Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-01-23
HER FIRST LESSON AwHEeL.
Experiences of One Woman With a Bike
and Her Helper.

HEX fihS leSSON AWnCCL.
Experiences of One Woman With a Bike
and Her Helper.
! NY first lesson on the wheel was very
tame. went to an academy, where a
gentle young man told me many solid
facts and trotted softly by my side
about the arena, while slid about in
the saddle and the bicycle wabbled to
and fro. / didn't fall down because
the young man wouldn't let me. He
knew a great deal about bicycling and
how to do it, and he poured forth a
constant stream of information which
almost lulled me to sleep. In fact, the
monotonous tones of his voice and the
continuous circular going induced q
species of coma in which the flying fig
ures of another young man and a young
woman passing in swift circles took on
such a resemblance to that hapless
pair, Francesca da Rimini and her
lover, that asked my guide in startled
amazement:
did Paola chew gum?"
In his turn my Instructor was dazed
and slipped from my wheel, meekly
paid my fee and walked out. had
learned to mount from the left side of
the wheel. 20 turn the handle-bar in
the direction l tipped. but so firmly
had that faithful youth held me up
that l had never tipped, and that l
must pedal faithfully in the hope of
getting there" That evening l was
among a company of bicyclers and COW
cred with shame and confusion. Every
man and woman had not only kissed
the dust, in token of devotion to the
wheel, but had bitten the stones.
Those who had learned in the academy
had ridden full tilt into stacks of
chairs and had brought them down, to
the CONSERVATION of the onlookers, and
been extricated by dint of great effort,
or had so shaped their course as to
overthrow at least two or three of their
fellow students and then gayly am
bled into knot of spectators. / had
no such tales to relate, not a single
confusion upon my person. Very
properly l was suffered to flock by my
self while the heroes of the hour spoke
feelingly of thirty, fifty, ay! even
eighty black and blue spots. didn't
believe them-then.
Then hired wheel and a boy to
put me back when fell off. but on no
account was he TO do more The boy
and wheel met me in a retired spot.
He was boy of good muscular devel
opment. and he held the machine firm
ly when l climbed into the saddle.
Wouldn't like me to steady it bit?"
he asked kindly.
Thanks, no." l returned, and with
one revolution of the pedals ] was off.
That expression may be interpreted
as the reader chooses The boy, how
ever, was equal 10 the situation, and
did not feel hurt by my refusal. In
fact. think was more hurt than he
at the way things turned out. Any
way, in few minutes | said to him:
''You may hold the wheel steadily un-
til get started. please.
He did his part beautifully, and
felt the bliss of flying for moment or
two, then a tree at quite a distance
started to meet me half way. 1t did.
abandoned all connection with the
bicycle to embrace the opportunity. l
didn't miss it, but met it full in the
face-in my face. / answered the boy
feebly that it didn't hurt so much
now," and he said eheerily that the
wheel was all right When / opened
my eyes the tree seemed quite dis
tance off. 1t was an elm / never
liked elms, any wav; they are so
regular in formation but that was an
irregular proceeding. The boy seemed
inclined to manage affairs after this,
and suggested that he would ride the
wheel little bit and see if it worked
right l had hardly assented to this
when he went like streak fairly out
of sight That reused me- What did
he mean by acting like that? Iwanted
TO ride, I'd have him know. Before /
had really worked myself into a rage
he came back, riding easily, with his
hands in his pockets 1t struck me as
an insolent attitude, but the boy was
good nature itself
Let me show you few points," he
said But my pride was reused, and l
refused.
mounted again, and by good luck
went wavering along to a turn in the
road. / heard a Gathering grocery
wagon behind me at this point, and,
without premeditation, sat down in
the road to wait for it, holding the
wheel down to prevent it from getting
away. The grocery boy didn't under
stand my intentions. and called:
Hi, therel get move on you"
Il have as much on me as can bear
now," l muttered, and sullenly await
ed my boys appearance.
He, meanwhile. rebuked the grocer's
lad in well-chosen terms, while he
lifted up the wheel. He called il
daisy when he brought it, saying ''she
only weighs Twenty-Five pounds, but
in my inmost heart believe it to be
sixty-pounder. When l had once more
resumed the perpendicular said with
q well-feigned air of careless ease:
Il think that will do for to-day. You
can bring the wheel tomorrow at the
same time"
The boy asked me if would ride
home. / scanned his freclled and in
genuous countenance to see if any
malice lurked in the question before /
replied preferred to walk.
Then III ride" he answered, and
turning again to look at me said with
frank kindness:
I'D use brown paper and vinegar on
my forehead if | was you; that bump1l
look awful tomorrow.
There were twenty-nine bruises on
my body that night, by actual count.
N. Y. Sun
The Love OF Work.
Franklin, who drew the lightning,
was professional politician, not pro-
fessional scientist. Morse, who in
A. a =.