Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-06-01
MOVED In.

C1PAeal, a. wv III yout SUI "
Fred"
Four members of the Bicycle Tour.
lists Club wero relating their adven
lures Of tho past season, and the ono
last addressed, a tall, handsome athlete,
Iau }hod slightly as he knocked the
ashes from his cigar before replying.
"a drollcr adventure than mine,
boys, never htppened. There's the pa
thctlc, the ludlcrou', the tragic, the
sentimental, all combined in this story
of mine, and it's true, every word OF it,
1t happened, let me see, just six weeks
ago today.
81 went with Clark and Anderson,
you know, up TO B.thIchom,. from
there to the White NJ ,untains; then
to Lancaster.
''Now just before starting mother
said to me, coaxingly:
"If you go as far as Lancaster, don't
forget that Janet Harding, tho only
cousin have IN the world, lives in tho
next town
Gan right Ircpliel. Janet Hard
ing lives in the next town to Lancaster
I'll remember
"Janct Harding unmarried would
have been bad enough, but with hus-
band, two giddy girls, and an over
grown boy of II, could l stand it2
Mother thought l could, and mother
rules our house.
"When we started on our bicycle trip
to Dixvillc Notch planned to see the
Hardings; bowl leisurcly up to the 4 oor
introduce myself to Mrs. H., joke with
the girls, and then proceed; but man
proposes, etc.
Gas luck would have it my bicycle
broke down and l had to leave it at the
Falls, little village five miles from
Lancaster for repairs. Clark and An
derson went on without mo to North
Stratiord, where was to meet them by
train, and / proceeded on foot to tho
Harding farm, some two miles from the
Falls
1.-The farm, smooth interval dotted
with fields of ripcning grain, and the
large verandahed house, and great
roomy barns clustering about it, but
not too near, all bespoke plenty COM
fort and hosI itality.
Hospitality, did l say2 Well, |
shan t take it back, although / found
the door locked and not living thing
II sight except an old white hen.
Mark the exception for th,t hen plays
an important part in my adventure.
Il noticed her, and in particular
the proud, complaccnt step, the |
coaccited 'car-car' she uttered. as she
looked at me knowingly from the cor
ler of her eye. Little dill think-but
no matter. You will sec Ly aud by the
golden thread that binds all tho points
We'll, here We were, the white hen
md ], Lut Janet Harding was not nor
he girls, nor the boy, nor Mr.. Harding.
81 decided to go to the barn and lie
lown on the hay, the new-mown hay. 4
md await their coming. n
For me to think, Is to act. A fcWiE
minutes later had climbed to the moJk
nd ensconced myself u1dcr brace VI
he corner where the afternoon sl8
,linted throu III a long crack, makiN
lanting dust-bcams across my brcasta
Il made few verses as lay on(3tbe
ragraat hay but | diln't poetizs H.
fell asleep aud l dreamed, apfN nv
reams grew thicker and black ~
cavier until at last l drcamrlH, tb.t
anot Iariing and her who!e IL
7crc seated on my stomach, and III
rcssurel l groancd IL w2'N z ~.
oIfup, but wnt much 'ialIiter off
hcH, ~ Lsipt.an darkDLe-eigped
oout me, except for the rs. where
io llght sun slited through VIZ
'Where was II Whit wasy 4 e matter9
couldn't think, the horriY Bic pressure
as so maddeniag. All abisut. arou,d
Dove, wa' packed piles of oats, not
lelled oats, You know, blIat oats before
icy are thrcshed, on hc stock or
hatever you call it. III While | was
aeep had been mowodI} in, and that's
4 there was 1t, exceWi that l couldn't
owe mana nor loot, IL Two or three
aus must nave boon Thrown on top Of
e, trod down, and cliached 50 70
,eak Pf
Het' lamn'saks around = bit and
Il my hands free MA pokea the Grain