The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-09-24

Naht W nlm lot kNluAnNti anu iHiNts
left without a generous dose OF good.
common sense kindly administered.
But. like most Of humanity. the
colonel had his fallihgs what mortal
Las not?-and one OF these was par
donable pride In being the first to take
up any new fad or game or
practice. He dearly loved playing the
role Of a leader, and II must be adj
mitted he generally was progressive
enough TO see the good In the latest in
vcntlon, TO take advantage Of new dis
coyerles, to show himself liberal. keen
and discriminating. He would examine
infinitely any Improvement on old-es-
tablished oustOms. which. II he found
worthy, he never hesitated to adopt
In the history OF the colonel there
was but one Waterloo. and It was all be-
cause Of the bicycle that he came to
grief. that his prestige was lowered. his
pride humblod and his utter rout ae-
knowledgcd. The colonel had tackled
tennis had warmed as a spectator.
and as father OF a college boy, at foot
ball. had enthused over baseball and
rad been a careful follower OF sports OF
all kinds. When the safety" first hove
In sight. however, and while few
nelghbors possessed themselves Of for
ty-pounders. with cushion tires, clumsi-
ly lubering about the country, the
colonel set his face sternly against the
machine.
"a mere lad. SIR" he exclaimed. that
will die out In a year." Aud, having
thus passed FINAL judgment against the
/ invention. he dismissed the matter
from hls mind Ills fellow commuters,
who were rash enough 10 continue
ftraddling the denominations and 90
rushing OF on twenty rides came
In Tor the coloners jecrs and ridicule
% he met them at the station or on the
trains OF a morning.
There were not wanting, however.
those who predicted that the colonel's
day would come. and that. as he was
deliberately burning his bridges behind
him. his defeat would be all the more
overwhelming. and they bided their
time.
SO the years rolled on. as years un-
fortunately will. and the wheel rolled
with them. surprising In popularity
the most sangulne expectations OF It's
most devoted admirers. The lad, in
stead Of spending itself out. grew. as
the world now knows. TO colossal pro
portions while the tradespeople In other
lines stood aghast. as they saw their
profits diminish. their sales grow un,
comfortably lcss. and the whole com
munlty becoming apparently bicycle
crazy. SIN. the colonel stood his
Iground manmlly. he drove his spank
Ing pair Of sorrcls and saw his friends
one by one drift away from him and
laihilate with others 10 whom they
were attracted by that great social
loveler. the bike" Old comrades who
were wont to drive with the colonel
now begged OF. taking their thirty or
forty mile spin on the silent steed that
never baked. or lost a shoe. or went
sick: and they returned ruddy Of face,
improved In health and generally still
more enthusiastic.
And 60 when the present summer
came the colone's daughter returned
from school. fresh. pretty and dainty In
her girlishness. no more attractive pos
slbly than the rest OF his children. but
still very dear TO his heart, and not to
DO resisted.
well. dad" was her ejaculation ~
hey sat around the dinner table the
first evening after her arrival Il sup
pose you are all riding wheels, Isn't II
great fun7'
"M-no." answered the father with a
troubled look, and he tried to change
the subject. But the girl laughing.
brought It up again, and told how she
had learned TO ride on another's wheel
at school. II was evident she was dis
appointed that her hint had brought
out no response, and she said no more
But the shaft had sunk deep.
MY dear" said her mother that
night to her spouse as they were about
to retire. there Is no use discussing
the matter Nancy must have a wheel Z"
and the next day one was ordered
Then when Tom came home from col
lcge, with honors and a good years
record behind him. It seemed absurd
that Nancy should have no escort In
the family. and 80 a second machine
was purchased,
Naturally when the other son came
home from preparatory school he made
no bones about demanding his own
personal wheel a. a clear matter Of
! right and third one was bought
There were still two more children. yet
younger with even less Of sense OF
dollcacy about their requests, and their
opportunities were likewise successful:
go now i've machines Uttered mp the
halls and drawing rooms and the colo
mel found himself In an atmosphere Of
bicycling that In the end told on him.
From their earliest infancy almost he
had kept In close touch with his chill.
dren. entering into their sports and
games. delighting In explaining In his
thorough, methodical. intelligent way
everything that could bear on the sub
/ !ecL Suddenly he found himself quite
out Of Il; they were having a good timp
without him. II was more than he could
stand and now began his preliminary
tklrmishes With his nelghbors. He
dropped vague hints about his need Of
exercise and his desire for change.
lie began to join the cycle crowd on
the rear end OF the ferryboat. lie lis
tened with respectful attention TO tales
u runaway coasters, punctured tires.
% broken spokes. OF lubricants and
rnew devices In the way OF brakes. lie
informed himself as 10 gear, pedala and