The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-10-15


Indiana. 1t was a note of defiance,
though the follow who uttered it
tool, Immediate strides in the direct
ion of his back yard
Finding my sprain growing easier,
| took Il great squirt, and passed an
other ten miles in less than IN hour
without noteworthy accident. But /
soon found that my troubles were not
over The roads mp to this point
had been remarkably good, and most
OF the way smooth and level. | now
struck a rolling section, and the hills
rose In continuous undulations. The
roads were rocky and grooved with
winding gulleys, describing the wash
outs of former rains My progress
was very laborious, and so frequent
were the checks and hindrances that
when the fourth hour was gone | had
not made foot over five miles
About this time, however, the coun-
try became more level, and | had a
run of five or six miles that did not
occupy more than half an hour At
the end of this squirt the road sudden
ly forked, and in the absence of a sign
board | was brought to an abrupt
halt, not having the slightest idea
which prong Of the fork led to my
goal
I looked about. The only farm
house in sight was a quarter of mile
TO the left, across broken meadows
and wind swept corniield. / strain
ed my eyes up and down the three
high ways, but not a human being
was to be seen. The roads ahead,
which diverged at an angle of about
% degrees, We're equally travelled.
The one to the right seemed to turn
off a couple of miles away, while the
other was straight as far as [ could
see. [ was inclined to take the latter,
but as [ had no time to waste expert
menting, | decided to go to the farm
house and inquire which road led to
Munger, small town twenty-five
miles west of Feeder station. This |
had ascertained by means of maps
and inquiries when | first contemplat
ed the trip.
Leaving my wheel in a fence corn
er, half hidden by q clnmp of alder
bushes, [ struck across the fields IN a
trot. I found the farmer in his barn
yard, and after he had with difficulty
subdued a pair of savage bull dogs
that wanted to eat me without season
ing. | elected the information that
the road to the right led to Munger.
Thanking him, l hurried back in a
great sweat, warned by my chrome
meter that | had lost just twenty
minutes, which might change my
destiny.
Arriving at the forks | was horriti
ed to find that my wheel was gone.
Casting a hasty look around | saw
fellow mounted on it and riding for
dead life, about 200 yards to the west
ward without waiting to swear ac-
curately and smoothly, | snatched my
revolver from my pocket and rushed
madly after the thief. shouting an
aggiomeration OF threats. entreaties,
broken imprecations and abbreviated
prayers [ fired shot at intervals,
when 1 could do so without perforat
ing my legs. The fellow gave nerv-
Gus look behind, lost his gravity, and
a minute latter took 2 header. Gath
ering himself up he abandoned the
wheel, scaled the fence and quickly
in the adjoining woods.
Arriving at the spot where he fell, l
found the faithful safety still unln-
jured, and was soon on my way to
Munger, The road was level and |
made the run in twenty five minutes.
1 found Munger a good sized town,
and got through it without any nOta-
bic adventure. Just before leaving
it | stopped at a restaurant and took
a hasty lunch, including goblet of
''hot Scotch" Feeling quite refresh
ed | resumed the road with reiuvenat
ed hopes.
1t was now 10 o'clock, and little
over twenty miles away" The cOun
try was marvelously level, and the
road excellent | spurted the first
ten miles in about thirty minutes,
but | began to feel alarmed at the as
pect of the heavens. Heavy clouds
were gathering and a storm was
threatening. In quarter of an hour
the big drops began to fall, and pres
emily the rain was pouring down. a
deluge.
| went plunging on through mud
and rivulet, half blinded by the rain,
which the fitful southwest wind blew
into my eyes with pltiless fnry. There
was but one consoling thought that |
the storm had probably struck my
rival first. judging from its direction. |
[ felt sure that Feeder Station was |
not over five miles ahead, and pushed |
with desperate energy.
The slower was as persistent as if /
sent by an adverse fate. l think it |
,ained steadily for half an hour i
vas as wet as human tiotsam wash I
sd up by the sea- My wheel threw
mud in Il way that was dreadful.
iecking my sodden clothes till l
night have been taken-in Dingle-
yood-for a wingled hog.
At last just as the rain began to slack
n. | caught sight OF church spire
ess than a mile ahead, and knew that
was about to enter Feeder Station.
Iy heart thumped With new excite
nent | thought of stopping some
,lace and arranging my toilet" but
abandoned the notion. 1t
7as no time for primping.