Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-11-01
saying something conciliatory I shouted

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out:
"What in the name Of the prince of
darkness are you two dawdling along
this lane in the middle of the night for:"
The young man intimated to me in
rather harsh language that if would be
good enough to wait there until he found
his stick he would show me what he
was doing However, found my ma
chine first, and being in an utterly reck
less mood sprang upon it without ex-
amining it to see if anything were bro
ken or not, though I knew that no Or
binary fall would injure that machine,
and away I went and left them there. l
did not see that any explanation on my
part would help matters, SO thought it
best to leave well enough alone, which
l did. Little use as the lamp was l
found it had it's advantages, because the
lane turned short distance ahead. In
fact, it was always turning, even in the
daylight, although I had never noticed
that particularly before, and this time I
opposite the ditch. I extricated the ma
chine and once more lit the lamp. I
thought perhaps it was safer not to at
tempt to ride any more, and SO walked
along, trundling The wheel, for I knew
there was bridge some distance ahead
that had no parapets and l did not want
to enter into an encounter with it. AS
I walked along beside the bicycle saw
something move On the side of the road
and within the circle of light. A stall
wart, unkempt tramp, who had been
making the roadside his bedroom, rose
up on his elbow and said menacingly:
'Say, marster, can you oblige me
with match?''
"Yes, can," said climbing upon
my machine and putting the wheels n
motion. "Get on your bicycle and we'll
have match. Come alongp' He mere
" stood up and cursed me in loud and
forcible language.
I thought my troubles we'll over on
coming to the street lamps. Twas bowl
ing along within half mile of my own
house when suddenly policeman step
ped out into the middle of the road.
"Stop!" he cried, and having a re-
spect for the law stopped and got off
the machine. ''What are you DOING"
he demanded, travelling with your
lamp out?"
"Good gracious, said, "my lamp
isn't out!' but on looking around I
found, alas, it was, and I had not no.
ticed the fact, SO well was the street
lighted. I assured him that it had been
lighted a moment before, and that it
must have logged out.
eff you will put your hand on the
lamp" I said, you will find it is quite
hot 4"
He did so and shook his head. ]
touched the lamp myself, for it, when
lighted, becomes uncomfortably hot lit
smokes worse than do), and. would
you believe it, it was as cold as rich
relation from whom you want to borrow
money.
"You will have to come with me-"
he said.
won't cash payment down save me
the trouble Of appearing before magis
trate:"
"No, it WON'T" said the policeman.
~ must do my duty
detest a policeman who has to do
his duty, SO saidi
"Oh, very well joggled some mon
ey out Of my pocket as I dropped off.
You took me SO by surprise. I'm going
to light my lamp and look for it. -,
lit the lamp and backed the machine
np bit. The policeman kindly helped;
me to look for the coins, but when his
back was bent I pushed my machine
forward bit and sprang on it. My
lamp was lit. He blew his whistle, but
| managed to turn down a side street,
then down another, and SO managed to
get safely home. But, much as 7 like
the bicycle, L have made up my mind
that night rides are too exciting for me
until I get lamp that, like that police
man, will do its duty.-New York Ad-
Eertiser..