The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-08-28

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days / knew all about the family, 70
gossip is rife in the servants hall. In
little room adjoining which ! was KEEP
My young mistress was named Bcesi
cambridge, she was the only-and need
less to say overindulged-child Q
wealthy parents, and just now, o
course, she was suffering from a ba
case of bicycle fever.
| Almost every evening after dark tn
devoted father and mother would 81
out on the porch and watch Bessie AM
4 ME struggle up and down the street. 4
Young friend of hers was teaching he
to ride, and of all patient and devoted
instructors that handsome man tool
the lead. He was nice fellow. too, ant
never seemed too hot or tired to invcn
suitable answers TO the parents ,endles.
questions as to why Bessie couldn't ride
| along like the other girls did, and what
made the wheel wobble so. wasn't some
thing the matter, and hadn't they bet.
ter go back to the man and complain,
and was he sure there was no danger
The last time Bessie had run into the
tree box it looked from where they sat
as though she might have had serious
tall If he hadn't caught her in time.
As say. he was wonderfully patient,
for Bessie, to tell the truth, was very
stupid and had a silly little way Of
grabbing one of my handle bars tightly
and throwing all her weight on that
same side, which was enough tosmake
any self-respecting wheel turn her over
in the gutter. | must confess did this
numberless times, and also played a few
other little tricks on her, one of which
turning into the pavement when the
rider is trying to mount and turn you
QUITS a great favorite among the la
dies wheels.
Later on, however, got to like Bes-
sic, who was as clever off d wheel as
she was stupid on, and Bob, as they
called the young man, was my friend
from the first.
So in about week we began 10 make
a most harmonious trio, and then Bob
would bring his own wheel around,
and that made pleasant company for
me.
One thing objected to from the first.
and Bob agreed with me, think, was
4 friend of Bessie's who came to the
house almost every night and rat with
her parents calmly slipping some cool
rink, and encouraging us by calling
,ut from time to time how such and
uch a thing might be avoided, Or how
% act under certain circumstances.
Then he would add to the comfort Of
he parents by low remark 10 the
fleet that bob richards didn't know
thing about Wheel" and sometimes
lie would keep Bessie's courage up by
promising to take her for some long
ides as soon as she had mastered the
vary bicycle.
l didn't like him and Bob didn't. and
we couldn't tell about her.
only know after we had put in an |
lour's exhausting labor she would go
IF to rest, and, leaving Bob to see l1 |
ne, would run up the steps to ask if
ar. Meredith didn't think she was do |
ng better. and wasn't it entirely Bob's
ault that she fell over that last time;
he thought he had hold of the wheel,
nd when she found he hadn't, of course
he fell off, and it was a mean trick to
lay her! And then the whole party
'erated poor Bob, whose sole otfcnse
eemed to be a desire to hasten her
rogress.
Bob never would say word in his
wn behalf, but used to even up mat
ers by going very carefully when felt
i'm let go, until Bessie would cry OUT
n delight: "Oh, look at me! am rid
ng beautifully" and Mr.. Meredith
would say, languidly: Bravo! Now
what | told you about the
edals." And then I would lose my tenn
er and stop suddenly in a bit OF mud,
nd off would go Bessie before yor
ould say Jack Robinson.
She didn't know a thing about maxi
lg herself mistress of wheel. All
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