The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-08-29

was, noon or night, and he got himself
run over on the street and knocked
down daily by dashing out fsbm side
walk corners to see who the rider WAS
and getting hurt for his pains. When he
could stand it no longer, he came to
sudden resolve-he would buy a bicycle
for himself and perhaps be able to find
Nellie.
And now began an exciting chase
for life and liberty, for at one moment
the amateur bicyclist was under the feet
of trampling horse, the next he was
running over wrathy pedestrian, and
he usually e:ded his experiences by
picking up his frisky steed and carrying
it to the shop for repairs
And ali this time he never caught u
glimpse of Nellie, but he was inclined
to think he OWNED the cause Judging
from his own experience in learning To
ride IA bicycle, Nellie might be exercis
ing her own fractions acquisition OH
some remote roadway outside the city
lmits-or, dreadful thought, might
even be laid up herself for repairs. He
called on the bookkeeper brother, but
found him busy and noncommittal
So he waited and tried to possess his
soul with patience and learn to ride a
bicycle without the zigzag motion that
had endangered the lives of the popu-
lace and nearly caused his arrest 10y the
police.
Then he made the discovery that if
he gave his wheel its head it would
behave much better than when he
guided it carefully, to the end that it
traversed both sides of the street at
once. After acting like a thing pos
sessed it learned to behave, and he
found himself Swimming along like a
bird on the wing, with an exultant
sense of freedom and delight, and he
longed to see Nellie and tell her what
he had been trying to say for months
that he loved her
And at that moment there whiZZed
past him a vision in boomers, one of
those dreadful new women of whom he
had heard and now was to see, He
| almost felt that it was disloyalty to gen
tie little Nellie to even look at such an
apparition, but somehow she looked so
quaint i'll her saucy jacket and baggy
trousers, her neatly gathered feet were
SO pert and Independent, that Milo
looked and looked again. Then he gave a
great whoop and took after the flying
wheel like a streak of lightning.
His confidence stood him instead of
skill. He went spinning along i'll fine
style until he reached parallel with
the girl III boomers, then he leaned
over to speak to her, toppled and fell III
a heap, but not before he had gasped,
"Nelliei"
That young lady skillfully eluded the
wreck made a fancy run and turn, ana
as Milo gathered himself up, said pleas
antlv:
"Why, Mr.. Warren, l didn't know
that you rode a wheel. "
Il don't" said the young man rue
fully feeling of his elbow to determine
whether it was dislocated or merely
abraded, "but you, Miss Nellie, are
quite an expert.
Miss Nellie murmured something
about the wheel being present from
her brother and that she had not cared
to ride, but did just to please him.
But you ought to see my little broth
er ride" she said, with enthusiasm.
HE rides the wheel when | am not
using it, and he makes it spin. Why, he
rides standing up, and I'm afraid some
thing will happen to him.
Milo was walking along, leading his
/ 10 Il Il
Miss Nellie gave him several eXhibi-
lions of her skill, and each moment
made IA stronger and more lasting im-
preston on the poor fellow S heart. But
even bicycle courtship comes to an end,
and they We're at Nellie's home, and he
must leave her unless-he asked for a
glass of water, and before it was brought
he sat down with the wheel ON the side
walk. 1t was Il sudden and most effect
i've stroke of art. Nellie cried and
asked if he was killed anywhere. Mrs.
Newton brought camphOr. They got
him into the house, and then he was
able to speak, and said what was true
enough-that he had lost his head for Il
moment.
The two most expert cyclists on the
avenue are Milo and Nellie. You viii
recognize her by her brown bloomer
suit, which is much admired, and him
by the glad smile which mantles his ex-
pressiye countenance. Nellie knows now
who gave her the wheel and Milo has
had another example of the total de
pravity of the small brother Nellie :
birthday comes in January but to expe
dite matters the imp changed it to July
Mrs. NJ. L. Rayne in Detroit Free Press