The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-10-10
A NIGHT RIDE.

A NIGHT RIDE.
The bicycle is queer instrument.
You think you know all about it; then
suddenly you find there are still things
to learn. The other evening got on my
bicycle and worked my way for five Or
six miles through one of the prettiest
lanes in England to country village
where friend of mine lives. The lane
which leads to this village is one in
which did a good deal of practicing
when I first took to the bicycle some
months ago. It is bordered by hedges
and trees on each side and looks like
long green tunnel through which the
sun sends some flittering, Pickering rays
down on the excellent roadway, making
sort of dancing carpet of light and
shade, eternally weaving themselves to-
gether and mimicking in shadow and
| sunshine the interlacing of the trees
above.
But there is, alas, along the side of
this lane ditch with which have be-
teaching myself how to ride. 1t is al
ways pleasant experience for bicy
cler to revisit spot where he has had
his conflicts with the machine. It gives
him a sense of having accomplished
| something. recognized all the places
where I had been thrown in the ditch
and where had been thrust through the
hol 70 ho%
exciting days were past, and that now
rode the machine as if were part Of it.
The lane is lonely place at any time
of the day. Broader roads and more di-
| rect ones lead to the little village have
spoken of, but whose name need not
mention. My friend proved so entertain
ing that staid on and on. was in
vited to stop for dinner, and did. l
was afterward censured for this, when
ultimately did reach home. People in
the country, I was told, were not al
| ways prepared to receive unexpected
visitors to dinner. It was not the thing
to drop down with my bicycle upon a
helpless man in the country and then
hang around the premises until was
invited to dinner. am always putting
my foot in it this way. 1t makes me feel
guilty afterward, but what is a man to
do?
1t was pitch dark when I left the
house, and when came to the entrance
Of the Lane it was even darker than
pitch, if such thing be possible. lit
my bicycle lamp for the first time in
my life. The lamp had cost me lot of
money and was said to be the best in
the market, but when it tried to COM
pete with the appalling darkness of the
lane I saw what futile thing it was.
It shed dim circle Of light long way
ahead that didn't seem to me to be of
much practical use. pushed the ma
chine along and sprang lightly on it's
back Now I thought I knew how to
ride perfectly, but was to find out that
riding in the broad daylight and riding
| in the darkness are two entirely differ
ent things. The machine gave wabble
| first in one direction aud then in the
other and my heart came into my mouth
| when ! found that unless saw the
| wheel I did not know how to balance
the concern. Sitting down moment
afterward, fortunately not on the side
| where the ditch was, had some time
to mediate on the situation. The wheel
was on top. Of me, and, the lamp was
out. This was old times over again, and
l had not even the chance in the dark
ness to select the spot on which to fall
| I did not like the idea of trundling the
machine all the way along the. lane
when ought to be able to do so much
better time on it's back, so rose slowly,
placed the machine upright again, and
relit the lamp. The lamp hung on a
couple Of vacillating flanges which ap-
parently were actuated by springs and
gave the lamp wabbly motion when
you joggled unexpectedly over stone I
got once more upon the machine, this
time with better success, ,and we went
along nicely for some distance. Then /
got of again. Coming along that road
in the daylight the lane seemed perfect
" smooth and unobstructed. Yet I sud-
denly came against some unseen obstacle
that appeared to me as alighted to be
bowlder lying On the road It was in
reality stone about the size Of my fist.
/ The lamp had gone ont Of course sinful
taneously with myfall. This one i have
goes out whenever ! joggle over any
thing. have been told that ftwas on
account Of the bad oil ] was using, but
! have since secured the most expensive
oil in the market, an oil with beauti-
full name, bnt the lamp joggles ont just
the same.
| After going over the stone saw that
/ had to do something definite with the
lamp I took ont my handkerchief and
tied down the springs, 80 that the dish
Of light touched the front wheel This
wasn't so bad. as it showed me plainly
the stones in the road, but hardly in
time for mo to avoid them, although
did dodge some BY performing acrobatit
feats that usually led to the ditch. II
my evolutions and anxiety about the