The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-31


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$50 ] suppose" aaid Miss Betsey, with
perfect serenity. Eyes, you could 10 for
help. 1t would take team two hours
toRet hcrc, | don't know how long II
would tnkc you To 40"
One" lntcrlcctcd Dick. al which she
raised an eyebrow.
SAY three hours, then, ana half an
hour 10 stir up some one Who owns n
team. answer all his fool QUESTION:, and
get him started We'll. there's the moon
10 keep mn company ~
Dick shIvertd There was something
So eCrlr In the Idea of waiting so long on
that lonely road, so fnr from habItallon,
IN the night, with the sounds OF the night
sitting out through the trees OF the
nelghboring forest. llc looked ,at her
doubttully. and then up ana down tho
road. az though In search OF the team
That never came. :
II don't like u leave ynu here alone 40
long" said he at length. "SomeihlnE
might happen. Miss lIctspyi'5
he cried with carncstncss, why not let
me put you on my wheel and carry you
right home? Won't TINT be better than
waltlnG?"
ed n vision " himself YEARLY trudglng
along that long ten mllcS afoOt, holding
the wheel upright and Miss Betsey upon
II. But then II could be done And
they, might meet team on the way, She
looked ~ him for moment. lie Won
acrch II shC would be angry Mt the idea;
but she was not Then che looked Mt the
bicycle, and vouchsnfOd Il response:
"t'll break II down"
ut can't cried Dick Indignantly. you
can't break II down II you try. II would
hold US both ut once. tturrAh! |
have It! ] have 1t. Just see here. III
got the saddle az far back as 1t will go:
then I'll tie my coat on the backbone for
n cushion. and you can sit side saddle
fashion, on that, clNsr up 10 the handle
bars My arms are good and long, and
thcre'll be plenty Of room for you right
between me and the bar. You can't fall
on, for my arms won't let YOU. and we'll
go along Just as e-easy!"
This was better than walking.
In a twlnkling the boy had his wrench
out, all eagerness to reset the saddle. The
handle barwas already up. for Dick had
no use Cor the bumped up style OF riding.
His Jacket was on In 4 second. and
string appeared from somewhere, Gs By
magic, He did not wait to see IL the Of
fer was acceptable. Somehow he felt
that Miss Betsey. being different from
other folks would not need convincing
Ike other folks. And he was right, too.
Possibly her independence" before
mentioned was merely the fuller devcl-
opment OF that rare faculty mlscalled
common scnse"-more'S the pity TINT
II IS not common! She simply sat In
silence and watched the swift and SIM
pie preparation untIl the basket was
caught up and fastened to the front of
the machine. well OUT OF the way. look
ing the while as though she were alb
sorhing new Ideas al a rapid rate. When
he Strengthened UP and said. Now I'm
ready. Miss HetJey." she stood up In her
turn. and held out her hand
Well. It was 4 task that needed care.
This was not q romantic, young Loeb
invar" business. The lnme foot had 10
be looked out for, also the skirts. The
wheel was unplensantly noar for safe
ty. More string came into play ring
around the limbs below the knees. skirts
and all tied ghtly. y stirrup-like loop
down from It under the feet and up
again TO be knotted securely to the
handle bar. thus taking a little weight
of the backbonc-indeed, no inferior
make OF q wheel could have stood such
strain! quick hop or two, 4 gentle
rising into saddle. and 4 cautious feel
Ing of the feet for the pedals as they
rose. then Dicks heart lcapcd eXult-
antly. The scheme was success. and
he had not been altogether sure OF II
at first. Steadily he began 10 apply the
pressure; he felt sure OF his mount: he
knew we'll It was no Crook" and that
every nut and bolt was present, ready
for duty. Day by day his own careful
oversight had seen to- that. Hence all
that could be fairly demanded OF 1t
would he ms fairly done. Slowly ne
moved at first. 10 get accustomed 10
his burden. II changed the customary
balance OF things. Even the shift; OF the
saddle was a ching to adjust himself
"a Mt first, But presently he settled
down 10 that perfect feeling OF salts
faction In the wings beneath him. as
though they We're Il part OF his own
body. endowed With nerves like the rest
us his gnnylia-the state SO familiar 10
the practiced whcclman.
Swlftcr grew the motion and swifter,
six, eight, ten miles un hour began to be
the ratio rs the great moon swung into
space above the tree tops on the horizon
and flooded the hard road with. light
| with lacework here and there. of woven
shadow. Overhead the night hawks
were calling. Now hare started up
Is the rubber tires swept nOiSelcssly
upon him. almost swifter In approach
than the low w!liStlinE Of the well-oiled
chnin around the sprockct, like the
Whispering twittcr OF wild birds NIL
grating by night, With both her hands
resting on the bar, Miss Betsey sazcd
aud once she laughed nloiil like n girl
| 1T the sudden. frodig!ous leap OF n
scared rabbit rs II Sprang from q
shadow and ilcw along the road before
them. Once she said IN Il low voice,
as 10 herself, This Is glorious"
They topped II gentle rise at last, and
before them lay the village lights
Shall we 20 straight homc?" Miss
BC;scy, or would you like q team from
here" asked Dick efficiently. Boylll:c,
he hated ridlculc, and he did dread
somewhat threading the streets OF that
Sossipy town in this bizarre fashion.
la.t Miss Bctsay had no fears.
''StraIght home please" she said, and
on they went. But they went like the
| Wind, for al that, over those last few
furlOnEs. Past teams. past foot pas
| scngcrs, past stores, from end 70 end
| of the village. and so swiftly that not
ore eye identified the flyers. though
| dozens of eyes were struck with sense
Of something out OF the common about
| the "tandcm'-if It was Il tnIdCm-and
| strovc too late for another look. 1t
was lost opportunity.
| aim very much Obliged to you, Dick
Jon:s,," f;ti1 Miss BctsGy scrcnely, MS,
lrcd In the face with cXertlon and COW
1tcrcd with persp!ration, he lifted her on
ISthG seat In his strong. young arms and
carried her right In through her door,
very much, indeed. Come and see me
next week. | want TO look nj you BY
| J,rtinbI EnnI .pIvht ~ ..Hr. 3D.. g..