The Somerset reporter., 1895-10-31
A HAUNTED BICYCLE

Yes sir, that bicycles haunted, and
that's all there is to it. don t know a
thing about spirits and things like that,
but if you ever catch me riding that
wheel after midnight won't know it. "
Thus did George Springwell vehe-
mently declare that the supernatural
had taken hold of his bicycle. The tale
that Springwell tells is certainlya queer
one, and one that is apparently vouehed
for by "A number of his friends. They
declare that any one riding the wheel
after II 80 O'Clock on any night will
wish he hadn't. The sensations expert
enced by such rider are described as
startling i'll the extreme and accom-
panied by manifestations that are of
the hair raising variety.
Springwell lives in modest little
house on Lombard street and is clerk
in one Of the large dry goods houses. He
came TO Buffalo last July from New
York and Just before he left the metrop-
oils he bought "a secondhand bicycle
from reputable dealer. This he took
to Buffalo and has ridden it steadily to
and from his place of business He is
not what would be called bicycle
crank, using the machine merely as "a
means of locomotion between his house
aud the store. 1t was only a few weeks
ago that he was aware of the supernat-
ural qualities Of the wheel, and this he
discovered in startling manner, He
was accustomed TO leave the wheel in
small room i'll the rear of the kitchen
every night. One day he bought cy-
clOmeter. and with the aid of the in
strument he found that the wheel was
haunted.
He took careful note of the miles reg
istered ON the littlo machine and soon
began to see that there We're small dis
erepancies, periods of exactly three
miles, fer which he could not account.
Every night as he looked at the cy-
clometer he took careful note of the
amount registered, and every morning
it was just three miles more. This both
cred him considerably but he dismissed
everything with the thought that the
instrument was defective in some way
or other
But IA few weeks ago he rode out into
the country for the first time in the
evening. He took a trip to the Falls
spent the evening there and wheeled
home III company with a friend He
reached TOnaWanda about IL o'clock,
and waited there till midnight. Then
he slowly pedaled over the brick boule-
ward toward home. He was somewhat
tired and his friend, "a man named lei
Ter, being more Of wheeman, WAS
about sixteenth of "a mile ahead. Just
as SpringWell reached the clump of trees
on this side Of Kenmore he began to ex-
peuence what if his story is true, is
something distinctly marvellous.
He declares that as he was riding
along moderately he struck chill blast
of air. This WAS on an August night,
and he could not account for the extreme
cold. Then something began to work in
his throat. Before he was aware he was
Il prey 10 a most horrible and vague fear
horrible because of its yagueness
Something terrible he felt was about to
happen. He glanced from right to left.
Nothing could be seen or heard He
thought he would call to his friend
ahead, but felt powerless
Then, MS he was riding, powerful
something seemed to suddenly wrap it
self about him. He cou Id feel cold hands
suddenly seize his hands as they guided
the machine, and he could not release
them from the iron grip. He knew that
he was III the power of some supernat-
,,ro1 - -
passed from his control. He wavered
from side to side. The wheel described
curious curves and he thought for MN
ute he was going to be thrown to the
ground. All this time he did not have
any control of the wheel He tugped
with all his force at the handle bars,
but this did not devate the wheel from
Its path IA single inch.
Terrified beyond description, he could
not shout. He felt "a sickening sensation
sweep through him He felt that some.
thing UNNECESSARILY monstrous had
complete control of every action. OF IA
sudden the pedals began to revolve with
a 1apidity that he declares was nothing
short of marvellous. He flew up the
his friend with inconceivable rapidly,
some unknown power having its ghostly
feet on the pedals. On he flew HIS
friend was passed as though he were
standing still He tried 10 cry out as
he passed HIM, but could not
On into the gloom beyond TIL the
city hhe was reached, then on AGAIN
over the asphalt Tie long stretch Of
smooth pavement few from under him
He jumped car tracks, hardly feeling
them as he passed. Under the white
glare of the electric lights he passed
with his demon companion He could
feel that the ghostly rider behind him
wa1 painting under the exortion. He
COS Id feel clammy breath ON the back
q las neck that sent terrible shivers
through his whole body.
Springwell declares with an express
sion that is indubitable evidence of his
honesty that he will never forget this
awful ride till the last moment of his
life. The sensation accompanying this
mad flight he says he is powerless to
L.