The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-08-24
THE NEW BICYCLE.

I can 20 out with you! " Len can tahG
my lesson May 60 right away: Isn't
| it a beauty You dear, sweet thing, you
knew Just what l wanted, didn't yOu?'
The next thing is to get your suit, ,"
remarked my lord and master.
Do you intend to get bloOmers?"
Boomers" almost shrieked
''Frankic Forsyth, are you crazy"
Having arrived at the school and dOnncd
my suit, the instructor, tall, patient
looking man, brought up wheel to where
I stood, and holding it still showed me
how to get on properly. grasped the han
die bar with a grip Of iron and wildly
kicked around for the pedals, which We're
as elusive as the tabled will O. the wisp."
Now, thcn," said the teacher, steady
ing the bar with one hand while with the
other he held the saddle firmly. DO not
grasp the bar so tightly, and have conf
dence in yourself l will not let you fall. y
After telling me how to balance, by
means Of the handle bar l invOluntarily
frightened my hold and scOopcd wildly to
| the right and left in vain CndeayOr to
| initiate the WavCring motion he had used
to the imminent peril Of a tall girl in
a gray suit who was bearing steadily down
on me.
pcdaIed with al the energy Of despair
ITO the right,' called the instructor to
the girl in gray. Too Iatc Two feminine
| shricks smOtc the air simultaneously. L
dropped the bar, while the girl in gray,
the two bicycles and myself were huddlcd
together in confused heap. The teachers
rushed forward to rescue the bicycles. l
was helped to my feet, feeling rather
dazcd, and cautiously felt Of my arms and
shoulders to ascertain if l had broken any
bones, and finding that l was all there. |
again tried my luck.
Presto. Pluck will accomplish all
things l thought dclightodIy as l found
myself floating, as it seemed to me, lightly
around the hall, apparently without much
effort.
''Kccp your feet on the pedals! Loosen
your hold on the bar. Balance to the left.
So" The instructions were SO cOnfus-
ing as l became 50 excited that | tried to
pedal to the left and balance to the right
and thought vaguely of putting my feet
on the bar and lOOsCning the grasp of my
hands on the pedals when over | went
again, wildly clawing the air and gasp
= ing for breath. How glad 1 was that
Frank had not accompanied me! | would
never have heard the last Of my humiliat-
, ing experience.
You Will get on all right, madam, "
said the patient looking man, mopping
his dripping face and trying to speak en-
couragingly, putting me on the wheel
again.
, / drew a long breath, set my teeth hard
and resolved to ride or die in the attempt.
After three quarters Of an hour of this
agony l succeeded in riding around the
large hall without any more serious mis-
haps and dOnncd my street attire and
went home with an aching back, a bruised
knee and a twisted wrist.
| ''WcIl?' said the brute, ;" with ma
licious delight, when he made his appear
anCc.
''Ncry well" 1 replied proudly. Il
think it is splendid exercise. Tomorrow
the teacher is going to let me ride alone,
and the next day he thinks he can teach
me to mount and dismount."
The next day I again repaired to the
school, but the bravado which had dis
tinguishCd my appearance the day before
was missing. | was Il most humble and
submissive pupil. The wheel developed
perfectly marvellous tendency to wabblc,
but he Of the patient countcnancc assured
me that it was nothing dangerous.
l got along famOUsIy, however, and aft
er sundry mishaps l succeeded in mount
ing.
"Wcll," said a familiar voice when l
had finished my lesson, do you want to
get q wheel and ride home with mc?'
"Nhy, FRANKIE I cried in surprise, men
tally wondering whether or not he had
been an interested spectator of my many
ungraccfuI troubles.
There was a note of challenge in his
voice that l did not like and so | said,
with great show of courage, which was
far from feeling, ''Why not?''
SO he got Il wheel for me- and after scv-
eral vain attempts and with many serious
i.r,rjN- I
and he Vaultcd onto his saddle in Il way
that made me envy him, and away we
went Frank getting farther and farther
ahead of me.
food for you, D." said my spouse pa
tronizingly as l bent to the pedals and
putting and painting brought up beside
him. My courage rose when l found that
- l was doing so well, but all at once there
was an Ominous roll of thunder, and a
tiny drop of rain splashed on my nose.
''Frankie! Frankic!" I shrickrd. Take
me off, Take me off, l could not dis
mount. 1t is going to Storm
'Nothing of the sort he replied stole
ally. We have not much farther to go
and perhaps can get there ahead of the
storm. Don't he clam now You are a
fine rider, you are! Whoop.'' and away
he went TO my utter alright and dismay.
The wheel wabblcd under me, but was
filled with all the courage of despair and
l could only fall after all, so | worked
with might and main, my heart in my
throat, as a vivid streak of lightning
flashed on the metal trimmings of my
! wheel.
Only little farther to 90. Fastcr!
Faster. Painting, breathless, dripping
with pcrspiration, l pedalcd steadily on
gaining on Frank at every revolution of
the wheel Now l am abreast of him
now l have passed him, leaving him star
ing open mouthcd after me. cxclaiming,
with an astonished whistle: ''Whcw! You
are riding for fair, old girl
! l did not dcign TO notice his conciliatory
, remark, but kept on, my knees almost
giving away under me On! On. Faster
and faster, No fear now, only an insane
desire to get home before the storm burst
upon me.
In sight! Oh when was | ever 80 glad