Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-12-24
THE TANDEM.
A True Narration of a Thrilling Elk.
perience on q Runaway Bicycle
Among the Ozarks.

SPS$A@ SoAACoPVhuSACc VI lut LtuReT.
Hot SPRINGS, Ark, December TO-
1t was a magnificent sunny Sunda,
afternoon, scarcely a fortnight befor
Christmas. 1t was one of those beau
tiful days, so characteristic of tn,
balmy cline that hovers around tn,
lower valley of Arkansas, whom al
things seem to shine because the sui
shines.
1t was in Hot Springs, The Carlsba,
OF America, in the Valley of vapors
and in an epoch of the season whe,
this wonderful winter resort neye
looks prettier.
1t was Ayrus Mcclure, of LittI,
Rock, who spoke to me across ON
lunch, and it was as to the passing o
this afternoon that his question wa
relative.
CHOW are you booked to-day?"
Programme not illed,"I answer.
ed, scarcely diverting my mind from
the consumption of my meal.
"Can you ride a wheel?n
"That's my 'long suit" 1 casually
still thinking about VIVA
in front of me.
'"Then Wen exercise my t-t-t-
ta-tan-tandem," said Ayres, who a
times is one of those explosive STAN
merers who either runs smoothly ans
then goes off or goes off and theI
runs smoothly, just as the lineup may
be. His finish is always good.
Agreed. But where to? To Pot
ash Sulphur Springs, 1 suggested
about seven miles around a spur o
the Ozark range. Agreed again. Blu
we must be back by 8 O'Clock to SCI
some friends depart on a train. Oul
muscles we're soft from continued
bathing, but we'd try that water shei
incline of three miles and home climf
of four if we did miss the train. WI
for the wheel and made ,
few hasty preparations.
In a moment we we're on and away
mounted on one of the prettiest ma
chimes of its kind I had ever seen
No terpsichorean tripper of the fas'
cinating ballet ever looked trimmer
ever exhibited a more admirable
Every movement was that o.
living thing; every pedal-stroke al
uniform and regular as a heartbeat
attired in an organdy Of
enamel from fore to aft
off with brightest bronze, she
was the cynosure of all eyes as We
pedalled at a rapid pace down Cen.
trail avenue, skipping from space to
space between the stylish turnouts
and gliding on out Natures pike into
the hills.
Everything looked lovely. Our pace
was steady; the roadbed a if con-
crete. Up both hill and gradual
slope we glided, leaving the
well-picked cotton fields and the
myriad drifts of viriegated autumn
leaves in the valley below to roll
through the stately and fragrant pines
and bare sweet-gum trees on the top.
land.
Again we Sverige down a mountain
through arches of oaks and black
gum, covered with ripening mistletoe
and on across the brooklet, past the
bush of the pretty hollyberry, past
the settlers rude home, then up an6
again.
We reached the crest Of the divide,
Very little a been said, but very
much had been done.
Ahead was the four mile gentle
glade to the point of our destination
relaxed our energies, slowed ouI
speed and settled in our saddles for
an easy spin into the bed of the val
ley before us. Two miles wer soon
covered; then a slight bend and gen.
tie rise and we were crossing Hetty
Green's railroad track.
Slowing up to make the crossing,
bumped gently across the rails
and guards just as the Malvern Ex-
press rounded a curve and came full
view, head on, and only a hundred
yards or more to the left of US. The
engineer leaned out of his cab and
saw the white tandem. Instantly
there was a familiar whistle-a taunt-
ing challenge for a race.
just one mile ahead was Lawrence
Station, plain in view. Like the lines
a music staff ran the courses Of
both rail and wagon road to this
There vas a rapid but even
fall into the little village and the road
bed like was marble. The condition Of
bridges and culverts unknown. Grade
awfully steep, and probably
treacherous gravel at the bottom,
might lose control of the ma
chine. Then likely a complete trust
in Providence would be our only sal.
wage. Dangerously Reckless! Foolhardy
Stand the chance, anyway, although &
long shot. All this passed through
our minds in o seconds time and i
was nearly in the same breath tina
we spoke.
Lured on by the promises of excite
ment, I yelled from the steerage il
front: "Take a chance? Make tn,
She's yours" "I'm game
came the excited answer over m.
shoulder, and at the same time W
went my hand to the engineer, whit
continued to taunt ID with his whistle
Two heavy strokes and the grace
full wheel trembled and shot down tn,
slope. We had taken the dare ant
now we were in for it, for better o
for worse.
With caps pulled down and on
bodies shaped like the letter 8, W
fairly split the wind, every stroke a
steady as the beat OF a piston rod.
We had a hundred yards the lead
On rumbled the train, the enginee
changing his bell and the big iocomo
tive shrieking like a scared animal
We could hear it pant; heard the fire
man open and shut the fire-box, an
imagined we could hear the steel rail
creak.
We were doing III utmost. Tn
bicycle frame quivered, but swun
strongly between the wheels as W