Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-15

secluded corner of his parish and sigh dole
fully beneath its famous oaks. Times when,
in his own words, he felt inclined to go ont
and bay the moon, or generally 90 what Is
to unsettled lovers.
All this and more, for the sake Of Beatrice
Clauson's gray eyes, brown hair and straight
profile The Rev. Sylvanus was, indeed, In
a bad way, and knew he should not be his
own man again until his love was crowned,
or kicked into the gutter
So one Sunday evening he preached n crisp,
exhiarating, decorating sermon, in which he
showed Lis Pensioners how right it was that
man should choose n helpmeet He preached
it really to encourage himself, but its imine-
date effect upon his flock was that on the
next Sunday the banns OF marriage between
no less than three couples were called; so 1t
must have been most convincing discourse.
On the Monday he mounted his tricycle.,
and, after going his parochial round, drove or
propelled himself ON trenulous wheels TO
Lakewood House.
Sylvanus on his tricycle. was a lovely sight,
but one which, upon its first introduction,
filed Oakbury with CONSERVATION. To see
clergyman, in long black coat and broad-
brimmed hat, working vigorously with mus
cular legs, and sending himself along at the
rate of ten miles an hour, was an upheavsl
of all traditions Only his popular..y saved
him. Indeed, old Mrs. Pierrepout, parish
ion,r in a chronic state of aggrievedness,
wrote to the bishop on the subject. She
called it 'bicyclc machine not exnggerat
ing, but diminishing, SO far rs wheels won't
The bishop was startled. A curate careering
about the country on n couple of wheels did
seem out of place SO his lordship wrote to
the rector of Oakbury on the subject, and the
rector handed the letter to Syvanus. SO fer
rs he, the rector, was concerned, his curate
might have flown about on broomstick II
by so doing he kept the bother of the parish
off his superior's hands.
Mr.. Mordle, who was unable to see that his
ordination vows debaiTed him from using
such convenient vehicle for getting from one
end of the parish to another, did a bold thing.
Knowing that the bishop was staying at a
country house some twenty-five miles away,
he threw himself early one morning into the
saddle or the seat, and used his neither limbs
to such purpose that just before lunch time
his card was sent in to his lordship, and in ten
minutes the bishop was gravely inspecting
what Mrs. Pierrepont, when speaking to her
friends, called diabolical machine.
For some minutes the bishop stood on the
doorsteps, weighing the innocence or guilt Of
the lnanlinate creature at ms 1eet, SylVanus
the while pleading Its cause with his usual
brisk vehemence and Jerky dexterity. he
expatiated on the size of his parish, and on the
wonderful assistance he derived from this
modern invention LOT getting quickly over
the ground lie showed ms lordshlp the con-
vement nttle bag attached 10 the back, IN
Whlch ne carried MS DOCKS Oh devotlon, OF,
Ill
when occasion needed, some small creature
comfort 1or the aged SICK. lie explained the
actloh OF the llachine, anu 80 raised the cps
copal curiosity that an unheard OF thing
occurred. His Iordshlp, CATERS ana ALL
gravely installed himself III the seat, and to
the unutterable delight OF seVera! ladies' ana
gentlemen who were gazing through the
drawlng-room windows, IN quiet, dlgnlhed'
leisurely way, as behooves bishop, actually
propelled his sacred self down the gravel path
and up again, with no 1urther damage tha1l
cutting up the cages OF MS hosu lawn ana
knocking couple OF stones out OF a rockery
The tricycle. triumphcd! Although the bishop
did not embody eulogistic notice OF 1t Ii
his next charge to his clergy, he has beer
known on several occasions TO recommend lt'
use IN outlying dlstrlcts'
Like many other useiul innovations, Syl
vanus and ms tricycle. llved down preJudlce
and were able to accompany each other t'
hazlewood House this particular afternoon II
July.
The "Iabbles" had driven into Blacktown
but Miss Clauson was In the back garden
Sylvanus pulled his tricycle. aside, so that
should be out of the way OF other callers, thel
Went TO meet what tate mad III store Tor them
POOR fellow, 10 breathed a prayer as n
crossed the lawn lie had really very HUI
nope; but he felt he must make his confession
before he struck his nag altogether
1t was warm July afternoon. Beatrice
in dainty white dress, looked dellciousl.
cool as she sat reading in the shade of syca
saw her visitor Approaching, syl1anus wo Ill
to her cool, white che, cheek. Mrs; Miller, tn