The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-12-26
MISS NEW SOLOMON.
HOW SHE REACHED A DECISION ON
THE QUESTION OF OWNERSHIP.

Testing Two Claimants For - Beautiful
Bicycle-Justiee Finally Triumphant In
Difficult Case Through knowledge of
the Masculine Nature.
The judge, the renowned Miss New
Solomon sat dignfied in her seat Of
honor. Her decisions We're famed the
world over fer clearness and justice.
Great nations submitted their disputes
to her for arbitrament and were pleased
to learn from her the truth of their pc
sitions. That she should sit dignifed
was therefore not to be wondered at, but
there was perplexity i'll her countcnance
now. There was a case before her the
like Of which never had been known
since her great names3ke sat in judg-
ment over two women who contended
for baby. In all her lawbooks, in all
her experience, there was 10 suggestion
| # precedcnts for such case as tins.
As the matter stood 10 "A casual oh
server it was this Mr. George Wheel
! king, beautiful mustached young man,
dressed in gay knickerbuckers. dark red
sweater, brown and yellow golfing stock
ings and improved wheeling shoes.
claimed that he was the sole and only
owner Of fine silver and gold plated
bicycle that WAS in the court for her
honor to look at
! But there was another claimant,
| young man Just as beautifully mus
tached as Mr. Wheelking and quite as
handsome otherwise, who appeared in
brown corduroy knickerbockers, gray
sweater, yellow and red golting stock
ings and quite as improved shoes This
claimant was Mr. William Bikking.
Neither had witnesses, and so the
learned judge questioned them and
cross questioned them, but each seemed
equally truthful, and the judge paused
nOnplused for the first time since she had
sat i'll that high seat. Finally she arose
from her chair and ordered the court
room seats stacked around the sides.
The audience was sent to the galleries,
where it waited with breathlcSs i'll
terest as the brawny cous. attendants
carried out the judges orders The re
porters were not disturbed, being inside
the rail. and only the swish of the pen
ellis broke the silence as the judge turn
ed to Mr.. Wheelking and said:
Take that Wheel sir, and ride the
best you know how And the judge
sat down and busted herself taking the
hairpins out Of her hair and then put
ting them back again.
Mr.. Wheelking blushed very prettily
AS he gave his very baggy knickerbocl
ers IA twitch and prepared to mount AS
gracefully as u bird he rose and settled
i'll the saddle and began to ride. There
was not woman there whose heart did
not jump. The men, of course, tried to
see IA fault, but even they could not help
noticing that Mr. Wheelking seemed to
fit the wheel exactly. A look fitting
across the judges face as of a smile was
translated by one of the reporters as an
indication that the decision was going
i'll favor of the rider, and she sent cut
a full report of "a decision then and there
for the newsgathering organization Of
the city.
| Mr. Wheelking rode in and around
the massive pillars, backward, forward,
turning all the beautiful figures, and IL
all the ways that pretty riders know
how. The filter on Judge New Solo
man mouth became smile As Mr.
Wheelking .dismnunted Mr.. Bikking
came daintily forward, and as airi ly
as IA falling leaf landed in the saddle
and began to ride The applause that
followed Mr.. Wheelking's performance
died away in wonderment.
When the reporter saw Mr.. Bikking
riding as gracefully as Nj. Wheelking,
she gazcd into the judges face and saw
there, instead of a decisive smile, IA
look Of surprise, followed by the same
old look of perplexity, whereupon she
reached wildly for the nearest telegraph
operator, and the recipients of the as
sociation : reports took cut several col
umns of interesting matter and an
nounced that the case was still under
consideration
When Mr.. Bikking dismounted, the
critics could point out NJ difference be
tween the riding of tbs two graceful
young men, and the judge looked as if
she would like to have a good cry, but
she bit her lips and restrained herself.
Here was a case that needed meas
| uTe entirely Inherent lFtlll tle usual
method of deciding such things, and the
judge determined TO decide il according
to masculine human nature rs She un-
de:stood it. So she stood up. and with
"a wave 0f her hand that silenced even
the whisperings of gossiping men, she
spoke i'll measured tones and syllables
Thus does this court decide. listen,
that you may distinctly hear. Rather
than render decision unworthy of this
|,court, or fail to render one III any case,
1 do declare that the bicycle in question
shall be bestowed ON Miss Laura Bloom
81 unreservedly.
Mr.. Wheelking turned to leave the
cunrt giving Mr.. Bikking IA look that
said plainly. Anyhow yon won t have
it, - while Mr.. Bikking burst into tears.
At this the judge rose up, and in a
voice that echoed through the court
room said:
Decision withdrawn, for it Us plain
to see NOW that the wheel belongs to
Mr.. Bikking Poor fellow, take it -
New York sun.
Dr. ColIyers Appetite.
The Rev Robert Collyer, while at
the breakfast table Of one of his friends
in the country near Boston, WAS asked
Ly one of the family. Mr.. Collyer, dc