The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-14

and he presumed it was so. He didn't
think of religion, or, if he did, it was in
an absent sort Of way. as something away
of and not to come along for several weeks
yet 1t might mix, and it might not, but
he regarded the experiment as rather dan
zerous. His advice was for all persons
about to learn to ride bike to be good,
but not SO good that they could not fifty
express their feelings in case Of a tumble.
Once get to speeding along at the rate Of
ten miles an hour. and being good was the
easiest thing in the world.
The Hon Josephus said he had it and
had it bad When he went to bed after his
first lesson, he had to brace his feet against
I he footboard, and a dozen times in the
night he caught his wife by the ears as he
dreamed the bike was going over with him
In his sleep he saw millions Of wheels re-
voiving to right and left. Some ran true,
but the majority wabbled about as if
drunk He also saw thousands Of riders.
Some were scooting along ike jack rabbit
running before a dog, while others were
falling to right and left and yelling Fire ''
and PoliceI' as they fell. In his waking
moments he could not sit down without
balancing his body to q hair, and now and
then, despite all he could do, he would
take a .slop. As he walked the streets
he found himself trying to pedal, and in
turning a corner he instinctively yelled
for every body to get out Of the way When
he saw ice wagons, cars and moving vans
careering along under full sail and the
thought came to him that he must later on
meet and dodge such things, his knees
grew weak, and there was a lump in his
throat. This was followed by q sudden
decision to run away to sea, get himself to
state prison or commit suicide-anything
to escape further experiments with the
bike He would frankly admit that Ma
poleon was great man, but he also de-
clared that the man who could conquer
the bicycle nightmare and go through with
the business to q successful ending de-
served the praise of all his fellow men,
Bicycle riding was vet in its infancy,
but the benefits to be derived were known
far and wide. He understood that some
of the club did not favor riding by minis
tiers of the gospel, thinking that it had a
tendency to make them sporty Ihls was
a great mistake. If a preacher wanted to
be sporty, he had ten times the advantage
when on foot. When he was on his Wheel
his thoughts were anything bat trihing
He must be looking out for car tracks, Pc
licemen. other riders and vehicles, and
what time he had left was taken up with
thoughts of the hereafter and wondering If
the express wagon behind him meant to
run over him Before he learned to ride
he was dyspeptic, had headaches and
went around thinking that he was not
long for this world Now his stomach
could digest banana skins and cocoanut
husks and overcoat buttons. his head was
as sound as a brickbat. and, as for his dy-
ing he meant to live TO be LOO years old
He had a year cid baby at home, and he
was already rolling the youngster across
the floor in q besr key to give him the bicy-
Gle nightmare and let him get over 1t and
begin to got his nerve
The Hon. Josaphus said he had 3 word
to say to coloFed people only The pike
was white mans invention, to be sure,
but he advised his race to Jump the
claim" and take possession Inside blinds