Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-12-05
A RACE FOR LIFE.


boy and labored for hours wit n bone
shaker 10 The days when became the
proud possessor of one of the first
BICYCLES ever manufactured. reveled
in the enchanting pastine. spending
hours which should have been other
wise occupied on the back Of my iron
horse, thus putting my physical powers
long way ahead OF my mental. In
fact. | hated the sight of book. and
was never happy unless securing the
country on my bicycle. My father
was n doctor in little Knntish village,
and, having q large family, he was
thankful indeed when. tt the age of 10,
a commission was obtained for me by
wealthy friend in regiment about
to sail for India.
A grand new bicycle was my fathers
parting present to me. aud great was
my delight Mt finding that another
young sub" in my regiment was also
a bicyclist. Ia these days when the
iron Wheel has SO many yotaries this
may seem nothing strange; but 10
realize my surprise and pleasure YOU
must remember that a bicycle was
then a comparative curiosity, and
bicyclist a person TO be stared at and
admired or otherwise. Our BICYCLES
were. / believe. the first ever seen in
India; and rs we rode together into
the town, some days after our arrival
one would have thought it was the
triumphal entry of some eastern poten~
tate.
could ill book with the curious
incidents and accidents which befell
US in going "up country Oar regi-
ment was always on the move. aud
panics of one kind or other were very
frequent on our bicycling excursions
One evening after mess Fred and |
drew up and signed articles 10 ride a
ten-mile race.
There was grand native road with
in a short distance of our camp. run
ming away for ten miles as Hat rs
drawing-board. 1t lay through the
open plain. and then deserted tract
was reached, becoming wilder as the
road proceeded. and finally swallowing
it up ia an impenetrable jungle. Bent
had found circular path round some
native hints short way from the sta
tion. measuring about six laps To the
mile, and here he prepared himself for
the coming struggle.
After q week Of such training az
would make modern athletes hair
stand on end-meat almost raw,
chopped very finely; little drinks of
neat brandy, etc. we considered our
selves lit for the contest; aud the adj
venture am about to relate occurred
the evening before the eyentful day.
was just starting for last ride over
my fayorite course. when an officer
stopped me and said.
Have you heard OF The tiger, Har-
vief"
mo" | answered.
The natives have just brought
word that large tiger is marked
down in the Jungle about ten miles
from here; SO don't go too far this
evening"
"All right laughed ii think n
tiger would lind it difficult matter to
catch me-my training would tell on
him."
l had not seen any large wild beasts
rs yet. and my notion OF tiger was Il
thin. sleepy-looking animal. as / had
once seen in travelling menagerie.
Away | rode, my comrades caution
forgotten before | had gone mile.
l started at n good pace. but not
racing. as | intended to do all | knew
coming home. In about an hour /
reached my usual halting-place, ten
miles from the camp; but this being
the last night of my training. | made
up my mind TO ride another couple of
miles, aud then do the whole distance
back at my best pace.
rode on and in another ten minutes
found myself in the jungle.
Now for the race home.
Dismounting, oiled my machine
tightened up every screw. and then sat
down on boulder to rest and enjoy
the prospect. A beautiful scene it
was. TOO!
Above me rose the grand mountains.
their snowy tops biushing crimson in
| the setting sun. here n waterfall. like a
| thread of gold and silver, flashing
| down the mountain side and twining
| In aud out among the masses OF trees
and rocks; there glimpse of fairy
land through jungle vista.
A post. or Tank" as they are called
surrounded by dense foliage. festooned
by parasiticaI climbing plants. glowing
with flowers of every imaginable hue;
| hummng birds. like fiery gems. flashed
| hithcr and thither. darling in aud out
| among the trees. On the tank"
foated water fowl of every kind. and
the banks were alive with gorgeous
birds. their plnmagc rivaling the
ilowers in brilliancy and variety of
| cooring. But now the shadows were
deepening, The crimson on the mount
ain tops ha.l disappeared, and the
| cold snow began 10 look grey and
ghostly. A dying fox went rustling
past me. ana hastily prepared TO
mount; for there is scarcely any twi-
light in India. aud ! knew il would
soon be dark.
| As rose my eyes encountered some
thing which made me start aud nearly
drop my bicycle.
There. not ioriy yards of. was a
tiger i knew the animal well enough;
but how different Inc looked from the
lean, half-starved little beast l had
seen at home! lie had just come into
| the open spaca from dense Jungle
break. and sat there washing his face
and purring ia coutented sort Of
way. like hugo cat.
Was frightened? Not IN atom;
had my bicycle and start Of forty
yards. so il could not beat him Il was
u pity.
| lie had not seen me yet. aud stood
for another minute ndmiring the hand
some creature and then quietly
mounted (the. tiger was directly on
my right. while the road stretched
straight away in front of mel. The
noise made reused him; he looked
up. and then. after deliberately
stretching himself. came leaping with
long, graceful bounds over the rank
grass and rocks which separated him
from the road. He did not seem = bit
angry. but evidently wished to get q
nearer view OF such TN extraordinary
| object.
4 E,.tr s.,..to hnAwa.-a~ 4 thrnvhf