While the Automobile Ran Down.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 152, 24 December 1903, Page 9

While the Automobile Ran Dow n.

A CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA. It was a letter to encourage a hesitating lover, and certainly Orville Thornton, author of "Thoughts for Non-Think-ers," came under that head. He received it on a Tuesday, and immediately made up his mind to declare bin intentions to Mi§s Annette Bndeuu that evening. Bat perhaps the contents of the letter will help the reader to a better understanding of the case. Dear Orville: — Miss Badeau sails unexpectedly for Paris on tho day after Christmas, her aunt Madgo having cabled for 'flOr to come and visit her.' Won't you come to Christmas dinner? • I've invited the Joe Burtons, and of course Mr. Marten will be thore, but no others — except Mias > Bcideuu. Dinner will be at sharp, 7. Don't be late, although I know you won't, you human time-table. I do hope that Annette will not fall in love in Paris. I wish that she would marry some nice Now Yorker and settle near me. I've always thought that you have.neglected marriage shamefully. Remember to-morrow night, and Annette wails on Thursday. Wishing you a Merry Christmng, I am, your old friend. — Henrietta Marten. Annetto Badeau had come across the line of Orville s vision three months before. She was Mrs. Marten 'e niece, and had come from the West, to live with her aunt at just about' the timo that the success of Thornton's book made him think of marriage. She was pretty and bright and expansive in a Western way, and when Thornton met her at one of the few afternoon teas that he ever attended ho fell in love with her. When he learned that she was the niece of his lifelong friend Mrs. Marten, he suddenly discovered various reasons why ho should call nt the Marten house once .or twice a week. But a strange habit he hod of putting off delightful moments in order to enjoy anticipation to its fullest extent had caused him to refrain from, disclosing the. state .of his heart to, Mise Bndoau, und /o that jjpung woman, who hud fallen in lovo' with him evtm befoie she know that be was tho gifted author of "Thoughts for Non-Thinkeni," often' wished to herself thnt sho could in some way give him a hint of the state of her hourt. . • , , Orville received Mrs. MikrtonV letter on Chrihfcmus ero, and its contents mudo him plan a schedule for tho next evening's running. No power on earth could keep him away from that dinner, and ho immediately sent a telegram of regret to the Bell-wether of the Wolves' Club, although ho bad been anticipating tho Ckristmiia gorge for a month. Ho also sent a mesfcengor with a note of acceptance to Mrs. Marten. Then he joined the crowd of persons who always wait until Christmas eve before buying the presents that stein and unpleasant duty makes it necessary to get. It would impart a characteristic Christmas flavour if it were possible to cover tho ground with snow and to make tho air merry with tho sound of flashing bolts of silvery »leigh-bells on prancing horses ; but although Christmasc* jij stories are always snowy and frosty, and bpui'kling >with ice-cryfrtals, Christmases in real life are apt to be dump and humid. Let us bo thankful thut ' this Christmas was merely such a one as , would not give a ghoat of a reason for a trip to Florida. The mercury stood nt 58, and even light overcoats were not things to be put on without thought. Orville knew what he wished to get and where it was sold, and so he had an advantage over ninety-nine out of a hundred of the anxious-looking shoppers who were scuttling from shop to shop, burdened with bundles, and makitig the evening the worst iv tho year for tired salesgirls and men. Orvillo's present was not exactly Christnuussy, but ho honed that ' Miss JJndeau would like it, and it was certainly tho finest' one on tho velvet tray. Orville, at will be seen, was of a sanguine disposition. He did not hang up his stocking ; ho had not done that for several years; but he did dream that Santa Claus brought him a beautiful doll from Paris, and just as ho was saying, "There must be some mistake," the doll turned into Miss Badeau, and said : "No,. I'm for you, Merry Christmas! 