Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-10-19
THE DUDE AVENGED.
Queer Antics OF Brand New Nickel
Plated, Lightning Creased Bicycle.

queer OF IrAnu new
Plated, Lightning Creased Bicycle.
l always did dcspise dude, and
when l saw one glide swiftly by on bis
magnificent nickled bicycle, l made mp
my mind that any one could master the
art without previous preparation. I'm
mediatoly proceeding to put my theory
to test selected the public road for
my experiment. Expecting to take
quite long journey filed my pockets
with crackers and cheese for refresh
mcnts by the way. Placing my foot on
the machine Ihopped along what con-
sidercd was proper distance, and
then made q spring for the ,Sddle. My
aim was not true. / miscalculatcd the
distance by about 4 foot, and lighted
upon the fore part OF the saddle with
my knees well braced against the
handles. The commotion that followed
could not have been greater il | had
touched off He'll Gate with parlor
match. l Immediately disc covered that
this particular bicycle had never been
broken to saddle. wasn't clear but I
had mounted n circular saw under full
healway. started to fall about three
minutes before eleven o'clock, and
noticed afterward that my watch had
stopped two minutes after chat
hour. l threw myself back, but the
bicycle met me half way, totally dis
regard ng the Injunction to "never
kick mar when he's going down
hill" Il was plainly to be seen that
it had taken the bit in its teeth. 1t
Sobblcd from side to side to get me of
my guard; then the pedals played
"shinny" with my legs. l had shut
my eyes after the first jump. and was
vainly trying to touch bottom with my
feet, but was beyond my depth. The
suspense between the time l began to
fall and tho time ! arrived ut perma-
ncnt location, caused me- H. lose ten
pounds. 1t was short spell of sick
ness, but my constitution suffered ter
ribly. ] wasn't hungry, and kind o.
wished | hadn't taken provisions for SO
long journey | wanted to go home,
but the bicycle couldn't spare Inc. |
tried my old gam, of smiling to regain
my compOsure. didn't smile exactly
in the middle, and tho machine began
to career toward the left. | instantly
shifted my piece of chewing gum to
the right side of ny mouth, but that
was too much ballast on that side.
The small wheel kicked up little
right here just to let me- know it was
stall with me and didn't want any fool
ishnc's. was in the cnemy's country
and was completely surrounded. The
ice wagon went by and tried to call
for help. l didn't have breath
enough left tD swear. In my efforts
to keep on both sides of the perpcn-
dicular ut once. | hal tw sted the
heal of my collar button off. The tenn
pcraturc had risen seven degrees the
first two minutes after | cut loose from
Mother Earth, and ! could hear tho
cheese in my pockets beginning to fry.
All was lifo and motion and the bicycle
was very nervous, was afraid the
band might strike up and make mat.
tcrs worse, | felt that my seat was
contested and that must soon ''go to
the country" From the topmost curve
of one OF the bicycles springs caught
a bird s-cyc view Of outlying counties,
AMI painted for u change of air and
scenery. Why didn't some one throw
me rope. No one went for doctor;
l suppose because they considered the
case hopeless. was conscious that ]
was the great central attraction, but
painfully realized that | sprral over
too much ground to exhibit under one
canvass. Slowly the minutes wore on
but wasn't losing any time had n
certain amount of work to do before |
struck the ground. There was diver
sity of opinion as to what | was frying
to accomplish. Some thought l Twas
boring for an artcsian well, while others
| thought 1t was II scene from a Da-
kota blizzard. l now beam, aware
through every fiber of the bicycles
steel anatomy that it was gathering up
its forces for one final grand act Of OK.
termination. | wished | had been a
little more regular in my attendance at
Sunday-school. then looked for fire
escape, but it had no such attachment.
Concentrating all its inherent wicked
ness into one mighty boost, intimating
that it had no further use for me, took
the hint, left the saddle and winged
my way toward the azure. had a
round-trip ticket and came back on the
down grade with all the gathered force
of my past five minutes exercise.
Scooping out ditch along the road
side with my shoulder led a bystander
to remark that was working out my
road tax. When got to the end OF
the furrow the large wheel rolled over
me, the smaller wheel turned hand.
spring ovorthc larger one and knocked
my hat, over my eyes; then the entire
machine laid down on me, while the
dude with the placid countenanco and
unrufllcd brow rolled silently Bly,
Sober Sam, IN PeckS Sun.