Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-10-19

of bike. ="
What! A bicycle? Does she ride?"
How kin she? reckon she kin learn,
mister Yer just send that bIke-there
amt nothin Nell wants wuss nor that. "
With thia advice and being sworn to
secrecy, the small terror bowled himself
off.
1t gave Milo Warren something to do
to purchase that bicycle and have it de-
livered to Mis- Nellie on her birthday
in an anonymous manner. He expected
it back every hour for about week,
but it did not come, and he felt safe.
The small brother had not betrayed him
after all.
But after a littlo lie began to wish he
had, for Mss Nellie had evidently
mounted that bicycle and ridden out of
his life He called, but she was out on
her bicycle, 10 matter what the hour
was, noon or night, and he got himself
run over on the street and knocked
down daily by dashing out from side
walk corners. to see who the rider was
and getting hurt for his pa;l.s. When he
could stand it no longer, he came to
sudden resolve-he would buy 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 a wrathy pedestrian, and
he usually ended his experiences by
picking up his frislly steed and carrying
it to the shop for repairs.
And ali this time he never caught
glimpse Of Nellie, but he was inclined
to think he divined the cause. Judging
from his own experience i'll learning to
ride bicycle, Nellie might be exercis-
ing her own fractious acquisition on
some remote roadway outside the city
imits-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 t1icd to possess his
soul with patience and learn to ride q
bicycle without the ziSZag motion that
had endangered the lives of the popu-
lace and nearly caused his arrest by the
police.
Then he made Tie 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 n thing pos
sessed it learned to behave, and he
found himself sllimming along like
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 vision in bloomers, 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 sho looked so
quaint in her saucy jacket and baggy
trousers, her neatly gathered feet were
SO pert and Independent, that Milo
looked and looked again. Then he gave
great whoop and took after the flying
wheel like streak of lightning.
His confidence stood him instead of
skill. He went spinning along in fine
style until he reached Il parallel with
the girl in boomers, then he leaned
over to speak to her, toppled and fell in
a heap, but not before he had gasped,
"Nellien'
That young lady sllillfully oluded the
wreck, made fancy run and turn, and
as Milo gathered himself up, said pleas
antly
"Why, Mr.. Warren, I didn't know
that You rode a wheel" "
81 DON'T" said the young man rue
fully, feeling of his elbow to determine
whether it was dislocated or merely
abradod, "but you, Miss Nellie, are
quite an expert. F"
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 l 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
wheel, as if he preferred that way, and
Miss Nellie gave him several exhibi-
tions of her skill, and each moment
made stronger and more lasting i'm
preston on the poor fellow heart. But
even bicycle courtship comes to an end,
and they were at Nellie's home, and he
must leave her, unless-he asked for
glass of water, and before it was brought
he sat down with the wheel on the side
walk 1t was a 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 a
moment.
The two most expert cyclists on the
avenue are Milo and Nellie You will
recognize her by her brown bloomer
suit, which is much admired, and him
by the glad smile which mantles his ex-
pressive 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's
birthday comes i'll January, but to expo
dite matters the imp changed it to July.
However, all's we'll that ends WE'LL
Mrs. NJ. L. Rayne in Detroit Free Press
A J;it of Finance.