Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-01-11
A NIGHT RIDE.

The bicycle is queer instrument.
You think you know all about it; then
suddenly you find there are still things
to learn. The other evening I got on my
bicycle and worked my way for five or
six miles through one Of the prettiest
lanes i'll England to a country village
where a friend of mine lives. The lane
which leads to this village is one in
which did a good deal of practicing
when first took to the bicycle some
months ago. 1t is bordered by hedges
and trees on each side and looks like
long green tunnel through which the
sun sends some flittering, Pickering rays
down on the excellent roadway, making
sort of dancing carpet of light and
shade, eternally weaving themselves to-
gether and mimicking in shadow and
sunshine the interlacing of the trees
above.
But there is, alas, along the side of
this lane Il ditch with which l have be-
fore now made acquaintance while
teaching myself how to ride. 1t is al
ways a pleasant experience for bicy-
tASi w NV i'it &C hlou hiiCiS liC lltsS lithu
his conflicts with the machine. 1t gives
him a sense Of having accomplished
something. | recognized all the places
where | had been thrown i'll the ditch
and where l had been thrust through the
hedge. 1t was nice to know that these
exciting days were past, and that [ now
rode the machine as if Iwere a part of it.
Tho lane is a lonely place at any time
of the day. Broader roads and more di-
rect ones lead to the little village have
spoken Of, bat whose name l neod not
mention. My friend proved so entertain
ing that | staid on and ON. 1 was in
vited to stop for dinner, and did. 1
was afterward censured for this, when
l ultimately did reach home. People in
the country, | was told, were not al
ways prepared to receive unexpected
visitors to dinner. 1t was not the thing
to drop down with my bicycle upon
helpless man i'll the country and then
hang around the premises until was
invited to dinner l am always putting
my foot i'll it this way. 1t makes me feel
guilty afterWard, but what is man to
do?
1t was pitch dark when l left the
house. and when [ came to the entrance
Of the lane it was even darker than
pitch, if such thing be possible. 1 lit
my bicycle lamp for the first time in
my life. The lamp had cost me lot of
money and was said to be the best i'll
the market, bat when it tried to COM
pete with the appalling darkness of the
lane l saw what futile thing it was.
1t shed dim circle of light a long way
ahead that didn't seem to me to be of
much practical use. pushed the ma
chine along and sprang lightly OH it's
back Now | thought [ knew how to
ride perfectly, but l was to find out that
riding in the broad daylight and riding
ia the darki.Css are two entirely differ
ent things. The machine gave wabble
first in one direction and then in the
other and my heart came into my mouth
when ] found that unless l saw the
wheel l did not know how to balance
the concern. Sitting down a moment
afterWard, fortunately not on the side
where the ditch was, had some time
to mediate on the situation. The wheel
was on top of me, and the lamp was
out. This was old times over again, and
| had not even the chance in the dark
ness to select the spot on which to fall
| did not like the idea of trundling the
machine all the way along the lane
when ought to be able to do so much
better time ON its back, so l rose slowly,
placed the machine upright again, and
relit the lamp. The lamp hung on
conple Of vacillating flan9es which ap-
parently were actuated by springs and
gave the lamp il wabbly motion when
you joggled unexpectedly over stone. I
got once more upon the machine, this
time with better success, and we went
along nicely for some distance Then 1
got off again. Coming along that road
i'll the daylight the lane seemed perfect
ly smooth and unobstructed. Yet l sud
denly came against some unseen obstacle
that appear ed to me as | alighted to be
Il bCwlder lying on the road. 1t was in
reality stone about the size of my fist.
The lamp had gone out of course stimuli
tmeously with my fall. This one have
goes out Whenever | joggle over any
thing. | have been told that it WAS on
account Of the bad oil | was using, hut
| have since secured the most expensive
oil in the market, an oil with beauti-
ful name, but the lamp jog8les cut just
the same.
After going over the stone l saw that
l had to do something definite with the
lamp took ont my handkerchief and
ted down the sn,inrS SO that the disk