The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-20
BOTH HAD WHEELS.

| Ross Graham laid the merning paper
| aside and looked across the breakfast table
! at his wife.
ST don't like the idea, Dora,'' no said,
| family discernible air of authority color
ing the words with yet stronger disap-
prevail.
His wife's face flushed little as she
| toyed with her coffee spoon. She was one
of the few women who can look charming
at a. m. 1t Is awfully hard to refuse
your wife anything when she is distract
ingly pretty and you have been married
only three short months.
All the girls have them," she protested
"I'm surprised, Ross, I really ana, that
you should object. Everybody rides, and
it is so fascinating
sit doesn't make any difference what
other girls do" responded her husband
emphatically. 'They may fly to the moon
if somebody patents airships for all care
But hate to see you on a bicyc1e-not
that there is any actual harm in them, but
a man doesn't care to have his wife pranc.
ing around the country, stared at by ali
the fellows. You may have anything else
in reason that you want, Dot, but draw
the line at boomers and a Wheel
Dora's eyebrows puckered ominously.
She rose with injured dignity and looked
down at her husband as iInpressively as
woman may from a height of feet 1.
"Do understand you to say that you
forbid me to ride a bioycle?'' she asked
slowly. Her cheeks were glowing now,
and small slippered foot beat a tattoo
upon the carpet.
Her husband looked up in surprise. It
is always surprising to newly made Ben
edict to discover that his adoring spouse
has any wishes apart from his own.
"Well," said he with the mild despera.
ton of a peaceable man who finds himself
UnT inEiS
in such an unpleasant way, yes"
"Then, - replied his wife, moving trag,
ically toward the door, even the tortoise
shell a-quiyer with Indignation, f'all have
to say is that you are a-perfect-tyrant."
Everything went wrong at the Office thai
day. 1t is not easy to wrestle with bust
ness when one energes from the gloom OF
a domestic thunderoloud, and Ross was
relieved when the afternoon wore away.
after all, - he soliloquized as he board
ed a California street car homeward, ''per-
haps Twas rather hard on the bicycle prop
osition. But it wouldn't do to give in to
her now. must be firm"
It takes a married man some time &c
acquaint himself with the apparent incon-
sistencies of the feminine mind.
Dora had allowed him to go down town
without so much as a farewell glance
Approaching his cozy home with some in
ward apprehension he was naturally as
dainty smiling.
Some friends dropped in later and the
evening passed delightfully."-. Dora devot-
ed herself to her husbands comfort with
an eager solicitude that he attributed to
sincere repentance.
AS she poured coffee for him the next
morning he observed with horror an i'm
mense and unsightIy bruise upon her pref
ty arm-a bruise that included all the col
ors of a well developed rainbow.
For heavens sake, Dot, how did you
do it?'' he inquired anxiously. His wife
blushed furiously.
''Oh, 1 feIl-that is, I-oh, it's nothing
Ross, dear, nothing whatever. Do let me
help you to cream. By the bye, forgot to
tell you that Here she branohed off to
a dissertation on music.
A week later Mr.. Ross Graham made
his way homeward on new safety.
81 really need the exercise, he explain
ed rather awkwardly to his wife, who was
watching usual for his familiar figure.
"Of course you do, DEAR she respond
ed cheerfully, whereat he breathed a sigh
of relief. "Some women would have
kicked up dickens of a row. he rulni-
mated. Dora is an ANGEL
Ross found cycling such an agreeable
pastime that he caught himself thinking
Of Dora one morning and half wishing
she were beside him. He was not SO sure
after all about the inipropriety of it. A
girl could look confoundedly fetching on
wheel.
OF late he had observed one in partiou-
lar, natty little figure in blue suit,
jaunty cap atop of her head, who appeared
in the distance every morning, but he had
never overtaken her, she avoided the
main paths, skimming gracefully along
and always alone.
One morning he obeyed a sudden i'm
pulse to pass the fair unknown. She evil
IDENTIFY OWNED his intention, for she dou-
bled her speed. So it was race between
them. What 81 saucys1ittls thing she must
bel
Mentally resolved to buy dagger pin
that very day for Dora as a peace Offering
to his conscience-poor little Dora, slum-
bering innocently at home while he basely
pursued strange phantoms-he gained
steadily upon the rider ahead in spite of
her efforts to elude him.
Something in the shiny coils of her hair
struck him as oddly familiar. 1t was
tortoise shell comb. Its wearer turned
lovely laughing face toward him.
HWell, Ross?'' she said mischievously.
"Doral'' he exclaimed weakly, namely
conscious that he ought to be indignant.
A pair of round, soft hands stole about his
neck.
we'll have awfully good times togeth-
er, dear" a sweet voice was saying. you
see, I've been riding ever since you said I
shouldn't. L coaxed papa for the safety.
Kiss me. Ross
And he did.-Pacifc Town Talk.
The Patient Counted.
One day recently DR.. P, who had
company at dinper, sat quietly chatting in
a c0rner Of the avpinr r00uo when ha |