Connecticut western news., 1895-12-05
A BICYCLE CHASE.

A BICYCLE CHASE.
 Milo Warren was making 8 call on . girl to whom he was fondly attached, although he had never told her SO. But this was a case where actions speak louder than words, and-leave girl alone for finding out if young man regards her with favor. Every girl is clairvoyant where affairs of the heart arc concerned.
 They were talking about their birth days and the pleasant custom of giving presents at such time.
 Let me see, said Milo thought fully, "did you say your birthday came in September, Miss Nellie?'
 "I did not say," remarked Miss Nell lie demurely.
 "Then it was December, wasn't it? Some lucky fellow will be giving you diamond, perhaps.
 "Or a souvenir spoon" laughed Nel- lie 'You know they made jewel spoons for birthday gifts, but all the girls changed their birthdays to December, and the young men could not stand the expense, and they sent petition to the manufacturers, asking them to discon- tinue the custom; so no more spoons are in thu market. '
 "I-I-I-really wish you would tell me when your natal day arrives. I might at least send you bunch of roses, in remembrance of all the-the-happy days we have spent together. Is 1t this month, Miss Nellie?"
 :'You remind me of the parlor game, Is it this? Is it that?' said Miss Nellie, and then fearing that the young man was becoming sentimental she turned the conversation to other subjects.
 But the next day Milo Warren dropped Casually into the store where Miss Nellie Newton s best brother was engaged as bookkeeper and inquired solemnly at the grated window which permitted a segment of his countenance to appear if that young man would tako lunch with him.
 Certainly" was the brusque reply from mouth full of pena "Iu meet thee at Philippi-I mean at Hunger & Go. 's-in an hour.
 He was there, and at the pleasant spread of good things provided Milo Warren propounded this oonundrum:
 ''H you like a girl awfully, but haven't told her so, and you think she maybe likes you awfully-no. don't mean that-but if that girl has birth day and you want to make her a pres ent. and she won tell you when it is- the birthday, you know-oh, hang it all, I'm everlastinely mixed up. Can't you help fellow out?"
 Lyman Newton laid aside his knife and fork and looking Milo in the face, asked seriously:
 s"Any insanity in your family, Milo?''
 "None that ever heard of outside of my own case. " was the depressed an- swer.
 Reducing your heroics to a plain statement, then, you want to give a girl of your acquaintance birthday pres ent?"
 Exactly"
 ''Is she an old woman?'"
 "What do you nean?" roared War ren, turning red. ..I'H thank you. to speak with respect of my friends-be- sides I"-
 "Oh, no harm done; don't get riled SO easily. I wanted to know if she be- longed to the past age or the present. ] take it, then, that she 8 8 new womanr ''
 'I understand now. Yes, believe she has advanced opinions, but she isn't one of those dreadful creatures that ad yocate the wearing of bloomers- Nellie Is the soul of 7 womanly modesty and''-
 "Nelliep Do I know this bright par sicular starf''
 "Why, of course you dol quite for Sot-she's your own sisteri' "Wel, I like thati And you want 70 make her a birthday present ant don't know the day. Sorry, old fellow out I can t help you out. Nellie would cake my head of if I told" That ended the lunch, but an unfore seen thing happened. Just as Milo War ren left his company at the corner h. saw an urchin he knew. It was the in fiiction known as Nellie's younges brother, aged 2, capacity for mischie seven times seven, precocity unlimited | by any period of time. Milo, with malice prepense, engaget I che dear child in surfeit of sweets | and then asked, as if the idea was no | G the least consequence and had jus occurred to him:
 "When does sister Nellie have abirth day?''
 The dear child looked at him for | moment, drew his mouth round unde ais ear, elevated both eyebrows an said in confding, infantile voice:
 "What'll you give ter mow?" ! Advantageous terms being made, tn
 boy puckered his mouth for a whistle thought better of it and gave the fo
 lowing Saturday as his sisters birth
 day
 "An if yer want to make yerseI
 solid-see, just send her real stnnne
 of bike.
 .sWhati A bicycle2 Does she rider
 "How kin she? reckon she kin learr
 mister. Yer just send that blke-thel
 ain't nothin Nell wants wuss nor that. With this advice and being sworn
 secrecy, the small terror bowled himsel
 of.
 1t gave Milo Warren something to d
 to purchase that bicycle and have 1t de
 ivered to Miss Nellie on her birthda
 in an anonymous manner. He eKpecte
 it back every hour for about weei tbut it did not como, and he felt saf'
 The small brother had not betrayed hil
 after all
 But after little he began to wish |
 had, for Miss Nellie had evident tntunted that bicycle and ridden ous { his life He oAllAd. hut che waa out (