11 Then he woke up and thought how foolish and yet how fascinating dreams are. Christmas morning was spent in polishing up an old essay on "The Valuo of the Summer as an Ihvigorator." It had long heen a habit of his to work over old stuff on his holidays, and if he was about to marry he would need to cell everything he had— of a literary marketable nature. But this morning a vision of a lovely girl who on tho morrow was going to sail thousands of miles away came between him and tho page, and n't la«t he tossed the manuscript into a drawer and went out for a walk. • It. was the draggieat Christmas ho had over known, und the warmest, rio dropped in at the club, but there was hardly nny one thero; still, he did manage to I>lip- a few games of billiards, and at last tho clock announced that it was time to go homo und dress for the Christmas dinner. It wns half-past 5 when ho left the club. It was twenty minutes to 6 when ho slipped on a piece of ornnge-peel und measured his length on the sidewalk. Ho wiis able to rise and hobble up the steps on oner foot, but the hnll-boy had to help him to tho elevator and thence to his room. He dropped upon his bed, fofting white about tin gill.) Orville was a most methodical man. He planned his doings days ahead and seldom changed his schedule. But it ieemcxl likely that unless he wns built I of sterner stuff than most of the machines I called men, he would cot run out of

tho round houso to-niyht. His fall had given his foot a na&ly wrench. Some engineers, to change the simile, would havo argued that the engine was oil" the track und that therefore tho .train was not in running condition, but Orvillo moicly .changed engines. His own btcam having boon cut oft", he ordered an automobile for twenty minutes to 7 ; and ufter ho had bathed and bandaged his ankle he determined, with a grit worthy of tho cause that brought it forth, to attend that dinner oven if ho paid for it in tho hospital, with Annette as special nurse. Old Mr. Nickci&on, who lived across the hall, hud heard of his misfortune, and called to pioffcr his, services. "Shall I help you to get to bed?" said he. "I am not due in bed, Mr. Nickorson, for many hours ; but if you will givo me v few fingers of your excellent old Scotch, with tho bouquet of smoked herring, I will e,o on dressing for dinner." "Dear boy," said the old gentleman, almost tearfully, "it is impossible for you to venture on your foot ivith such a sprain. It is badly swollen." "Mr. Nickerson, my heart has recoived a worse wrench than my foot has, therefore I go out to dine." At sound of which enigmatical declaration Mr. Nickerson hurried otf for the old Scotch, and in a few minutes Orvillo's faintnoss had passed off, and with help from the amiable old man ho got into his evening clothes — with tho exception of his left foot, which was incased in a flowered slipper of sunset red. "Now, my dear Mr. Nickenson, I'm a thousand times obliged to you, and if I can get you to help me- hop downstairs I will wait for the automobile on the front stoop." (Orville had been born in Brooklyn, where they still have "stoops.") "I'm on time so far." But if Orville wan on time, the automobile was, not, the driver not being a methodical man ; and when it did comu, it was all the motorman could do to stop it. It seemed restive. "\'ou ought to shut off on the oats," said Orville, gaily, from his seat on the lowest step N of tho "Btoop. 1 ' > Tho picture of a gentleman in immaculate evening clothes, with tho exception of a somewhat rococo carpet slipper, seemed to umuse some- street children who were passing. If they could havo followed tho "uuto" they would have been ever* moro diverted,' but such woo not to bo their fortune. Mr. Nickerson helped his friend into the vehicle, and the driver started at a lively rate for Fifth Avenuo, Orvillo lived in Seventeenth-street, near Fifth Avenue ; Mra. Marten lived on Fifth Avenue, near Forty-first street. Thirty-ninth street and Fortieth street were reached and pawed without further incident thun the fact that Orvillo's anklo pained him ahnost beyond the bearingI point; but, as it i« not the hiotory of | a sprained ankle that I nm writing, if the vehicle had stopped at Mr*. Marten's my pen would not have been eet to papor. *.Buk the motor-wagon did not eron {muse. It kept ou as if the Harlem liver were to be its next stop. Orvillo had stated the number of his destination with distinctness, and he now rang the annunciator and avked the driver why he did not stop. Calmly, in the oven tones that clearheaded persons