The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-08-07
ON A TRICYCLE..
Henry ward Recehor's First Wiid Hide
ON the steel stecu.

Members of the Plymouth Church win be
surprised to learn that Henry Ward Beecher
is an adept on tho tricycle.. lilo is tho happy
owner OF cycle d extra size on which he
cavorts down the hills near his residence at
Peekskill, N, Y. Owing to constitutional
heavy facts the great preacher docs not ride up
hill, nor does he move with startling speed on
the level road, but take him going down hill
and Maud S. would go into a hysterical fit at
the sight of such velocity. Whenever the
neighbors who live on MIR, Bcecher's pet hill
hear n rush and rattle and see u yard of hair
floating in the dust they do not become
frightened as formerly. They know that Rev
Mr.. Bcecher is ON his three-wheeled steed
bound for the bottom OF the hill,
Mr.. Beecher does not care to talk much
about h s first experience on his tricycle., but
it seems that the old gentleman was the victim
OF an extremely practical joke lils son with
other gentlemen friends, thought that tricycle.
would be II welcome addition to the stable OF
the house, and they asked n friend in the vicn-
ity who owned one TO call ut the house and in
atuate the great divine with his easy move
ment aud speed. The friend did rs requested,
and the conspmtors dlated on tho adaptabily
of the carriage to stout elderly gentlemen Of
Mr.. Bocchers build. 1t did not take much
persuasion, rs Mr., Beecher viewed the ma
chine with delight and even after its departure
he talked in rlptures Of the tricycle., and ex-
pressed his determination of buying one.
Young Bcecher kindly took upon himself the
task Of making the purchase.
The tricycle. was brought forth and il was
noble one. Mr.. Bcechsr sat on the seat and
filed it with credit to himself. The cycle
groaned mite as il its punishment was greater
than it could near, Mr.. Beeher bore down
on the treadles, but the machine replied with
grunt and refused to bulge All the family
and several of the neighbors and invited guests
were present. Half dozen small boys, unin-
vited guests, were also present, and the smoker
that greeted Mr., Beocher's failure could be
easily traced to this source.
''lry again, father" said the dutiiul son.
The sickliest smile ever seen upon the face
Of Mr.. Beecher spread over that eSpanse. He
bent forward with all his might, but the only
effect was AMI ther groan from the tricycle. more
pronounced than before. Another smoker
from the boys and polite hiding of faces in
pocket handkerchiefs were more than Mr.
Beecher could sit ont, and, with n little joke
about hching a horse to the tricycle., he dis
mounted.
II have never been beaten yet" said Mr.
Beecher, "and l don't intend to begin at this
late day."
Young MIR. Bcecher rode the machine to the
brow OF the nearest hill and Rev. Henry Ward
walked behind with the rest of the party. The
hill is "A fine one, and will be easily recalled by
all who have ever been in Peekskill by the
large clump OF trees ut the right of the road in
which stands monster oak Arrived at the
summit, the original Beeoher again mounted
his balky stecd and told all TO stand back. His
son gave the cycle vigorous push and off she
went, gathering increased momentum at every
revolution. Mr. Beechers hat came flying
back to the starting point He himself was
too busy TO notice such a triiie, having more
important business at that moment in
an honest endeavor to stop in his downward
course. His hair streaming out behind, wi h
his horizontal coat-tails as stiff us Il plank; his
! eyes protruding in such manner that they
could have been knocked off with stick his
hands gra~ping the sides of the carriage; and
the plunging, whizzing ircycle--made pic
| ture which the natives who saw it will never
forget.
| There is sharp curve in that hill at the red
! gate which shuts off the road 10 the ice pond.
! Farmer Tompkins stood there and locked up
| the hill in wonder at the approaching meteor
| with its cloud of meteorc dust behind His
| first impulse was to throw a log in the way. II
! he had carried out that design Plymouth
! Church would have been called upon TO mourn
the untimely fate OF Its pastor As the tricycle.
| hnstened to rass the farmer Mr. Iompkns saw
| what the trouble was. So did his dog, which
immediately joined in the chase adding music
to the Z" crry-go-down."
Like most hills, this particular inclined plane
has bottom, and it came none too quickly for
| the lightning d vine. The sigh he heaved as
the machine struck level ground was plainly
he nd in the vi lage. TIE tricycle. revolved
less wildly and stopp short at the foot o.
another hill Before 1t was fully stopped Mr.
Beocher jumped off with surprising agility.
When the sympa HIKING friends, all a-trem
BE, caught up with the tricycle., they found
Nv. Beecler almost drowned in a cold perspi
ration. He vowed that he would try il
again, but he has, and now he slides down that
hill with great enjoyment, a horse dragging the
mAchine home from the foot Of the hill.