The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-09-14

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this, and many wise mothers had
looked IN Van Spoke as not only suita'
bic but as q most desirable part fol
their m~arriageable daughters.
As George approached his uncle the
old man greeted him kindly. "Well,'
he cried, 80 you have been out for 9
spin. too. / have Just got back from q
run over to Springer's-a good twelve
mile run. Cooling off 3 little; then fol
q cold plunge
Van Spoke threw himself into a
chair and for some moments vouch'
safed no reply. Then he laid one hand
gently on his uncle's knee and said;
Uncle, you have been almost a father
to me, and 1 want you to know how
deeply l appre-"
Come, come, George, don't get senti'
mental now" interrupted Mr.. Tires.
'Tm not feeling that way by any
means. Old Springer and / have ar.
ranged a meeting at last Irode over
there to-day with our neighbor, Miss
Fellows. Now. don't look concerned.
It's nothing serious, I assure you. She
and 1 were children together, and sim
ply went out for a little spin. But as
/ was saying"
Uncle Reuben, I have something
concerning which / wish to-"
"Just wait until l tell you about
this affair. We went to Springer's and
succeeded in arranging a meeting for
tomorrow. You know 1 have been
trying to fix it for years, and we had
trouble over the handicap. We settled
morrow-one hundred dollars a side. /
give him a minutes start on me, as he
is five years older than /. Pray what
do you think of your old uncle now?'
Mr.. Tires clapped his nephew gayly
on the shoulder and then threw him
self back in his chair and laughed long
and loud.
"Uncle," began George, ST want to
marry Ethel Wheeling, as l have told
you before. / have come again to ask
your consent"
Reuben Tires at once became seri-
GUS. He leaned forward and replied
earnestly:
my boy, you know what 1 have al
ready told you. l can have no
nephew of mine tying himself for life
to a light-headed creature who rides a
Whizzer. l can have no heir of mine
daily risking his life and limb for the
sake of a woman. What does she say?
Has she consented to give up her
folly?"
Van Spoke sadly shook his head and
replied: No, she has not: she says
that she will not marry, to live in
constant fear of being widowed. She
will not have a husband who, as she
puts il, is so lacking in mind as to ride
a Buster. Uncle Reuben, / love you
like a father, but Ethel is all the
world to me; withdraw your hard con-
dition."
"Enough!" cried the old man.
springing to his feet, his face flushed
with anger. 1.-THE impudent womanl
1 tell you, George Won Spoke, it has
long been my desire to leave my
fortune to found the Tires Home for
Crippled Wheelmen-a lasting monu-
ment to my memory, to my benefi-
cence. On your account alone have l
given up this, the darling project of
my OLD age. 60; marry the woman if
you will; marry her and not a cent of
money will you get. l will cut off your
very allowance. Choose, choose for
yourself"
Mr.. Tires turned upon his heel and
strobe into the house, leaving George
Uo. Sral-a nhOl-fnr uf%h rrtaf on1
anger.
Van Spoke thought of suicide. But
that would not win him Ethel. He
thought of giving up his fortune and
marrying her, penniless as he a
But she would not have him under such
conditions. Torn by conflicting emo
tons, rage and grief, love and hate,
wild envy of Sprockett. mad condemna-
ton of self, he buried his head in his
hands and wept. Several hours passed,
but still he lay there hopelessly down
cast. The evening shadows fell, the
darkness came, the crickets and the
frogs began their melancholy chorus,
the butler announced dinner, but to it
all he was oblivious.
linen suddenly, as comes tine uaSh OF
the lighthouse lamp across the stormy
deep to the belated seaman, came an
idea. The race of tomorrow! 1t was
though the sun had suddenly APP
peared in the heavens and dispelled
the darkness. The blackness of de-
spair was gone. Ethel would be his
And Uncle Reuben-pshaw, He had
stood many a harder fall. The deep
was the place that would serve
at the foot of the long
leading to the head of Rarnacle
bay.
The moon was sinking low in the west
and the earth was wrapped in dark
ness. The great house, unconscious of
the danger which threatened its mas
ter. lay silent in sleep when George
Van Spoke silently crept from his
and made his way to the
room in the distant part of the house
where the bicycles were kept
BY the light of the dark lantern
he carried he succeeded in pick
ing out his uncle's favorite wheel,
which he rolled to the middle of the
room. He drew from one pocket a fine
short file. from another a small ball of
putty and from a third a little can of
black paint which he opened with his
knife. All was in readiness Before
him lay the machine which his uncle
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