The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 1, 1906, Page 9

Copyright, 1906, by Seymour Eaton. All Riglts Reserved. HE besrs had spent some strenuous days In catching up with modern ways; But of all ‘the hours they ever spent On rallroad train or in mountain teat, Or seeing sights since East they'd come, Or riding bronchos, going soms, Or in balloons on a stormy lake, Or having plcnics of cream and cake, Or riding rapids in a punt, Or climbing mountains game to hunt, Or teaching school or trying to make A farmer’s bull some medicine take, Or having dinners in & dining-car, This ride to Concord was best by far. They hired an auto of latest style, With record one hundred and thirty mile (From Holyoke to Marblehead: At least that’s what the agent sald) In ninety minutes and seconds six Without & stop or & thing to fix. The bears were shown the works inside, ow to steer and how to ride what t6 do to climb a hill, And how to start or stop at will, nd the horn to blow and the way to back rhen there’s danger forward on the track. G eald he would chauffeur be, 14 run the car like sixty-three: le Teddy B sald folks would find Him following pretty close behind. They started off like milllonaires, With cash to burn and free from cares, Down Beacon street and ecross Back Bay, over a bridge and on the way ugh Cambridge town by the farhous Elm. Teddy G still at the helm. They stopped awhile at Auburn Mount To view: the monuments and cour;t The names of authors widely nown, Carved in history and in stone. At a famous grave they picked some gréen To wear in memory of “Evangeline,” And to carry home to their mountain bower To remind them of “The Children’s Hour.” And off again on a country road The auto carried its happy load; " Up hiil and down and slow or quick, C e They seemed to know the auto trick: Passed trolley cars and loads of hay, And delivery wagons on their way, And schools let out for a half” hour's fun, Till they reached the town of Lexington, Where down the street with speed and dashb They rounded up without a smash. The bears read history for an hour In the Hancock House and Belfry Tower On monuments and tablets here They learned the storles of Paul Revere, And Captain Parker and his patriots brave Who tried to make King George behave. | Then off again on lively run To see the home of Emgrson. Sald Teddy B, on Concord green, When they had all the places seén, “rd like to stand up there alone Like that minute man on that block of stone, In soldier pose. without a laugh, And have you take my photograph.” The man of bronze was lifted down ‘Without a kick or. word or frown; Placed on the grass and made to stand Where folks who passed could shake his hand.® While Teddy B in the soldier’s place, With gun In hand and upturned face Looked like a statue in a book While Teddy G his picture took. They started\ back at half-past two And sald they'd run the auto through From Concord town to Auburn Mount As quick as any clock could count. In half a minute they hit a pace Like an auto In a challenge race; But something snapped and Teddy B ‘Went overhead out front to see A ‘Why Teddy G -topp'ad up so quick And made him do a hand-spring trick, And land in mud, a pretty mess, While the auto groaned and breathed distress. “We've broken something,” sald Teddy G “It's underneath, get down and see.” et down yourself,” said Teddy B, m all the way down, you bet,” sald rep “But there’s nothing broken in me, I know: That mud I struck was soft as dough.” 2 But down they got and looked below, And back and front and H{gh and low, And twisted bolt and unfastened screen And got their hands all gasoline. A 12d came by on his way from school, ' And told the bears they mustn’t fool With lighted pipes and gasoline Or they'd blow up the old machine. . The lad knew autos like a book; He told the bears just where to loo¥ And what to do and how to start ‘When things inside have come apart. They thanked the boy and said ‘twould do; And off they wént llke seventy-two. _ Their speed increased at every grade -And doubled up each turn they made, And gained each time the horn they blew, I1l] they went so fast they simply flew. Teddy G tried hard to slow the speed, But he couldn’t make_ the levers heed: Each thing he pulled made the wheels go round So fast they hardly touched the ground. . There was nothing left for him to do But simply steer and see it through, While Teddy B on the seat behind Gave him direetions of every kind. Dogs and chickens and 33ys at play Climbed up on fences to clear the way: While teams and cars turned left and right, And thelr drivers stopped to see the sight. Teddy B was brave and held the wheel, And kept his nerve llke a man of steel, And steered the auto safe and sound TiIl he ran it into a bank of ground ‘On Boston Common with a stop so quick That both bears did their tumble trick * AnQ landed clear across the street _And hit the walk at a policeman’s feet. . “Do you know the law?’ the policeman sald; ‘But Teddy.G just shook his head; While Teddy B said “we may be greenm. But the thing to fln{ is this old machine.® They argued points to prove their case And told the officer face to face That this ride of theirs was a record run And they didn’t like to be pinched for fun. But all their talk was of no ‘all; A “Whey were taken olf to Boston jail And given a cell and locked up tight And told to stay there for the night. b (Continved Next Sunday.)