use when they with to inspire confidence, tho driver said — "Don't bo alarmed, sir, but 1 can't (stop. There's something out of kilter, and I may have to run somo time before I can get the hang of it. ' There's no danger as long as I can steer." "Can't you slacken up in front of tho hoimc, ao that I can jump!" "With that foot, sir? Impossible, and, anyway, I can't sluckon up. 1 think wo'll stop soon. I *don't know when it was charged, but a grntlcimtn had it before- I was sent out with it. It won't be long, I think. I'll run around tho, block, and maybe I can feton the next time." Orville groaned for a twofold reason ; his* ankle was jumping with pain, and ho would lose the pleasure of taking Miss Badeau in to dinner, for it was a , minute past 7. ' He sat and gazed at his carpet slipper, and thought of tho daintily shod feet of the adorable Annette, nn the horseless caningo wound round the block. As they approached tho house again, Orville imagined they wero slackening up, und ho oponed tho door to be ready. It was now three minutes past 7, und dinner had begun beyond a doubt. The driver saw tho door swing open, and paid— -"Don't jump, sir. I can't stop yet. I'm afraid there s a good deal of run in the mnchine." Orvillo looked up at the brownstone front of the house with an agonised stare, as if ho would pull Mrs. Marten to tho window by the power of his cyea. But Mrs. Marten was not in the habit of pressing her no&e against tho pane iv au anxious search for tardy guests. In fact, it may be asserted with confidonco that it is not a Fifth Avenue custom. At that moment tho puree was being served to Mrs. Marten's guests, and to pretty Annette Badeau', who teally looked disconsolate with tho vacant chair beside her. • "Something has happened to Orville," said Mrs. Marten, looking over her shoulder toward the hall door, "for he is punctuality itself." Mr. Joo Burton was a short, red-faced little man, with black mutton-chop whiskers of the style of '76, and a way of looking in the moot cheerful manner upon tho dark side of things. "Dessay he's been run over," said he, choppily, "Wonder any ona escapes. Stenm-, gasolene-, electric-, horse-flesh-, ■ manpropelled juggernnuta. Ought to be prohibited." Annette could not repress a shuddei. j Her aunt saw it, and said : "Orville will never be run, over. Ho's too wide-awake. But it is very singular." "He may have been detained Dy an order for a story," eaid Mr. Marten, also with the amiable purposo of consoling Annetto. For both of the Martens knew how she felt toward Mr. Thornton. "Maybe he'e lying on tho front sidewalk, hit by a sign or bitten by a dog. Dogg ought not to bo allowed in the city; they only, add to the dangers of metropolitan existence," jerked out Mi. | Burton, in blithe tones, totally unaware that his remarks inijjht worry Annetto. ! "Dear me ! I w»h you'd send somo one out to see, Aunt Henrietta." "Nonsonse, Annetto. Mr. Burton is always an alarmist. But, Marie, you ynight step to tho ftont door and look down tho avenue to Fortieth-street. Mr. Thornton is always so punctual that it is peculiar." Mario went to the front door and looked down the street just no Thornton, gostlculating wildly, disappeared around the corner of Forty-fhst-street. "Oh, why didn't she come aooner?" said he aloud to himself. "At least they would know why I'm late. And sho'lt be gone beforo I come round aguin. Was j thero ever such luck? Oh for a good old horse thnt could otop, a dear old iki# that would pause and not go round and round like a blnmed carrousel I Say, driver, isn't there any way of stopping

this cursed thing Can't you mn it into a fence or a. hoiihc? I'll take ths rick." "But I won't, sir. These automobiles are very powerful, and one of them turned over a news-stand not long since uud upset the Htovo in it mid nearly bm nod up tho newsman. But there's plenty of time for it to stop. I don't have to hurry back." "That's lucky," »aid Orville. "I thought maybe you'd have to leave mo alonu with tho' thing. But, suy, sho may run all night. Here 1 uiu duo at a dinner. I'm tned of riding. This is no way to spend Christmas. Slacken up, and I'll jump when I get aiound thero again." "I toll you I can't slacken up, and Rhe'» going ten miles nn hour. You'll break your leg if you jump, and then where'll you bo?" "I might be on their sidewalk, and then you could ring their bell, and they'd take mo