Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1896-01-28


Great nations submitted their disputes
to her for arbitrament and were pleased
to learn from her the truth OF their po-
sitions That she should sit dignified
was therefore not 10 be wondered at, but
there was peTplexity in her countenance
now. There was case before her the
like of which never had been known
since her great namesake sat IN judge
ment over two women who commended
for baby. In all her lawbooks, IN all
her experience, there was no suggestion
of precedents for such case as this.
As the matter stood to casual OBJ
server it was this: Mr. George Wheel
king, a beautiful mustached Young man,
dressed in gray knickerbockers. dark red
sweater, brown and yellow golfing stock
ings and improved wheeling shoes,
claimed that he was the sole and only
owner Of a fine silver aud gold plated
bicycle that was in the court for her
honor to look at.
But there was another claimant, a
young man just as beautifully mus
tached as Mr. Wheelking and quite as
handsome otherwise. who appeared in
brown corduroy knickerbockers, gray
sweater, yellow and red golfing stock
ings and quite as improved shoes. This
claimant was Mr.. William Bikking.
Neither had witnesses. and so the
learned judge questioned them and
cross questioned them, but each seemed
equally truthful, and the Judge paused
nonplused for the first time since she had
sat in that high seat. Finally she arose
from her chair and ordered the court
room seats stacked aronnd the sides
The audience was sent to the galleries,
where it waited with breathless in
terest as the brawny court attendants
carried ont the judges orders. The re-
porters were not disturbed, being inside
the rail, and only the swish OF the pen
oils broke the silence as the judge turn
ed to Mr.. Wheelking and said:
'Take that wheel, sir, and ride the
best you know how" And the judge
sat down and busted herself taking the
hairpins out of her hair and then put
ting them back again.
Mr.. Wheelking blushed very prettily
as he gave his very baggy knickerbock-
ers twitch and prepared to mount. AS
gracefully as bird he rose and settled
in the saddle and began to ride. There
was not a woman there whose heart did
not Jump. The men, of course, tried to
see fault, but even they could not help
noticing that Mr.. Wheelking seemed to
fit the wheel exactly. A look fitting
across the Judges face as of a smile was
translated by one of the reporters as an
indication that the decision was going
in favor of the rider, and she sent out
a full report of decision then and there
for the newsgathering organization of
the city.
Mr. Wheelking rode in and around
the massive pillars, backward, forward,
turning all the beautiful figures, and in
all the ways that pretty riders know
how. The filter on Judge New Solo
mans mouth became a smile. As Mr..
Wheelking dismounted Mr.. Bikking
came daintily forward, and as airily
as a falling leaf landed in the saddle
and began to ride. The applause that
followed Mr.. Wheellzing's performance
died away in wonderment.
When the reporter saw Mr.. Bikking
riding as gracefully as Mr. Wheelking,
she gazed into the judges face and saw
there, instead of decisive smile, a
look of surprise, followed by the same
old look of perplexity, whereupon she
reached wildly for the nearest telegraph
operator, and the recipients of the as
sociation's reports took out several col
umns Of interesting matter and an
nounced that the case was still under
consideration.
When Mr.. Bikking dismounted, the
critics could point out no difference be-
tween the riding of the two graceful
young men, and the judge looked as II
she would like to have good cry, but
she bit her lips and restrained herself.
Here was case that needed meas
ure entirely different from the usual
method of deciding such things, and the
Judge determined to decide it according
to masculine human nature as she un-
derstood il. So she stood up, and with
q wave Of her hand that silenced even
the whisperings of gossiping men, she
spoke in measured tones and syllables:
linus UOcH t0lc CDuEO ucCAuOs 4AASeChs
that you may distinctly hear. Rather
than render decision unworthy of this
court. or fail to render one in any case,
do declare that the bicycle in question
shall be bestowed on Miss Laura Bloom
or unreservedly.
Mr. Wheelking turned to leave the
conrt, giving Mr.. Bikking a look that
said plainly. Anyhow you won't have
it, while Mr.. Bikking burst into tears.
At this the judge rose up, and in a
voice that echoed through the court
room said:
Decision withdrawn, for it is plain
to see now that the wheel belongs to
Mr.. Bikking. Poor fellow, take it'll
New York Sun.
Dr. ColIyer's Appetite.
The Rev. Robert Collyer, while at
the breakfast table Of one of his friends
IN, the country near BOSTON was asked