful
throb Of . supercharged coffee grind
er. Twenty-nine years Just didn't
seem enough years for o man to
progress from that contraption to
sleek, streamlined planes coursing
the skies at 800 and 400 miles an
hour.
But 1t was with confidence Of the
highest order that I approached the
machine and made ready TO drivs
1t. After all, hadn't model rs been
as much part Of my youth ~
baseball, the Charleston. bad grades.
plus fours and knowing the words
Of "Yes. We Have No Bananas"
How Come You DO Me Like You
Do and Who'll Take Care Of the
Caretaker's Daughter While the
Caretaker's Busy Taking Carer"
Model 7 Familiar.
Hadn't jeopardized the lives Of
innumerable citizens with my han
ding Of secondhand, cut-down
model Ts, whose tin sides were en-
hlazoned with such wit as "You tell
EN-, sister. while / hang out the ice
to dry" and pixies Peak or bust"
and Anywhere In town for SIP
The old model T seemed awfully
familiar when I sank back In the
worn drivers seat, with the springs
popping through the upholstery and
the emergency brake snusly at my
left. The steering wheel wasn't
strange, either. It was Of good.
solid wood, 80 thick that my fingers
could scarcely grip IT,
II was second nature TO raise the
spark lever when my friend started
cranking the car, and to call to him
to prime 1t more with the wire
primer with the finger loop stuck
out between the honsycokib cells
Of the radiator grill fH
! remembered that one raised the
spark lever to lessen the danger Of
the crank kicking back and
breaking the arm Of the cranker,
and ! was careful not to lower the
spark lever until I heard the first
sputter of the motor. almost
wished that 1t had been q cold day
so could have shown my knowl-
edge OF model rs by advising the
cranker to get himself . pot Of hot
water and pour 1t over the csr-
buretor.
1t was not until I had waved good
by, while simultaneously pushing
the clutch to the floorboard and
pulling down on the gas lever, that
I realized how much / thought I
knew about model r and how
much had forgotten.
Everything shaking.
We went out Of the driveway with
everything shaking. Neither the
motor, the frame. nor I was syn
chronized in any way. We shook In
all directions. There was 4 time,
years ago, when could have quickly
corrected this attack Of ague. It
was almost the hallmark OF the
model T, but the remedy was hidden
by the years. 50, for 10 blocks we
shivered and shook together until,
all by itself. the old Ford found its
rhythm.
II was on nearing q red light that
I discovered the model T had no
brakes. This should not have sur
prised me. This was common
failing In the model rs I drove
years ago, and every one knew Just
how to use the center or reverse
pedal. as . brake, but I had for
gotten.
As q shiny, new Buick bore down
on mel was drifting helplessly
across the intersection--I took both
hands on the wheel and waved
desperately, calling:
I can't stop 1t. I can't stop IT,"
! drifted for blocks like q derelict
until it finally dawned ON me that
knew how to kill the engine.
nosed 1t into curb and as pre-
pared to call my friend and tell him
to come and rescue me from the
Ford. ! would have even raised nv
bet that there was no such plant Al
Willow Run In operation today.
You just can't make that much
progress In 20 years.
Distributed BY McNsusht synd,c.t. rr,,
British Destroyer Sunk;