in." "And have you suing the company for damages? Oh, no, sir. I'm sorry, but it can't be helped. The company won't charge you for the extra time." "No, I don't think it will," said Thornton, savagely, the more so hb his foot gave a twinge of pain just then. "There M - as no one in sight, ma'am," said Marie when <sho returned. "Probably he had an order for a story and got absorbed in it and forgot us," said Mr. Marten ; but this conjecture did not seem to suit Annette, for it did not Jit what she knew of his character. ■ "Possibly he wa» dropped in an elovator," aaid Mr. Burton. "Strain on elevators, particularly theso electrical ones, is tremendous. Some of 'cm have fjot to drop. And a dropping elevator is.no respecter of persons. You and I may bo in ono when it drops. Probably ho was. Sure, I hope not, but as ho is known to be the soul of punctuality, we must put forward eom«> accident to account for bis lateness. People are not always killed in elevator accidents. Are they, my dear?" "Mr. Burton," said his wife, "'I wish you would give your morbid thoughts a rest. Dont you sco that Annette is sensitive?" "Sensitive— with half of India starving and people being shot in tho Tiansv.ial und in China every day* It's merely because sho happens to 'know Orvillo that his death would be unpleasant. If a man in the Klondike* were to read of it in the paper he wouldn't remember it five minutes. But I don't say he waa in an elevator. Maybo eomc one uont him an infernal mnchino for a Christmas present. May havo been blown up In a manhole or jumped from his window to avoid flamed. Why, there are a million ways to account for his absence." Mario 4 had opened tho parlour window** a moment before, n» the hou»e waa warm, and now there came tho humming of a rapidly moving automobiJej Mingled with it they hoard distinctly, although faintly, "Mr. Marten, here I go." It gave them all an uncanny feeling. Tho fl*h was left untouched, and for a moment silence reigned. Then Mr. Marten sprang from the table and ran to the front door. Ho got there just jin time to «oo an automobile dashing around a corner and to hear a distinctly urtieulated imprecation in tho well-known ! voice of Orvjlle Thornton. -In evening clothes nnd, bareheaded Mr. M/irten ran to Forty-ilrst street, and saw the vohiclo approaching Sixth Avenue its occupant atill hurling strong language upon the evening air. Mr. Marten is wmething of u T uprinter, although he has pawed the fifty mark, and ho resolved to «olve tho mystery. But. before he had covered a third' of tho block in Forty-first street ho saw that he could not hopo to overtake the runaway automobile, ho ho turned and run back to tho hou»e, rightly uurmwing that the driver would circle the block. When ho reached his otyn door-step, badly winded, ho saw the automobile coming full tilt up tho avenuo from" Fortieth-street. Tho rest of the diners were on the otepß. "I think he'« coming, he panted. "Tho drivor must be intoxicated." A moment later they were treated to .the spuctacle of Orvillo, still hurling impiecatiojis as ho wildly gesticulated with , both urms. Several bova were trying to keep up with tho vehicle, but tho pace was too swift. No policeman had yet discovered its rotary course. As Orvillo camo near (ho Marten man* sion he cried "Ah-h-h !" in tho relieved tones of ono who has been falling for hulf an hour and at lust sees giound in si^'htt j "\Muit'» tho mutter?" shouted Mr. Murteu, wunderihgly, «<* the carriage, instead of stopping, 6ped along the roadwuy. "Sprained foot. Can't walk. Auto out of order. Can't wtop. Go6d-bye till I come round agafn. Awful hungry. Merry Christmas !" "Ah ha!" said, Joe Burton. "I told you that it was an accident. Sprained his foot and lost power over vehiSle. I don't see the connection, but let u» bo thankful that he isn't under the wheels, with a broken neck, or winding round and round the axle." "But what's to bo. done?" said Mrs. Marten. "He suya he's hungry." "Tell you what !" Mr. Burton, in his explosive way. "put some food on a plate, and when the cuiriage comes round again I'll jump aboard, and ho can eat as he travela." ''Ho loves pureo of celery," said Mra. Marten. "Very well. Put some in a clean lardpall or a milk-pail. Little out of the ordinary, but so is the accident and he can't help his hunger. Hunger is no disgrace. I didn't think he'd over eat soup again, to tell tho