The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-05-21

ton a bout the same hour OIL will
each get your notification Ii about 8
20 clock. Neither will dare to start be-
fore the time mentioned, as anything
that resembles treachery will cause a
forfeiture of all claims. This may
seem hard and practical even cruel;
but it is my only way out Of this di-
e lemna. Sss
IF either of you gentlemen do not
consider the prize worth the trial, /
shall be all the happier with the other;
and can't think this fair and impair
tial test will cause me to lose both.
inclose a diagram Of our village,
showing the location Of our street and
residence, the latter being designated
by a cross.
Lovingly and expectantly.
BESSIE
was shocked and bewildered at the
contents of the letter. After partially
recovering my wits my first impulse
was to. take the midnight train. put
my wheel in the baggage car, stop at
some town near Feeder station, get
an early start, run in about 10 a. IA.
and claim my prize Then I thought
what if my hated rival should basely
impose upon me ifty-mile handicap!
and ! mentally denounced the treach-
cry of the thing, thus unWittiEgly
placing myself in a very delicate at
titude. My private sense Of honor was
awakened, and resolved to win Bes-.
sic fairly OF fail in the attempt.
I spent an hour looking over such
maps as could find in my library and
studied Bessie's diagram. Then, real
izing that would need sleep, I cot
everything in readiness for the start,
set my alarm clock to raise it's clamor
; at a. m. sharp. placed it on stand
within foot Of my pillow, and re-
tired with an involuntary prayer OF
my tongues end. I tossed some, but
about 10 O'Clock I fell into a sort OF
pliantasmal slumber. I dreamed OF
mounting single wagon wheel and
riding the clumsy thing thousand
miles on telegraph wire for a prize.
the same being bea utiful princess,
whom won against hundreds Of COM
petitors. But just as was about to
take her fair hand and lead her to
the altar, there arose a horrible clam
or of opposition from my disappointed
rivals: who rushed at nae in a fury
of jealousy and would have torn lie
limb from limb, but 1 awoke Just in
time to hear the ling ering Utilization If
my alarm clock. s,nang from my
bed and in nalf an hour was ready
for the race.
Still punctilious in holding to my
point OF honor, I waited till an hour
before sunrise, and then sailed away
in the dim twilight and the bracing air
OF that fated morning, on a mission us
soul-thrilling as any that ever sent
a knight to the arena or 4 political
martyr to Washington, "
| made my first two leagues before
the suns imminent glory had blancned
the sweet, unu-like faces of the morn
ing stars.
began to feel a little uneasy about
the "signs" which the first rays Of
the sun pencilled on the 'heecy canvas
Of the dawn" Natures scenic artist
may sometimes use his brush without
q definite purpose, but for one I am
superstitious to reef sails when note
as did them rather lavish touch OF
crimson on the edge of the morning.
But I scudded along the dusty road,
not exactly under bare poles" but
un.ler the kind Of stimulus that turaS
burdens into pillows and obstacles in
to incentives.
1 made the first twenty miles with
out serious check or Interruption, bar
ring the temporary annoyance of be-
ing at one tine chased a mile by a
ferocious dog, that persistently tried
to- fasten his fangs in my trousers
But when / finally slowed up and
sprang from my wheel to tender a
sacrifice to Moloch, the cowardly
whelp turned tail and literally out
stripped the boulder I sent after him.
The twenty-mile station was Dingle-
wood, a queerly-laid- out village built
along the highway for half mile,
with no cross streets. The sun was
an hour high as [ entered this place.
AS skinned past the houses the in
mates came to the doors and win.
dows, and an occasional glance at their
distraught visages showed that most
OF them We're enjoying their first view
OF a bicycle. Dogs and children pour
ed out Of open gates and followed me,
yelpipE and bowling like mad imps of
the pit Other children and dogs, fur
Their on, attracted by the clamor, an
ticipated me, and before I reached the
end of the burg at least twenty dogs
Of all sizes and varieties were hound
ing me with that familiar impudence
of which the village dog enjoys an I'M
shared monopoly. Their attempts to
nip my heels exasperated me, and +
yelled at them savagely, but with poor
effect. At last an unusually active
'meat hound" caught me by the ankle,