The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-09
MADE FOR TWO.

hapS 1t would be modern to say now that
she has taken to cycling, that he was
bound 10 her bicycle wheel She had flout-
cd him and scorncd him for upward of two
years, and III despair Jack set himself at
undoing his bonds 1t was q slow and
painful process, and the bonds had u habit
of slipping again into hard knots when he
caught u glimpse of Cissic, and Jack had
almost made up his mind to cmigrntc to
some outlnndish country, for he feared he
would never be his own man again unless
very broad and extensive ocean rolled he
tween them. No matter how stern his res
clutioEs were, they faded away to nothing
hess when he met Cissie in IL new pretty
and stylish dress for every costume she
adopted seemed TO DO even moro fetching
than the last. Clothes have so much to do
with the appearance of pretty girl. The
trouble with Jack was that he had too
much respect for women in general, and
they all l.licw thnt and consequently de-
spiscd him, Cissic being the leader in
hcapng contumcly on poor Hinkstor,
who, after ALL was very nicc fellow, who
Gid not realize that girls as "a rule are
somewhat silly and more apt to take ND
with shadow Drained, conccitcd rascal
lion than with a fellow Of genuine worth
like Jack Iiinllston.
Jack had heard that Cissic had taken to
the bicycle, but he had never seen the
young lady on n machine. For the past
week or two Jack had avoided Cissic and
his resolutions of abandonment had so
strengthened themselves that he felt he
would he IL free man if he could keep away
from her; but, on the other hand, he real
lied that the next time he saw her she
would have on n new dress and would look
moro like nm angel than ever and he trcm-
Died for the result.
In the matter of the new dress Jack was
perfectly right and he saw the girl under
circumstances that nearly resulted in his
downfall but not the kind of downfall he
had looked for. He had taken out his BIZ
cycle and had gone for long wheel into
the peaceful country where he would have
10 comrades but the trees and the green
fields and the hedges that borderod tho
lanes. As he cyclcd along a narrow coun-
try thuroughfarc, wheeling at leisurely
pace for rapid cycling doesn't lend itself
To soinher meditation, he heard behind
him the sharp ring of II bicycle bell
something i'll its imperative cang or else
the Tact that he was on a lonely road,
causcd him To look over his shoulder and
hc nearly tuInbcd of his machine with
amazcncnt and surprise. There WIS Cissic
on the top 0f u silver plated machine with
the very newest and most natty cut of an
advanced wonan's bicycle costume clip
ping over the distance at y tremendous
rate Of speed. She passed him with IL
whir, giving him y saucy nod and "A salu-
tation rs She went 10y. Jack gaspcd and
said under his breath, we'll, he wou.d be
somethinged-n phrase that would not
look pretty on these pages, but it must not
be taken rs typical of Jack : conversations
He WAS knocked all of u heap by the as
toniShing sight of CiSsic in the very latest
lady's bicycling costume. The next in
slant he put his muscles TO the wheel and
sped after her, shouting
stop IA minute Cissic! want to tell
you somcthiEg!'
But the young woman never paid the
slightest attention. She bent over the
handle bars and raced down that lane in II
way to make pedestrians heads swim.
Jack shouted Intellectually two or three
times, then pulled up and said to himself
well, let her go. She will find out all
wanted to tell her.
Cissic disappeared round Il corner and
when Jack came to 1t she was not to be
secil down the long avenue. on which the
sunshine ilickcrcd through the ontwining
branches Of the trees overhead Jack went
on lciSurc1y for n mile or two; then he
jumped lightly off his machine and trun-
died it along beside him. He was now
miles away from civilization, deep In the
midst of the country. The road had sud
denly become very bad, and Jack, who
knew the pcculiartics of every lane within
miles around thought 1t safer to wheel the
bicycle along 10y hand rather than risk n
puncturc of his pneumatic tires on the
sharp flint stones scattered with such pro-
fusion along the way Near "a little rustic
bridge over clear stream at the bottom
of II dell he found what hi expected to find
| ii very pretty girl with u most woebc-
| gone, disconsolate look on her face sitting
Oh the grassy bank looking forlornly mt q
| bicycle that lay on the road with the tire
| of the hind wheel collapsed
Hello, Cissic" said Jack brcczily
Had "a tumblc:'
No" snapped Cissic. Il am not in the
habit of tumbing."
"Ah, said Jack. II see what is the
matter. The tire is puncturcd ] knew
| that would happen. shouted after you to
| tell you Of this hit of road, but YOU would
| not I!stcn.'
II did not hear you, said Cissic, at
| which assertion Jack raised his eyebrows
with ircrcdulity, which made CisSic all
| the more angry, especially rs She knew she
was telling thing which was not true
We'll, don't want any help from you, "
| she said curtly
Why, of course not, >" returned Jack,
| sitting down on the opposite bank and
| leaning his bicycle against the hedge "a
| person who comes out on wheel and
doesn't know how to mend anything that
| goes wrong is simply silly fool One can
see you understand all about cycling he
| cause you have left your machine lying on
| the ground and the oil is running out of
| your lamp.
Cissic looked Mt the young man in
| anazcmcnt.
1T isn't your lamp she said at last,
| ''nnd | can surciY do whit l like with my