Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-18
MISS NEW SOLOMON.
HOW SHE REACHED A DECISION ON
THE QUESTION OF OWNERSHIP.


THE QUESTION OF OWNERSHIP.
Testing Two Claimants For . Beautiful
Bicycie-Justice Finally Triumphant In
Dimcult Case Through knowledge Of
the Masculine Nature.
The judge, the renowned Miss New
Solomon, sat dignified in her seat of
honor. Her decisions were famed the
world over for clearness and Justice.
Great nations submitted their disputes
to her for arbitrament and were pleased
to learn from her the truth of their po-
sitions. That she should sit dignifief
was therefore not to be wondered at, but
there was perplexity in her countenance
now. There was a case before her tho
like OF which never had been known
since her great namesake sat in judg-
ment over two women who contended
for baby. In all her lawbooks, in all
her experience, there was no suggestion
of precedents for such a case as this.
As the matter stood to casual OBJ.
server it was this: Mr. George Wheel
king. a beautiful mustached young man.
dressed in gray knicl1erbockers, dark red
sweater, brown and yellow golfng 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, o
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 golfng 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 tho 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 breathless in
terest az the brawny court 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 rs 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.. WheelkiDg blushed very prettily
as he gave his very baggy knickerbock-
ers twitch and prepared to mount. As
gracefully as bird he rose and settled
III the saddle and began to ride. There
was not q woman there whose heart did
not jump. The men, Of course, tried to
see 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 smile was
translated by one of the reporters as an
indication that the decision was going
in favor of the rider, and she sent out
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 in
all the ways that pretty riders know
how. The filter on Judge New Solo.
mans mouth became a SMILE As Mr.
Wheelking dismounted Mr.. Bikking
came daintily forward, and as airily
as 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 Mr.. Wheelking,
she gazed into the judges face and saw
there, instead of decisive smile, a
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's reports took ont 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 no difference be.
tween the riding of the two graceful
young men, and the judge looked as il
she would like to have good cry, but
she bit her lips and restrained herself.
Here was a case that needed q meas.
ure entirely different from the usual
method of deciding such things, and the
| judge determined to decide it according
to masculine human nature as she TN
derstood it. So she stood up, and with
a wave of her hand that silenced even
the whisperings of gossiping men, she
spoke in measured tones and syllables:
| THUS does this court decide. Listen
that you may distinctly hear, Rather
than render a decision unworthy Of this
court, or fail to render one in any case,
l do declare that the bicycle in question
shall be bestowed on Miss Laura Bloom
er unreservedly.
Mr.. Wheeiking turned to leave the
court, giving Mr.. Bikking look thai
said plainly. Anyhow you won't have