Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-10-23
OUR TANDEM.

'I say, Bea," criei Mel Howard,
springing into my room at the academy,
''get on your clothes quick, there's"
The slam of the door drowned the
rest Of the sentence, and his footsteps
Could be heard retreating rapidly down
the hall.
"There's fire around here!" was my
hasty thought.
With vest on wrong side out, hat
hanging on one ear, collar swapping.
like the Star Spangled Banner on
| windy day, and my coat sticking
straight out behind, 1 fell half way
down the stairs, tore out the front
door-to ind my chum contentedly
chewing gum on the gate post, while
waiting for my appearance.
Takes you an awful long timel" he
growled.
where's the fire? Whose is itP" 1
gasped.
Nobody said anything about fire."
was the cool reply. How much
! money have you got?"
L stopped, appalled, at this question.
Was this what he wanted when he
! called me in such hasty manner?
1 looked at him closely to see IL he
was clothed in his right mind, and,
finding he was, mechanically thrust my
hand into my pocket and drew forth a
dime.
SIS that all you've got left out of
your quarters allowanceb" he in
! quired, in tones of astonishment.
81 'orgot had that, or"
you'd have bought that jointed fish
/ pole of Davis yesterday" he finished.
'w ell, L know you can put up twenty
five, and I'ye got twenty-five fifty. 1
think We can rake up two and half
among the boys
But what's it all about?" asked,
In Oewilderment.
Didn't tell you when called you
| that there's a fellow over at the hotel
with tandem for saLe?''
"A tandem!" | repeated, in dismay.
''Now, Mel, what"
''Oh, yes; what do We want with a
| tandeml Maybe we want 1t for scrap
| iron, L am informed that it is device
| like a tricycle., destined to carry two
! said last week you wished you had
something to make the fellows enviOus.
Now, here's your chance"
| Did / go into the scheme? To Ds
| sure | did, head over heels
| While he started ont to "rake up''
two dollars and a half, L returned TO
my room 10 finish my hasty toilet.
Are you sure he'll take fifty dol
| lars?'' l asked, as L joined him few
moments later.
Hell have to, If he sells it to us, -
was the wise reply. ''Here. you take
charge of the chink and I'll do the
talking"
"Mr. Morton's not up yet," replied
the officious clerk in response to Mel's
inquiry for the gentleman who possessed
such wonderful piece Of mechanism
| as tandem.
After a tedious wait of fifteen min
| utes, lie called to Mel and pointed to a
gentleman standing near the dining
room door aS the party we wished 10
see.
"Well, yes; I've got a tandem for
sale.'' lie said slowly, after a few pre-
liminary remarks had been exchanged,
eyeing US with a view of making GER
tain calculations on our combined capi-
| tai.
1t was on the top floor.
There it Is, remarked Mr.. Morton,
cautiously, as he threw open the door of
a small room and pointed to a five foot
concern standing in one corner, the
light from the window glistening on its
polished nickel and enamel.
''It's bali bearing all around, with
automatic steering bicycle handles,
forty-two inch drivers twenty inch
steering Wheel" he went on glibly.
'A1le is driven from the center by two
detachable link chains and sprocket
wheels, fitted with an automatic bal
ance gear, composed of three bevel
wheels ard shaft, by which the power
H.. l. l.
Pause for breath. "It has been used
but few times; original cost two hun
dred and fifty; will take one fifty.
| What do you think Of the bargain?"
We had been examining the machine,
but at the mention of his price our
hands came off simultaneously. One
hundred and fifty dollarsl II he had
sa ID 81, 500 our surprise could not have
been greater.
"Heml" said Mel. cautiously looking
very critically at me over the machinel
lis that the very least you'll take?"
"Oh, couldn't take less than that!''
replied Mr.. Morton, decidedly.
Whats the reasons for selling?"
inquired, running my hand over the
tires to keep up appearances, seeing he
looked at us rather astonlshed-
They were cut IN a great many
places, to show it had been run rather
recklessly, If used but a few days.
Never mind the reason for selling, -
answered Mr.. Morton, sharply. ''lt
has nothing TO do with the sale-''
Neither noticed the short reply, or
perhaps we would have thought twice
before proceeding.
/ We'll give you $50; that's the best
we can do,'' was NIel's offer.
"Oh. be couldn't do i'll Why II Gust
two fifty; but after twenty minutes
ArZuing, and numerous false starts for
he door, he suddenly changed his
mind. accepted the SO, and we became
tie happy po-sessOrs OF a tandem
Mr. Brooks. the proprietor. sire
nuosssly objected 20 my bringing IL IN.
- M Norton - e cOuutel tn