Young Man's Essay.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 December 1912, Page 2

Young Man's Essay.

WITH GAli AND PEN.

The Chronicle has been favoured with a descriptive account of what the writer terms "a joy ride" taken in a well-known motor car. Tho description is characterised by the ebulliency of youthful spirits, and the cheerful irrelevancies and exaggerations of young manhood, but it is good-humoredly pleasant and without intentional offence. The Chronicle has pleasure in giving publicity to this effort of a Levin young man to describe in humorous vein his experiences per motor car be- ! twecn thiiis town and Ivoputaroa. The article is headed "A RIDE IN ONURAY'ti CAR." "Bura! Bura!" Now we start on the road. The driver changes the gears liko « hero. Now, on top gear, we fly down the road like an aeroplane until we come to the small bill in the avenue. The car is going very slow. The driver, with his steady hand, changes gear and wo get to the top. Ido not know how —but we did! Then for a bit of down hill. Now we pass cars and traps which soon become merely specks; also men and boys. We could not see how wo rose up tho hill; she begins to honk rather much; but again tho driver, with steady nerve, manages to get to the top. Now for a straight road. We round the corner at about forty-five miles an hour, and we had to hold tight. Now to the golf links ; and down the hill we flew! Our hats were off; hut all our hair was merely holding on. We look behind, but see nothing but a white cloud. For a mile now we have a bit of "ocean wave"—up liill and down dale; it was marvellous tho way the car went. Then we got to Ivoputaroa. The driver asks: "Do you know tho road that runs from the back?" "Ye ; was over it yesterday!" And a matter of £act they had never been over it before! He turned the oar round and we started down tlie road over new metal about a foot deep. The car swayed from side to side, missing the gutter by inches every time; but the driver, with steady nerves and strong will power, managed to steer to the end. Now we went over a bit of dry clay -and another cloud of dust rose to the heave Is. Wc rounded tho corner and np a small pinch with a few big weeping willows growing on each side of the road. The lack in the back of the car made a desperate grab at a branch that was hanging rather low to tho road. They held on so tight that the car stoppod! and then the branch broke. Well, tbev got started again, and with the, willow tree dangling behind we started on the hill, and half way up she "conked out" on us. So we had to get out. Then she started to run back; we put our backs to her and stopped her to give the driver a chance to put on tho brakes. Well, they started her, and we shoved her up a yard or so •af the incline with the backwheels skidding. "The incline must be seized, ' was one's remark. Tho fufu valve was blocked, and eventually the brakes were on. The brakes Mere taken off and the car had to be held from going backstarted, and the gears began to grind an impossible sand. She was ■struck on the incline well; eventually we had to shove her up; then wo got a start down bill, and round corner . The frightened horses, cows, fowls, ducks and pigs fled for dear life. The worst of all was that a bony backblocks nag fainted—and we brought it too with a hottle of smelling salts. Then wc rounded the corner and met a boy on a horse. The horse took down the road, touching about thirty-fivo miles an hour. The boy was affectionately holding him by tho neck as he went across some paddocks— and that is all we have seen or beard of it. The willow limb was still hanging behind, and making a, great dust. I lion, after scaring a few inoro horses, we came round the corner into Queen street, and the ear with the two engineers in front and the two lads in the back (with legs and coloured socks waving alarms) made i sight to be remembered. Of course, tho car cleared the road; and wc just flew home liko a starling from a scarecrow. Note.—Ongrav's car is painted like a Blue Bird (without wings), and T believe be could get a decent price for it. Tn tho meantime ho is prepared to take all comers out for a "joy ride," and I can tell yon faithfully it TS a joy ride at 3s with all stick-ups thrown in as a bonus.