The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-16
LOVE ON A BICYCLE.


its stand as &c worn out from long, tedious
waiting for its mistress. A rustic, as of
silk lined haircl0th, was heard on the eel
lar stairs. 1t was she, its dauntless rider.
A loud olang, clang Of the doorbeu
startled these tears away She knew that
ring All disheveled and dusty, she rushed
into the drawing room she met her lover
like a moody cherub. He looked at her for
a moment. standing with his legs wide
apart, his hands in his pockets and for
gotten hat ON the back of his head, heaved
q sigh of resignation and said disgustedly:
i see, my poor little girl that this con-
founded bicycle question Is on top again.
Do you know Eleanor, that I know
hne fellow who wants a bicycle just like
yours SO everlastingly bad that he would
be willing to give 81, 600 cash for it if he
could have it within an hour"
'.Georgel You shall not have my dear
wheel to smash into splinters. If you your
self had ever ridden, you would advocate
it for everybody. 1t is stubborn and mar
row that you viii not learn. Your preiu-
dice is making q heartless fellow Of you.
1t shall be crushed st once. I am deter
mined. Can't you see that am deter
mined?"
Her hands were clasped tightly. She
shivered slightly and her voice was tense
as she continued with white teeth set. ST
shall ride tomorrow to Chevy Chase inn.
start at noon exactly. You may start on
a wheel at II. IF you reach the inn before
I do, we will be married soon. If not
neverr'
The last word was called from the hall.
Tho speaker was gone. The man turned
pale. He was not a student of women's
whims, and he was deeply in love. He put
a hand to his head and was dimly conscious
of wondering whether it was his hand or
some other fellow IS.
He sat down en- the corner of card Ia
bic because it happened to be behind him
and said out loud 81 will think" Three
minutes later he arose and said, II viii
think"
He walked through the hall and out into
the air, forgetting his os4e, his Overcoat
and the violets he had Bought Eleanor.
AS the front door closed behind him with
a bang it startled him as it might sleep
walker.
Soon his eyes, which had not distin-
guished the passersby, were riveted on a
sign which seemed to scream at him, . BIZ
cycling academy"
1t drew him to the spot as if by magnet
ism. He entered tho door and looked
blank1y at the man at the desk and laid
down bill which made the fellow stare,
refused the change and asked to be taught
at once.
An attendant brought him q wheel.
Tho cold glitter of its nickel plating filled
his whole being with determination. He
waved the teacher aside and mounted with
the spring of a kangaroo. The wheel
headed straight as a die for the brick par
titiOn. When within yard of it, be lifted
long limbs above the handle bar and met
the wall with the bottoms of two substan-
tial feet. Eo was shot back some distance
anu then of.
The instructor asked him sweetly if he
thought he was riding q batteriDg ram or
a boomerang. The lover did not smile.
The instructor then asked him for the ad-
dress of his doctor. He gave q number on
Sixteenth street. That was Eleanor's
home. Before he left the school the shad-
ows had heightened into darkness, and he
was riding beautifully around the circle
with his handkerchief bound tightly
around his heed and the teachers arm
about his waist If Eleanor could have
seen hini He felt himself victor over
8end
The next morning at 1879 he left his
door. The day was perfect. He felt the
exhilaration of success and a resistless
force Of resolution. He leaned over the
handle bar and sped rapidly over the
asphalt He painted and pushed up the
hills and coasted down over the bridges
and past the zoo. His one thought was TO
make the wheels go round to cover space
Slowly the idea began TO force itself
upon him that something was wrong with
the wheel. He thought it must need oil
ing such terrible pain and weakness did
attack his limbs when he tried to force the
pedals around, and his head grew light
and dizzy. He thought to dismOunt, but
rolled off instead. Ho tried to take q step
to straighten his limbs They refused to
be straightened They gave way beneath
him and he fell on his knees as If in sup
plication to Cupid to cease from his tor
ture.
He lay on the ground for a moment in
order that the dizziness might pass away.
He must have lost consciousness for mo
ment. for suddenly he felt hand on his
head, and the grum voice of motorman
asked: care you all broke up, old man?
Don't you want a lift?
These accents were as sweet to his ears
as the mdrmuring of a siren. he was sore
~ tempted and yielded. He allowed his
wheel to be lifted on the car and himself
to be assisted to a seat which was not a
saddle while he constantly whispered to
his conscience, ''Al is fair in love and
war.
He closed his eyes and half dreamed,
half thought that he was waited along on
deecy clouds. Suddenly a thought struck
him like a lightning bolt. Eleanor
Might she not see him alighting from the
carr Was he to be branded in her eyes as a
cOwardly cheat?
He snatched at his watch and dragged
himself to the end of the car and tried
with his eyes to pierce the solid hills in
order to gain the first dreaded glimpse Of
his darling, who rode like the wind on her
metal steed.
He saw for ten minutes only a blank
road, and then, with nervous start, dis
cerned spot Of blue. He knew that it was
blue serge and that it tapped about bicycle
wheels.
"Was it, oh, was it Eleanor?''
He thought he saw a tam and strained
his eyes to see if there was feather on it.
From the handle bar waved streamers. 1t
must be Eleanor
The car stopped for a moment. He was
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