The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-17
THE JOKE THAT FAILED.
1T WAS PRACTICAL, AND 1T RE-
ACTED ON THE JOKER.

/ brooklyn Cycle Path, and the Last
Victim Was the smasher.
From the New York Sun.
This Is the story of a funny man, a
knowing man. and a telephone, and the
events happened on the Brooklyn cycle
path half way down to Coney Island on
Saturday afternoon. The funny man was
riding toward Coney Island, and he was
getting lots of amusement out OF his ride
by pretending that he was a novice. and
sending his wheel from side to side in
a way to send cold chills up and down
the backs Of other riders. A dozen times
he apparently narrowly escaped running
into other people, and each time he would
apologize with a serious face, then turn
and wink at two other young men, who
kept close behind him, and evidently en-
joyed the performance. He never did
this, however, without following it up by
squirting past the persons he had alarmed
to show them what a good rider he was
Now, the cycle path broadens out at
certain points along the line, usually in
front of road houses, and when the funny
man with his friends reached a spot
| where there was plenty of room he be-
gan going around in wild circles at great
| speed. His apparent escapes were re-
markable, and, though people yelled at
him to stop making a fool of himself he
I
he knew what he was doing. Disaster was
bound to come. and good looking young
man, riding slowly up from the island
was the victim. He got in the periphery
of one of the funny mans wild circles
There was a crash and mix-up, and when
the wheels were pulled apart the funny
mans machine was found intact, while
the others was considerably injured
Neither man was hurt in the least. and
ta.
with laughter. As for the funny man, he
winked at one of his friends, and then
proceeded to tell the other man how sorry
he was about it all.
Yes, that's all right" drawled the
knowing man, but who's going TO pay
for all the damages done to my bicycle?"
| can you get 1t in shape to ride back
to BROOKLYN" asked the funny young
man.
Il guess So" replied the other but
that's not enough. Who's going to settle
for the repairs2"
Why, I am, of course" said the funny
Now, you ride fight on to Brooklyn.
ana When you reach Flatbush avenue go
~ SANK Tdn Dieycie store. Tell them that
. want you wheel repaired They know me
very well there, and I'll give you my card
with a note telling them to charge every
thing TO me. I'd go with you myself, but
II would break up my entire day, and I've
an appointment on the island"
The funny man and his friends then
rode away. When the knowing man had
: had his wheel patched up by local me-
chanIcs he didn't mount it and start post
, haste for Blanks. Instead, he made a
: lot of notes of the damage DONE sent
! the bicycle around into the stable, and
: then entered the road house. He made
straight for the telephone, and opening
the book, found. that Blank had a tele-
Mr.. Blank G he said ne fSs tel eTa4 me u %
> nearly as you can what it will cost to
make the following repairs to a bicycle
Fix thirty-six bent spokes, a broken
brake, three patches on the front tire
one on the back tire, straighten out a
handle bar, sew up a hide leather saddle
and do few other things, such as putting
' in new ball bearings and polishing some
= | scratches. You think SIS or $40 will do it.
eTedt for Tou Ton y9g & %b5 54a much
why, your old friend and customer Mr.
Jones. You know him. Tall and slim,
;. with a black mustache. You don't know
= anybody answering that description and
haven't customer named Jones? Well
T I'm not surprised. What's that? I'm a
fool? Yes, sir, but not as big a one as
Jones. "Goodby," and the knowing man
Y left the telephone, and went to the res
taurant where he had a drink of whis-
ky. Then he went out and sat in front
| Of the house and waited. An hour passed
and then he went and had some more
whisky. Two hours more went by, and
the knowing man never relaxed his vigil iiI
save to make occasional trips to the res
taurant.
7 1t was o'clock when the funny man
and his two friends hove in sight, and
as they came up they all smiled as the
scene recalled to them the little joke they
had played. The funny mans smile didn't
), | last long, however, for he suddenly found
n,r,ee,f confronted by the object of his
: How aye do?" said the knowing man;
f come uowu anu tan lie IOr d w44ile
o "Wh-wh-what do you want?" faltered
r the humorist. dismounting slowly
5 "Oh, 1 only wanted to say that Blank
o says $40 will cover the repairs to nv
p wheel He also says you're liar. Now,
: / don't say that you are, but l want TWEEN
+ i Il from you damned quick Do get
Don't you threaten me. said the funny
o man, getting up his nerve. Il don't admit
c | by any means that I'm entirely to blame
e for that accident, and 1 don't mean to-
e The interruption was. short and sharp
e 1t was a punch right from the shoulder
d and it caught the funny man under the
o chin. Another swing caught him behind
: clever man walked over to the other two,
n Were you in the joke toO?'s he said
= I'm looking for few of you funny fell
v Before either got a chance to answer the
5 knowing man got in punch on each, and
e as they fed he went back to the first man
/ who was just getting on his feet, grabbed
# him by the neck, shook him until his teeth
e | ratified, and then remarked:
q Before l punch you again, what are the
e chances of my getting that twenty?"
1 Here, hold on" snuffled the man. I've
e go~enough, but I've only got $l2 to my
/, Get the rest from your friends then
v You'll pay for that wheel or III kill YOU
y At the funny mans call his two friends
: came slowly up keeping one eye on the
other man. Between them they collect
: ed s., which the knowing man took to-
gether with the first mans S12. Then he
demanded 10 cents more for telephone ex-
penses. On getting it he turned away.
with a polite, Good night, Mr. Jones .
and went back into the hotel 0''e'7'
From the piazza several persons had wit
messed the affair, and the knowing man
had to tell the whole story. He wound IN
| by saying:
The idea was not my own. You see. nv
! brother got in collision with a carriage one
| day and his dog cart was knocked an ONT
of shape. The man in the carriage tried
TO work the same gag on him as this fellow
! tried to work on me, and he got worse LEFT
, fthan this fellow did to-day The +eist
5 phones the greatest instrument in the
world" ''i0
Queen Victoria has marked prefer
enee, for gray horses, and throughout her
EnIi DO nrnt Ia L ar.r.r.n