Wichita eagle., 1889-07-05
A BICYCLE STORY.

rtreSpaSSefS who persisted IN infringing on
his exclusive right to the enjoyment OF his
private property The trespasser on this oc-
-casion was a young man, slim and why, with
hair that seemed TO have borrowed its stiff.
ness from his muscles
'sWhaG right have you got to be on here,
should like to k1osVr' proceeded the farmer.
II don't know. What right have your
.'Right2 That's a good un- Why, this
fields mine!"
''Indeedl I'm sure 1 congratulate you on
it."
''Come, turn of"
Certainly, If it's yours. But didn't think
you'd mind my being on it. !"
s'Of course I mind. You're trespasSing.
What 'ud you say if a fellow came tramping
all over your garden, and sitting on your
grass. and hacking Up your gravel, and cut
ting your cabbagesT asked the farmer, wax
ing eloquent and even flsurative.
"Give it up. Ask me another" was the
cool reply.
"Do you know I could prosecute your
"Really, now2"
''f you don't mind. then. / will. sure as my
s1lane's Hicks"
s,Good old iiicks,' murrnured the other.
eff you give me any more Of your inpu-
idence I'll have you up"
up wheref'
an let you know a precious sight sooner
than you Ike if you don't take care"
e'Well. I'm off. VIII wait for an invitation
next time come this way Good-by.'
The young man passed on his way, and
had soon entirely forgotten the little episode.
But the worthy Hicks was left almost chok-
ing with exasperltion- He hated these ban
dyings of words. He always got the worst
of it, although in the right all along. He
would leave no stone unturned in order to
find out way Of paying OF this score against
the offender He would
But first be must ascertain who the Of
fender was. Accordingly he followed the
young man home ut such a distance as to
arouse neither suspicion nor comment. He
did not have TO 90 far. After descending the
Hill, and traversing few hundred yards of
the lane at its foot, heSsaw his enemy turn
unto the garden of one of a row of lately
built houses.
"Umph! a new comer;o muttered Hicks;
tone Of those city chaps. Just the sort l
hate"
On his way back be fell in with neighbor
from whom he ascertaine1 that the young
fellows name was Axel And among other
things he learned that his enemy was BIZ
'cyciist.
SIS he nowr' said Hicks. "How d'you
iknowa Ever see him ridingg"
sob, yes; every morning he goes out be-
fore breakfast, as regular as clockwork."
'Every mornirgl Where tof'
"Oh, the same old run every morning;
tears down Furnai Hin, and runs home
round by the fat road at the bottom"
"Whatever for?" asked Hicks, the practi-
cal
''Humi S'poso it's to get up an appetite
for breakfast, but it don't make him much
the fatter-hei her'
''Noa," said Hicks, TO whom the same re-
mark would by no means apply; "and what
times that when YOU see HING"
'sTwenty TO eight, that's when he starts. 1
know that, cause 1 meet him every morn
ing"
Mr.. Hicks had now heard enough,
and the two soon afterwards separated.
Hicks slowly retreated home, meditating an
idea which had struck him He particularly
loathed bicycles and bicyclists There was
something 50 irritating about that supercil-
ious ease with which they ran past him and
his cart horses
"Why,s he would sometimes declare, "a
man dursnt leave his cart across the road on
"a hill, but what enc of them bicycle chaps
somes flying down: and il he do get by with
out breaking his neck he must needs storm
away, as If We weren't going 20 take up as
anuch OF u road as we precious well please"
The next morning saw him on Furnall hill
at twenty minutes to s. Barely ten minutes
had elapsed when the flash Of the sun among
1.-THE plated spokes of a fifty-two inch bicycle
wheel caught his eve; and down the long,
ssDooth hillside sped its rider. the hated
Noung Axei He had thrown up each leg
lover the handles, end was leaning back, his
coat, confined by one button alone, flying
open 10 the rushing air, and every line of his
Ecountenance and figure expressive of his half
Hntoxicnted delight in the motion, perilous
land yet secure from its very speed
/ The machine flashed by the farmer, and
was at the bottom of the descent in mo-
Elnent. Hicks grunted with satisfaction.
Here was way towards revengeI Any OBJ
stacle would be enough 70 throw into over
whelIning confusion bicycle travelling at
that pace. There was a cross lane intersect-
ing the main road about half way down the
hill From this lane he meant 10 bring
carr, as if by accident, across the road in the
very path of the bicyct.st, and see what hap
pened-
thought, and quite chuckied at the humorous
Sdea-
Upon the next morning Farmer Hicks har-
messed bis heaviest cart horse to a substantial
wagon, and proceeded towards the scene of this
Intended experiment 4 strong wind was
blowing down Furnan hill
80 much the better,n thought he; ''heu
come down all the fsster.a
When within a few yards of the main road
hefarmeF drew up diSInounted, and through
an opening In the hedge. eagerly scanned the
SUNNI. of the hill Yes, there was the fash
of the nickell Axel had just thrown up his
legs in hisaccuStomed attitude. Hicks leaped
back into his cart, and drove it on quickly 10
the entry to the raain road Then he slack
Rned speed once more, meaning 20 cross the
road more slowly. BE was little too soon,
however. He waited until the whirring
pound of the approaching wheels fell on his
Bar, and then urged his horse forward again.
Axel WINS tearing down the hill, his swift
pourse accelerated TO more than bis usual
kpeed by the stiff breeze at his back At the
very height Of bicycist's happiness be was
suddenly thrown into the kecnest app-.Aen-
ki,p bv tss SIGHT of a horses head and shoul-
uers slowly emerging from the lane on the
right Of the road In such way ss 70 threaten
10 block his path The machine wss travel
sng too fast 20 bear the shock Of the brake;
he must fly on and Craze past in front Of the
horses very nose
To-too latel The horse and cart are now
clean across the road; he must inevitably
dash into theobstacie, TO be precipftated over
Aha handles. who should say Niitheri All.