truth. I was making up my mind whether a wreath or a harp would be better." "Oh, you aro so morbid, Mr. Burton," said his wife, while Mrs. Marten told the tniiid to get a pail and put some puree into it. When Thornton came around again he met Mr. Marten /near d ortieth-street. "Open tho door, Orville, and Joo Burton will get aboard with eomo soup. \o\x inuot be starved." "There's nothing like exercise for getting up an nppetit*. I'll bo ready for Burton," said Orville. "Awfully sorry I can't stop and talk ; but I'll see you again in. a minute or two." no opened the door as ho spoke, and then, to tho groat delight of at least a scoro of people who hod realised that the automobile was running away, fho rubicund and stout Joo 'Burton, a pail of puvee in ono hand and some table cutlery and silverware and a napkin In the other, mude «. dash at the vehicle, and with holp from Orvillo effected an entrance. "MeiTV Christmas!" said Orville. "Merry Christinas ! Awfully sorry, old man, but it jnight be woiso. Better drink it out of the pail. They £«a'o me a knife and fork, but they neglected to put in a spoon or n dish. I thought that yon were probably killed, but I never imagined this. Miss Badeau wits terribly worked uu. I think that she hnd decided on white cm nations. Nice girl. You could eaiilv ; >unp, old «iun,

if you hadn't sprained your foot. Hurt much?" "Like the devil ; but T'm glad it worried Mibs DitdciMt. No, 1 don't mean thnt. But you know," "Yes, I know," mucl Burton, with a tiociubla »milo. "Mrs. Marten told mo. Nice girl. Let her in next time. Unusual thing, you know. Peoplo vie very u.pt to jump from a runaway vehicle, but it seldom takes up passengers. Let her get in, "uud you cun explain inuttors to her. You see, Bhe sails early in the morning, and you haven't much time. You can tell her what a nice fellow you arc, you know, and I'm sure you'll have Mrs. Marten's blessing. Here's where I cot out." With an agility admirable in one of his stoutness, Mr. Burton leaped to the etreet and ran up the steps to speak to Miss Badeau. Orvillo cpuld see her blush, but there was no time for her to become a passenger that trip, and the young man once more made the circuit of the block, quite alone, but strangely happy. He had never ridden with Annette, except once on v the elevated road, and then both Mr. and Mra. Marten were of the company. Round sped tho motor, and when the Martens' appeared in sight, Annette waa on tho sidewalk with a covered dish in her hand and a loojt of excited expectancy on her face that added a hundredfold to its charms. ' "Here you are— only ten cents a ride. Merry Christmas!' 1 shouted Orville, gaily, and leaned half out of tho automobile to catch- her. It was a daring jump, but Annette made it without acoident, and, flushed! and excited, sat down in front of Mr. Thornton without spilling her burden, which proved to be sweetbreads. "Miss Badeau— Annette, I hadn't expeotjea* it to, turn out this way, but of course your aunt doesn't care, or she wouldn't have let you come. We're really in do danger. This driver has •had more experience dodging teams in this lust hour than he'd get in an ordinary year. They tell me you'ro going to Europe early to-morrow, to leave all, your friends. Now ( I've something very important to say to you beforo you go. No, thanks, I don't want anything moro. That • puree was very filling. I've sprained mv ankle, and I need to be very qui«t for a week or two, perhaps until this machine runs down, but at tho end of that time would you* 4 —" Orville hesitated, and Annette" blushed sweetly. She set the sweojtbreads down upon the scat beside her. Orville had never looked so handsome- beforo to her eye*. He hesitated. "Go on," she said. "Would you be willing to go to Paris on a bridal trip?" Annett«Y» nnawer was drowned in tho hurrah of the driver as the automobile, gradually slackening, came to a full stop in front of the Marten's, i But Orville rend her lips, and as he handed his untouched sweetbreads to Mrs. 'Burton, and h.i» sweetheart to her uncle, his faco wore a seraphically happy expression ; and when Mr. Marten and the driver helped him up the steps at' precisely 8 • o'clock, • Annette's hand sought his, and it was a jolly, party that sat down to a big though somewhat dried-up Rhode Island turkey. "Marriage also i» an accident," eaid Mr. Burton. — Cbavlea Battell Loomh in the Century.