CHAPTER VI 



SPBAYING 



"Indeed, what is there that does not appear marvelous when 

 it comes to our knowledge for the first time? How many 

 things, too, are looked upon as quite impossible until they 

 have been actually effected?" —Pliny the Elder. 



Some ten years ago I was visiting in the hill 

 country in southern Indiana, a section at that 

 time known far and wide for the frightfulness 

 of its dirt roads. One night at supper, I noticed 

 that the two " hired hands" were absent and 

 inquired of my host where they were. ' ' Oh, ' ' he 

 replied, "they's a debate over to Needmore to- 

 night and they've went over there." Next 

 morning I asked one of the boys what the de- 

 bate was about and was astonished when he 

 replied that it was on the question of "Whether 

 or not gravel roads are a good thing for this 

 country. ' ' 



That was ten years ago. Since then the in- 

 troduction of the flivver has so changed the 

 public opinion that to-day even in the section of 

 the worst roads in the country one would have 

 some difficulty in finding any opponents to 

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