The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-10-16

II l &ways did despise' = dude, and
~hen ! saw one glide swiftly by on hid
magnificent nickleA Mcycle. I made up
my mind that any one could master the
art without previous preparation. Inn.
Imsdissely proceeding 70 put my theory
to test selected the public TOAD iDr
my experiment. Expecting to ssks
quite long journey I filed my pockets
with CRACKERS and cheese for refresh
| tn6nte ~ fhe way, Placing my foot on
| the machine fhopped along what con-
/ sidercd was proper distance, and
then made spring Tor the saddle. Ny
aim was not true. 4 mipcalculated the
distance by about q foot, and lighted
4 upon the fore part Of the saddle With
my knees well braced against the
handles. The eommotion that followed
could not have been greater If had
touched OF He'll Gate with Z psrlor
match. immediately disc that
this particular bicycle had never been
broken to saddle I,wssn't clear but l
had mounted d circular saw under full
/ Roadway. / started to tall about three
/ minutes before eleyen o'clock, and
noticed afterward that my watch had
stopped two minutes after that
hour. / threw myself back. but the
bicycle met me half way, totally dis
regarding the Injunction to s'never
kick q man when he's going down
hill" It was plainly to Be seen tiixt
it had taken the bit in it,. teeth. It
wobbleti nom side 10 sac 10 get me OF
my guard; then tho pedals played
'.shinny" with my legs. ! had shut
my eyes after the first jump. and was
yainly trying to touch bottom with my
feet, but ! was beyond my depth. The
suspense between the time I began to
fall and the time I arrived 1t . perma-
mont location, cansed me 10 lose ton !
pounds. twas ! short spell Of sick
ncss, butsmy constellation suffered ter
ribly. wasn't hungry, and kind o.
wished hadn't taken provisions for 50
long . journey. ! wanted 70 go home,
but the bicycle couldn't spare me.
tried my old game Of smiling to regain
my composufe. didn't smile exactly
In the middle, and the machine began
to career toward the left. instantly
shifted my piece Of chewing gum to /
the right side Of my mouth, but that
WAS too much haIlast on that side.
The small wheel kicked up a little
right here Just to let me know it was
still with me and didn't want any fool
ishness. | was in the enemy's country
and was completely surrounded. The
ice wagon went BY and tried to call
for help. I didn't have breath
enough left TO swear. In my efforts
to keep on both sides of the perpen-
dicular at once. had twisted the
head of my collar button OF. The tenn
pcrature had risen seven degrees the
first two minutes after / cut loose from
Mother Earth. and could hear the
cheese tn my pockets beginning to fry. |
All was life and motion and thN bicvcle |
was very nervous. l was afraid the |
band might strike sup and make mat |
tiers worse. felt that my seat was |
contested and that must soon Ego to |
the country" From the t0pmost curve
of.one Of the bicycles springs / caught |
bird's-eye view Of outlying counties,
and painted for : change Of air ana
scenery. Why didn't some one throw |
me rope. No ono went for doctor;
! suppose becsuse.they considered the
case hopeless. was conscious that 1 |
was the great central attraction, but
painfully realized that / spread over
too much ground to exhibit under one /
canvass. Slowly the minutes wore on I
but wasn't losing any time. had
certain amount of work to do before |
struck the ground. There was q diver
sity Of opinion as to what / WIS trying
to accomplish. Some thought Twas
boring for an artesian well, while others
thought 1t was scene from Da-
kota blizzard. now became aware
through every fiber of the bicycles
steel anatomy that it was gathering M
its forces for one final grand act Of ex-
wished had been !
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
hat It had no further use for me, l took
he hint, left the saddle and winged
ny way toward the azure. I had =
'ound-trip ticket and came back on the
lown grade with all the gathered force
It my past five minutes' exercise.
'cooping out ditch along the road
id0 with my shoulder led bystander
Q remark that was working out my
oad tax. When got to the end 81
he furrow the large wheel rolled over
ne. the smaller wheel turned hand
pring over the larger one and knocked |
az hat over my eyes; then the ontir6i
aaohine laid down on me, while the |
ude with the placid countensnce and
urnlI3ad !. hrosv pr1ln1 ssl~u<9v> ~ l