The morning times., 1896-11-30
.CYCLER N'CURDY's RIDE
Brought Medicine on a Bicycle
to Save, ) Life.
REMARKABLY QUICK WORK
Had Twenty Minutes in Which to
Get a Prescription Filled All
Hope Had Been Abandoned for
the Child-A Philadelphia Cycler's
Rush Through Crowded Streets.

Philadelphia, Nov. 29-"wen, Bob, you
have just about twenty minutes to get
that prescription filled If you want to
save the child's life.
So said tile physician to Bob Nc
Curdy, the professional bicycle rider, on
Wednesday evening at the house OF Will
liam H. McHenry, No. 1908 South Thir-
teenth street, where a little girl of four,
teen years lay very ill with typhoid fever
One physician had given up the case
and another was called in, with the faint
hope that he might be able to do some.
thing. 1t seemed a slender chance, now
ever, for the Child was not far from death.
McCurdy, as friend OF the family
had gone for the physician, Dr. Charles
II. Earliart, who was a personal friead
of his, aud received from him the pre-
scription with the above warning and
the explanation that it must be taken to
a drug store near Broad and Chestnut
streets to be filled if possible IL not, to
one at Broad and Spruce streets.
THE RIDE FOR LIFE.
McCurdy had his racing wheel with him.
Hardly had the doctor spoken before he
was upon IL and started on the ride for a
life which he had determined to make. Up
Broad street he flew at racing speed Po-
liccmen called To him, and one attempted
pursuit, but lie paid 10 attention. In and
out among the other vehicles lie rode,
rushing past street crossings and recei, ing
maledctlons OF pedestrians, who found
themselves In danger of being run down
by the scorcher.
Arriving at Broad and Chestnut he found
the store filled with people, and despairing
of being waited on promptly, he turned
his wheel without moments delay and
rode To the other store.
prop everything and fill this prcscrip-
ton for me-" he shouted, throwing it on
the counter, together with a bank note.
Every minute counts and life depends on
it. Quick!'
McCurdys energy and determination were
Contagious. one clerk prepared the medi-
cine, another got a box and pasted the
label Oh ii, while third entered the pre-
scription on a book and helped the first
CLERK 1t WIS tie quickest piece of work
they had ever done.
McCurdy rabbed tie precious box and
rushed back 10 the street, His lamp had
gone. out, but he didn't wait to light it,
lie saw nothing and thought of nothing
but the sick child, whose life depended
on his speedy return
Down Bread street he rode as he had
turned the corner OF Tasker street Then
on he scUrched again until he reached the
house.
WAS IN TINE.
He was in time, and the child is now cx-
pected 10 recover. That this is the case
is attributed to McCurdy's hard ride. He
made it in exactly eleven minutes. Almost
incredible as IL may seem, that was the
nf a hi,
from Thirteenth and Tasker to Broad and
Chestnut streets and get prescription
filled.
McCurdy's feat, done not in the Interest
of professional reputation, but for human.
ity's sake, is the talk Of the neighborhool
| In which he and the McHenryslive. Bob
speaks of the ride with becoming IN odesty y
but 1t can be taken for granted that he's
| not at all sorry he did it. And when, in
n few rlonths, he rides out on q tandem
with the child whose life he saved 1t will
be proud day for McCurdy.