The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-12-17
THE CYCLE HERO.

There was great time in store for
Plumbettyille. There was to be a ten
mile handicap cycle road race and a
sham battle of one of the two regiments
which the city supported. Plumbettville
is not the true name for the place, for
if it were too many might place the
characters in this tale, the subject of
which is of recent occurrence. Plumbett-
vile had prospered much of late years
Financial depression had touched it
probably more lightly than any other
city in the country. The census showed
an increase of population, and the town
laughed with its prosperity. Cycling
had more than kept pace with the gen
eral advance. A fortunate smooth pave
ments crusade in the city was followed
i'll the county by good roads mania.
With good streets and good roads there
came many beautiful suburban resorts
to which wheelmen We're always vel
come. Then there was a fine park with
many driveways and lake surrounded
by mile of cycle track as fine as any
thing outside of regular affair. On
these roads all bicycles were as free as
any other vehicle, with the result that
the sport grew apace
The cycle race was the uppermost top
ic of conversation i'll Plumbettville.
There had been cycle races before, but
never one that promised so well i'll point
of attendance and enthusiasm. The
events that had gone before but whetted
the desire to know more of the local
fiiers.
There was one thing that bothered
the meet promoters, and that was that
Colonel Cottontop had set the time for
his troops to rendezvous at exactly the
hour that the race was to start. He was
demonstrated with, but being an old
timer and set in his ways he refused to
change his order. He would be shot be-
fore he would change the arrangement
of his command for all the bieyelers in
Christendom.
The unfortunate part of it was that
the sham battle would rage over por-
ton of the territory used i'll the cycle
race. This section was the most popular
of Plumbettvilles suburbs and with
reason. Two roads paralleled each other
for several miles with a distance Of not
over 200 yards between them. One was
an old pike that lead to the west and
the other a finely macadamized driving
road lined with suburban homes and re-
sorts. 1t lead out through the park and
was the chosen route of all on bicycles
or horses. BY means of the two roads
and those intersecting, an excellent par
allelogram could he obtained for the cy-
Gle race, and here it would be held If
the regiment assembled at the same
time as the calling of the race, it was
argued by some that the race would be
run off long before the soldiers could
reach the grounds. This would also
was shrewdly added-give zest to the
cycle race, as the fight of the soldiers
might be seen at nearly the same time.
So it came about that neither the cyclers
nor the soldiers changed the time for
their great event.
The training was done on the lake
Dive, and mighty earnest training it
was, too, even if the latest plans We're
known somewhat mistily Here, by
break Of day, came the fliers, all dressed
i'll street clothing. AT the base of stone
tower they took these off, disclosing
their racing togs beneath. Here they
scorched and jockeyed for an hour
Then they again got into their other
clothing and went to their days work
or business Again in the cventide they
went through the same routine, so that
it is evident that they were Of the white
amateur stripe.
One Of the young men in the party
had decided advantage, because he
was student ON his long summer
holiday. In addition to this, he had a
doting father who had put him on "a
part of the great circuit, as the old gen
tleman thought him sure winner.
While he never succeeded much III this,
yet he made plucky showing, satisfy
ing his senior. If this young man.
whom we will call Smaley, could win
such great event at home, his father
would feel that his money had been well
invested.
Another notable one of those i'll train
ing was Charles Fastleigh. Fastleigh
was naturally the fastest man, but g
had disadvantages that probably made
Smaley his better, thought the boys.
Fastleigh was a mechanic, and he was
handicapped by the muscle bound trou-
BILE. His great forte was his staying
power. Fastlei9h had won races before,
but always by setting killing pace at
the start and with remarkable ability
keeping it to the finish Smaley on the
other hand, was a bad pace setter, a
good hanger on, and devil for "a short
squirt. Now to squirt was quite impossi-
Bile for Fastleigh, as most any of the
boys could pass him if they could hold
on without going fiat until the last
eighth.
All said the race lay between Fast
leigh and Smaley, and all were nightly
interested. Fastleigh and Smaley lived
on the road along which the race would
pass. Their homes were about four
miles from the center of the city. In
the evening, after training, they would
slowly ride home. The subtle quiet Of
he country as they entered was delight
full and often in the sweet moonlight
they would talk over their prospects.
Strange as it may seem each of these
men was willing that the other should
win. Here were a modern David and
Jonathan To show how substantial
was the feeling, each did his best to
bring out all the speed in the other.