The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-03-19

was, noon or nlgnt, anu Nc Soe HiHoon
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 pains. When he
could stand it no longer, he came to
sudden resolve-he would buy bicycle
for himself and perhaps be able to lind
Nellie.
And now began an exciting chase
for life and liberty, for at one moment
the amateur bicyclist was under the feet
of a trampling horse, the next he was
running over a wrathy pedestrian, and
he usually ended his experiences by
picking up his frisky 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 lie OWNED the cause. Judging
from his own experience in learning TO
ride a bicycle, Nellie might be exerc1s-
ing her own fractions acquisition on
some remote roadway outside the city
hmits-or, dreadful thought, might
even be laid up herself for repairs. he
called on the bookkeeper brother, but
found him busy and noncommlttaL
So he waited and tried to possess his
soul with patience and learn to rlde
bicycle without the zigzag motion that
had endangered the lives OF the popu
lace and nearly caused his arrest by the
police. -.
Then he made the discovery that II
he gave his wheel its head 1t would
behave much better than when he
guided it carefully, to the end that 1t
traversed both sides of the street at
once. After acting like a thing pos
sessed it learned to behave, and he
found himself skimming along like
bird on the wing, with an exultant
sense of freedom and delight, and he
lonoed 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 a vision in boomers, 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 she 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 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,
"Nellie!"
That young lady skillfully eluded 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 wheel"
II IT. said the young man rue
fully, feeling of his elbow to determine
whether it was dislocated OR merely
abraded, "but you, Miss Nellie, are
quite an expert. p"
Miss Nellie murmured something
about the wheel being a 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
or ride she said, with enthusiasm.
'He rides the wheel when / am not
using it, and he makes it spin. Why, he
rides standing up, and I'm afraid some
thing will happen to him. y
Milo was walking along, leading his
wheel, as if he preferred that way, and
Miss Nellie gave him several exhibit
lions of her skill, and each moment
made stronger and more lasting i'm
preston on the poor fellows 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
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 in January. but to expe
dite matters the imp changed it to July.
However, all's we'll that ends we'll
Mrs M. L. Rayne in Detroit Free Press.