The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-12-18
LOVE ON A BICYCLE.
By DAVID A. CURTIS.

corner.
All night long had boon riding 1t in
my dreams. 1 smiled when 1 saw 1t That
morning and said to myself that did not
bcliovo in dreams.
I Ind novor scon that wheel till the
night before.
Belinda had great ostoom for mo, MS in
deed was also natural, for 1 Ind boon n
chum OF her fathers for many yenrs.
though he was fully four years my senior,
but had suspected for some time that shc
looked OH me rather rs an unclo than as n
sutton. She thought, rs very young poo
pic aro apt to think, that AZ was an ad-
vanced age.
When she had written inviting me to
Join her house party Mt Epton Grove, sho
wrote: by all means bring your wheel,
for wo all ride IL lot. Even papa says it
makes him feel young again"
1t was true that had studied tho theory
of the bicycle thoroughly In fact, series
of papers that had written on tho subject
had been greatly admired. They wero en-
titled "Hints to Those About to Begin"
and they were published in prominent
magazine. l had not, however, attempted
to ride myself, and whilo I had mastered
all tho principles of tho mechanism of tho
"silcnt stced'' L did not know that wheels
differed rs to their dispositions, and TINT
some of them arc hopolessly depravcd and
inherently vicious.
1t was therefore without any serious
misgiving that purchased q wheel Of tho
latest pattern and ordered it sent to Epton
Grove by express. 1t arrived tho same
evening that l did
Tho Whites wcro there and tho Grays,
and Miss Uppington, Johns sister, whom
I knew only slightly, and Miss Laura Boil
lew, who had been n schoolmato Of Belin-
Il - Dy.1 tx,-r f.11
n Mr.. Black and II Mr.. Hazard.
"Quitc polychrometic party, isn't it?''
I said by way of an offhnnd joke inter tho
tntroduCtions wcro over, for my own nnmo
is Brown. was always ratl,,r neat in my
way of joking.
That's So" exclaimed Belinda do
lightcdly clapping her hands "Thcro's
Black and White and Gray and Brown
here
And don't forget Below" I said,
bowling gracefully to tho young lady of
that namo.
They NIL laughed heartily, especially
Miss Uppington, who was very pleasing
maiden lady of some 35 years of ago.
Isn't ho witty?" heard hor say to John,
not thinking l would hear and he smiled
and said: Eyes. Brown likes his little
jokes very Much.''
AT supper that night tho talk was all
of bicycling, and was naturally appealed
to number of times on questions of pos
turc and pcdaling and tho like being rec
ognizcd rs an authority on tho subject be-
cause of my articles.
:" Did you work out your theories on tho
whccl?" asked Mr.. Hazard dcfercntially.
"Oh, certainly" 1 said.
II should have thought that you would
have had good many accidents" he said
in queer sort of tone
81 have never met with any accident
whilo bicycling" L replied very seriously
You have been very fortunate" said
John.
81 should think that Mr.. Brown was
very skillful rather than fortunate" said
Miss Uppington, and tho conversation
changed.
Aftcr supper wo had music and later in
the evening, while most of tho party sat on
tho piazza, John and went to the smok-
ing room.
John" said after wo had our pipes
we'll started, IL am exceedingly grntiflcd
by the opportunity afforded by your kind
hospitality"
"Why, Nathaniel" hc said, with great
hcnrtincss, ''you know you are always q
welcome guest in my house"
g thank you earnestly" replied, "but
this timo it Is more than visit that 1
ono of the greatest that can be asked"
1T will have to ho extraordinary to be
refused, " he said, kalf laughing, but with
the utmost fricndlincss
- want your permission to pay my ad-
dresses to Miss Belinda, continued.
John dropped his pipe.
=" Arc you thinking of getting marricd?"
ho exclaimed after ho Ind stared at me
rather impolitcly for u moment.
'T That would certainly be the Inference
from what just said" 1 observed stiffly,
for 1t did not seem exactly complimentary
to me for him to speak in such n fashion.
"Why, of course, said he with all tho
cordially imaginable. "Excuso mo. 1
did not misunderstood you. was only
surprised. l thought you had given up
all idea of marrying years ago"
"On tho contrary" WAS my answer, "I
consider that have only recently reached
tho proper time. do not believe in mar
rying till one has an assured fortune and
position"
"wcll, Welt That's all right," STAN
mcrcd John, little abashcd Then no
held out his hand. you have my con-
sent certainly. 1 couldn't ask for any
thing better. Have you spoken to hcrp''
Not yet, said l. shaking hands. ~
preferred to speak TO you first. l did not
care to hurry matters. You see, sho Is
rather young and
didn't finish, for John stared again, rs
if no thought was out of my mind, but
nll he said was: "Shc is getting over that
day by day and don't believe sho consid.
crs herself any too young TO marry"
Then hc picked up his pipo and filled 1t
again, while sat smoking and dreaming
blissfuliy of tho future.
Before | went to my room broke ODcn