Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-09
OVERHEARD ~ THE STABLES.
An Episode of n Bicycle Ride CIcyerI,
Nnrratcd.

Narrated.
From Life
Scene: The storage room for BICYCLES
midnight
No. 40-A gentlemans wheel, high frame.
No. "A lady's wheel.
Forty: 1 am awfuily tired That was a
hard run they gave US this evening.
Forty-one petulantly): And it's all the
fault of your master. Before he came 1
had nice, easy time here in the shade,
and got to be quite chummy with the
grooms and the horses.
Forty Extraordinarily: Oh, it's a cinch
riding with a lady. wheel. When the boss
and l are alone we are scorchers-but sin ice
I've been down here with you we've simply
loafed along nice shady lanes and stopped
at pretty brooks, and regularly dawdled
away the time.
F'orty-one: Why. you just said that we'd
had a hard ride this evening!
Forty: That's different (ConfdentialIy)
Say, my dear, something must have hap
pened tonight. They never said a word to
each other for the last ten miles. but raced
home as hard as they could go in the moon
light. My sprocket fairly aches.
Forty-one: And 1 broke a spoke (Medi-
tative.y) Well, 1 think l could CESS what
happened.
Forty: You always know too much. Con
ell atins) What happened?
Forty-one: Do you remember when We
stopf ed on the top Of the hin that overlooks
the ocean. and the n DON rolled out of 1t
on it's golden tire? Well, when they leaned
US up against the fence, you went to sleep,
but l listened.
Forty (gruffiy): You did not hear much
For a week they've been very stupid COM
pany-just keep looking at each other out
of the corners of their eyes. and hold hands
going down hills I'm going to give them
a spill the next time they try that game.
Fcrty-one (spitefully): Don't he too fresh,
or you may set sold and sent away from
me. 1 overheard him say something about
buying tandem in October.
Forty (startledD: What, a tandem! Why.
he simply detested riding with a woman
until we came here; said that they always
wanted the best road and crept along like
Suai,s.
Forty-one: Well, my mistress changed
his mind for him. Do you ever catch him
going out without her now?
Forty regre fully: No-puncture him!
(Which is the worst swear word bicycle
can use) What did they say anyhow ON
the h top?
Forty-one: only caught little bits of it,
noise. but he was in a very bad humor
and she was having fun teasing him.
know her moods from her eyes. This time
she was in for fun, and did not care how
it hurt him.
Forty Indignantly: He's too good for
her-can do his twelve miles an hour all
day.
about the moonlight brightening up the
whole dark ocean, just as her smile bright.
ened up his gloomy life.
Forty: The hypocrite! He never had n
better time in his life than for year past
long before he ever met her.
Forty-one: You need not worry. She saw
right through him-looked at him sort of
saucy like and said, IT'S a pity about your
gloomy life. You look pale and thin!
0Ie weighs $50 and is as red as a lobster.
Why don't you try real work for change:
It's a better kind of sunshine than my
smile, which ] simply wear for everybody
because 1 have white teeth
Forty Bringing his beiD: She hit him
there. He hasn't done a stroke of work
snce his governor died and left him for
tune.
Forty-one: Then he did get mad! He
swore that he would prove to her yet that
a man was not necessarily a fool because
he had money; that all brainy men did not
wear spectacies and dowdy clothes: that a
fellow who went in for, athletics and sport
in addition to a moderate amount Of work
was a better Comb!na ton to tie to for life
than thinking machine witApgreat ideas
and a bad digestion.
Forty: Good for the boss! There's some
thing in that. ..l-.--..
Forty-one: oh, yes. She admitted it. but
said that the trouble with him is that he
does not belong to either class A or B. He's
in class c, that plays all the time and
never works.
Forty Bringing up another hib: Pretty
clever little woman that, If she can't ride
up big hill.
Forty-one: Then he said she was cruel,
unthinking girl, who put on airs because
she had gone to college-but he vowed by
the great white moon that he'd marry her
yet and make her respect as we'll as love
him. II never told you I loved YOU" she
said, with little break in her voice-and
Just then she jumped in the saddle and rode
me home! ten miles, like mad witch.
Forty: And they never spoke a wcrd in
the whole ten miles. That settles it-no
tandem in ours.
Forty-one: Don't be too sure. just as the
groom led us down the lawn, saw her in
tie moonlight turn on the top step, ana say
dcmurely, "Wouldnt it be great fun to ride
a tandem en- night like this in Octoher
down the valley of the Loire! Ana ne
witch, but l love you'll"