Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1889-08-09

dence Ill have you up"
up wherel"
'Tll let you know precious sight sooner
than you like if you don't take care"
''Well, I'm off VIII wait for an invitation
next time come this way. Good-by.T
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 evaporation. 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 untuIned in order to
find out a way of paying off thisscore against
the offender. He would
But first he must ascertain who the Of
fender was. Accordingly he followed the
/ young man home at such a distance as to
arouse neither suspicion nor comment. He
\ did not have TO go far. After descending the
hill and traversing few hundred yards of
the lane at its foot, he saw his enemy turn
into the garden Of one of a row of lately
built houses.
"Umph! a new. conner" muttered Hicks;
lone of those city chaps. Just the sort
hate"
On his way back he fell in with a neighbor
| from whom he ascertained that the young
fellows name was Axel. And among other
things he learned that his enemy was BIZ
cyclist.
as he nowF said Hicks. allow dyou
know7 Ever sec him ridingln
"Oh, yes; every morning he goes out be-
fore breakfast, as regular as clockworlz"
every morningi Where tot"
"Oh, the same old run every morning;
tears down Furnal Hill, and runs home
round by the fat road at the bottom"
"Whatever forF' asked Hicks, the practi-
cal.
"HumI Spose it's to get up an appetite
for breakfast, but it don't make him much
the fatter-hel hel"
"Noa," said Hicks, to whom the same re
mark would by no means apply; land what
times that when you see him"
Twenty to eight, that's when he starts
know that, cause l meet him every morn
ing.n
Mr.. Hicks had now heard enough,
and the two soon afterwards separated
Hicks slowly retreated home, medtating an
idea which had struck him He particularly
loathed bicycles and bicyclists. There was
something so irTit 1t1Eg about that supercil-
ious ease with WINS E.ey ran past him and
his cart horses.
"Why," he would sometimes declare, "a
man dursn't leave his cart across the road on
a hill, but what one Of them bicycle chaps
comes flying down; and if he do get by with
out breaking his neck he must needs storm
away, as if We weren't going to take up as
much of a 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 fash Of the sun among
the plated spokes of fifty-two inch bicycle
wheel caught his eye; and down the long,
smooth hillside sped its rider the hated
young Axel He had thrown up each leg
over the handles, and was leaning back, his
coat, confined by one button alone, flying
open to the rushing air, and every line of his
countenance and figure expressive Of his half |
intoxicated delight in the motion, perilous |
and yet secure from its very speed
The machine flashed by the farmer, and |
was at the bottom Of the descent in mo-
ment. Hicks grunted with satisfaction. |
Here was way towards revengel Any OBJ |
stacle would be enough to throw into over.
whelming confusion a bicycle travelling at |
that pace. There was a cross lane intersect- !
ing the main road about half way down the |
bill From this lane he meant to bring a |
cart, as if by accident, across the road in the |
very path Of the bicyclist, and see what hap |
pened.
"Yes, see what happensrn He repeated his |
idea.
Upon the next morning Farmer Hicks har-
messed his heaviest cart horse to a substantial /
wagon, and proceeded towards the scene of this
intended experiment. A strong wind was
blowing down Furnall hill.
80 much the BETTER" thought be; she'll
come down all the faster"
When within few yards of the main road
thefarmer drewup, dismounted, and, through
an opening in the hedge eagerly scanned the
summit Of the hill Yes, there was the flash
of the nickel Axel had just thrown up his
legs in his accustomed attitude. Hicks leaped
back into his cart, and drove it on quickly to
the entry to the main road. Then he slack.
ened speed once more, meaning to cross the
road more slowly. He was little too soon,
however. He waited until the whilring
sound Of the approaching wheels fell Oh bis
ear, and then urged his horse forward again.
Axel was tearing down the bill, his swift
course accelerated to more than his usual
speed by the stiff breeze at his back At the
very height Of a bicyclist's happiness he was
suddenly thrown into the keenest apprehen-
sion by the sight Of q horses head and shout
iers slowly emerging from the lane on the
light Of the road in such a way as to threaten
10 block his path. The machine was travel
ing too fast to bear the shock of the brake;
he must fly on and greze r!ss in front Of the
horse's very nose
Eo-too lat, eas trasye anc cart are now
clean across tho road he must inevitably
lash into the obstacle, to be precipitated over
the handles, who should say whitheri All,
there is still passage, bare foot in breadth,
INTO the cross lane on the other sidel But
what curve to venture on at that pacei
But there was no time for hesitation; he
eaned hard over to the left and iammed the
handles round. At the flash and whir Of tho
wheels the startled horse reared up; the BIZ
,ycle rushed by beneath its uplifted forefeet,
escaping On upset at the curve as II by a
a-.t H.. larLa1 doxvn fl,a ,.o,,oh I