Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-08-08

ny FRANK H. BENSON.

and rode right off, believed him. Some
people are too prosaically clever to ever
half enjoy life, and Horton belongs TO
this class. l do not. When l became
possessed of a brand-new bike" knew
was going to have trouble, and nerved
myself therefor. l was not mistaken.
l did have trouble.
Horton said he would come over and
help me learn TO ride. That's the trouble
with clever people. l knew how Hor-
ton would help me TO learn to ride. All
clever people adopt the same methods.
He would lead the wheel out into the
smooth road with an air of supreme
mastery, steady it for me to mount,
and, having enticed me to a seat on the
treacherous machine, deliver himself in
this wise:
"Now, take good hold of the handles
no, not too tight-they won't get
away-just grasp them lightly but firm
"; now put both feet on the pedals
steady now-don't be afraid, and-keep
your balance" Then he tips the ma
chine over to an angle of IS degrees,
gives me n start, and away go. Now
bicycle that's well trained and knows
it's mounted by man who is it's master
would just as likely go at an angle of
IS degrees as any other way-I know
because | have since taken pains TO eX-
pertinent. Not so green and stubborn
wheel that conceives it 10 be its duty
to take the conceit out of q novice. Such
a machine must be ridden exactly up
- :. - L.,
same on the pedals, the handle bars
must he grasped just so, and thousand
precautions must be taken that would
cause that same wheel to feel insulted a
month later.
That's why my machine don't go the
way my clever instructor had ealcu-
lated. Instead it makes one or two mis-
cradle wobbles, turns into the only
rough piece of road in the vicimty,
shakes itself uncomfortably couple of
times, and then smashes into the
ground with force entirely unwar-
ranted by the degree of momentum it
has attained while comparatively up
right.
Then my friend comes up with look
of panied surprise on his face, as
though I'd been going through all these
maneuvers on purpose to disregard his
instructions. lie shows me just where
the course 1 have pursued is diamet-
retically opposed to his directions. Par
ticularly he remarks that l must en-
deavor to keep my equilibrium. l
thank him, perhaps facetiously, because
n vigorous fall is not calculated to i'm
prove the temper, and remark that if
he had only suggested that before it
would have saved all the trouble. Then
he gets offended, and have TO apollo
gize. Then we try again.
This time ] am tired and Disguised.
My knowing instructor is perfectly cool,
but much more Disguised than myself.
lie insists that I ann about the worst
pupk he has ever seen. Then he dis
covcI that he has an engagement and
must leave. l thank him presumably
for helping me with the wheel. really
for going. As he disappears from sight
take the wheel back TO the house, slam
the door on it viciously, and seek a
place where 1 can rest and reflect.
Maybe I did Horton an injustice, but
that's about the way imagined that he
would help me to learn to ride. I told
him didn't think I'd have any trouble;
besides l had almost decided TO make
my first trial at night This moonlight !
ride idea of mine was one had thought !
Of long before / purchased the wheel. !
l love the moonlight. To me it seems |
most sngularly fit that love-lorn youths |
should swear "by yon pale moon"
There is no truth in Luna. She lies. |
she flatters and exaggerates. And yet |
we all must love her, for her falsehoods |
nre Of kindness. She draws the veil of |
charity over our shortcomings. The |
crude, unsightly hooks and crevices the
sun, truths mighty ally, delights TO
show, she passes by or touches with |
soft romantic light that makes the very
things we most dislike by day at night
seem beautiful. There is no stretch of |
handiwork so mean. so rough
and so devoid of charm but. touched by
this divine magician's power, may be
transformed into a fairy land.
| take my wheel out into the broad
avenue that passes the house. The
moonlight shimmers through the leaves
II the tall poplars that align the road.
\ gentle breeze makes the leaves rustic
ind dance. The tall trees CULVER; and,
ave for the rubbing of the branches
md the soft murmur of the winds, all is
ilent. \ sovereign feeling of indie
'endcnce possesses me. The world is
lecping. | am alone with nature md
he delights of night are mine. mount
ny wheel triumphantly ana start down
he vista that stretches before me. NV
Wheel skins like bird over the smooth
Dad. | emerge from the tree-lined
venue 10 an open country, where broad
rain fields stretch away into the
azy distance. The deceptive moon
ght lends to the waving grain the
ppearnncN Of a vast lake. My eyes
rink in the beauty of the scene. and
he fresh, bracing atmosphere fills me
18th peculiar intoXication. throw
opls oh I.s,. a.