New-York tribune., 1896-07-30
STORIES. OF THE PATH.
WHEELMEN NO AMATEURS AT YARN
SPINNING.
ONE RIDER TELLS HOW HIS FRIEND RACED WITH
ZIMMERMAN. AND ANOTHER DESCRIBES AN
ATTEMPT TO RUB OFF SPOTS

ZIMMERMAN AND ANOTHER DESCRIBES AN
ATTEMPT TO RUB OFF SPOTS
OF MOONLIGHT.
Tho bicvcle path. or "rirlmy's pathway" as the
bicycle brigade endearingly calls II, Is one u le
most COSMOPOLITAN places one can imagine AS .'s
season wakes older its popularity seems 10 In
crease and the merry groups when 20 "hifH"s W
and down it's long miles these moonlight h'eh''
travel with a respectable freedom OF manner uh-
hoard Of I'm the ordinary walks OF life III Is less the
familiarity that breeds contempt than 'he ihef'.
touch-and- go of bohemianism or the hunioi' W
the road, so to speak, which wanoerihs eAS''
engenders. To DC sure there are eN'"'e -
whom to attempt to speak would be grave social
s,o,.,, or the mart of strangers, but these II Is
said are in the minority and 20 off BY themselves,
forming groups apart. But the great brleaue VI
free-and-easies enjoys life in its own way, un
dreamed of by those who do Eot rue "nee' ~
are not acquainted with the pleasures saheo W
dartinc hither and thther over the country "ne.
evor the fancy leads. No matter where the ""ee'-
man and wheelwoman may have oeen ouri'e w.
Sac. oil roads lead to "Tmmys pathway d.
ripht Frequently the Iiders stop 10 rest a' eo''
yenent bench somewhere along lne pain 0
the final spin homeward. Ofttimes one eeo
dozen or more gathered together, ehsaseu III ."'
pleasant pastime OF general conversation u 'e"',e
stories Of the road Could a small portion even De
uao,o5 they would make pleasant reading 10
80 u,ho could appreciate their humor' IL was
,rsr such a group as this that came tose''e'
;s, evening near the southeastern entrance oi 'ne
park. ,, .,orv about the
.phantom fat man." asked one yo"nss'e'
NO" came from several voices. ~
"Oh NV" exclaimed young girl "i'h Il S'''''
"Was 1t a ghost7' .,o- "1r
"war hardly" answered the first speaker ~
ca II was tn, healthiest ghos; ever ne"'u o.
friend OF mine was going down 20 oone! r,.,
fav nights ago. 1t was a pretty ualh nr"N .,,
ahead OF him he saw large nea's .ioo""' 49,.
u.beeIinr along at a rapid speed ana making nsn'
ok Of II IN lust give you brush. ne thous"'
>-n, .I,fIv. Il a sprnter himself; he's sreaseo
lightning Well. as he moved up aionssu " a..
follow the latter increased his speed lie KEEP. y'
mo- ahead OF Billy Occasionally the reno"
would increase his spee enough TO get TWO or 'nree
hundred feet ahead He dressed IN WHIT anu
ain, in and out among the shadows OF the ish's
he looked for all the world like phantom hsHIe s;nt
Billy said i, reminos1 mo.d mn By ~ could not catch up
with his friend. the phantom his spu s.s,s-
errc ana naarnd eG she Island the fellow away and
,Billy' drew up to the roadside Just ABOUT p'a'ca
WEN" queried several. rather disappointed at
the ending. .... 1,,o ,o,rs later on his
n., in the civ Billy saw the same fellow, and
hs determined to beat him or die IN the a.empI tempt
payea Gaj wis Wss ss Biy sf He Would allow him 70 come
IN and then he would shoot away IKE rea' pia phm
noe5 tom To wnkf 1hs rOas 'aS d waited for y
nm .PilIv' was nearly dead and as wet as II ne
nppa fallen into the drink. The stranger haan
urned A hair. He looked as cool as II ne nad just
CONG y 9ut said @f Biy fSl Excuse me- but you are
nsach' Would you mind telling me your nameE,
p,s sGortainiv nor answered the stranger; my
name is Zimmerman you could have knocked
.Riv' down with feather He began 70 De lrsnn, ,,
", but zimmerman got on his wheel anu "'e''eu
WAS it Zimmerman" asked one Of the group
"Certan.y" said the narrator. NO one else
around here could have % Tdasn @ oIss Se iooor man
About a fellow who tried to rub the moonlight or
his trousers. Want n?
sure answered the chorus
Il was coming down the path one moonlight night
when saw man asleep on a bench II was quite
iatc and 7 thought would play the Good Samari-
tan act The chap was sitting 80 that the moons
ravs fterng through the trees fell as II IN spots on
his trousers I shook him. IIe had on beautiful
srunts ,o.r.s u,s.
wake up" / said IT'S getting late. and If you
don't look out you'll ,trSs havs your wheel stolen.
We'll | finally got him awake. and after time
no seemed about ready and able 10 his wheel.
Suddenly his eye fell upon the moonlight on his
trousers. . .,,,
Nusht clean IN TO- g'home { Mary
.Ue took out his ma ndkerchef and began to rub.
but il was no use. The moonlight wouldn't come out.
Say my friend said just move down the seat
Hight 1t struck him al: in q heap.
g We'll. foh gawd's sake; Shay oil fel les tell um
rummy OF Jag rubin moonlightsh onn his
trouss. Whoopee.
THE idea seemed TO amusc him immensely. r.
nay he fell asleep and suppose the cop got him"