Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-10
BOWSER AND THE WHEEL
Written for The Evening Star by NJ. Quad.

wagon stopped at the gate and bicycle
was handed down and left in the yard.
ct thought" began Mrs. Bowser-"I
thought you-you-"
You thought 1 had given it up" he in
terrupted. 1.-TWO three months ago I ex-
perimented a little with the wheel. I fell
in love with it. but didn't care to buy one
just then. I am now going to experiment
some more. In fact, 1 expect to become
crack rider within a week.
"You-you become a crack rider?"
And why not? What's the matter with
me?"
When you tried the bike before you
were unconscious for an hour and In bed
for three days You didn't seem TOTO"
Didn't seem to wkat?" he shouted, as
he showed back from the table. '1f didn't
quite get the hang of the thing 1t wasn't
my fault. No one can ride bike right off.
I've got the best kind of a chance to learn
and propose to take advantage of 1t. 1 ex-
pect fall or two, but what of it? What
L want Is to harden this flesh down, and all
doctors agree that there's nothing like BIZ
cycle riding to do it. In two weeks I'll be
kicking up my heels like a boy
II wish you'd give up the idea," said
Mrs Bowser. certain in her own mind that
tragedy would follow any experiment on
his part.
That's tuse like your he growled. 'If
get plan to take little comfort you are
always ready to head me off! have sent
i
to learn to ride 1t. and shall begin in ten
minutes. There is no more to be said"
twenty minutes later Mr.. Bowser had the
machine out on the highway. He peeled
the bottom of his trousers and had an air
OF confidence about him which consider
ably puzzled Mrs. Bowser.
You %. are not going to jump right on. are
hands.
You bet amr' he replied. .An the
trouble with new beginners is being afraid
saddle as If 1 had been there a thousand
times before. and If you see cloud of dust
tipping down the road you can hold on to
your hat with both hands. Here 1 go!'
He went. He put his foot on the step and
made two hops and jump, and Mrs. Bow
ser saw cloud Of dust 1t didn't go zip
ping oown the road. however, but remained
right there at her feet. 1t was a cloud
raised by Mr.. Bowser as the machine buck
ed him off and then fell upon him, and 1t
was three or four minutes before he got up
with red face and flashing eyes, and said
Il didn't expect to get the hang of it the
hrst time, you know, but III get there or
me?'
VERY sudden"
Il guess I didn't find the pedals quick
enough. Stand back little and give me a
show. Now, there's my foot, and here's
two hops, and-and-"
Mr.. Bowser didn't reach the saddle There
but he rose just high enough to fall for
ward. face downward. and with a wild wab-
BILE the machine rolled him into the wayside
ditch and fell beside him.
You didn't do it," said Mrs Bowser as
she advanced to help him up
Who kicked that hind wheel?" he de-
manded as he sat up and combed the dirt
and grass out of his hair.
NO one. 1 wasn't within twenty feet
of you. You'd better let me hold the wheel
while you get on
"Never-never! I've set out to get on that
wheel by myself, and by the chin of my
grandmother. I'll do it or perish right here"
Mr.. Bowser, you know you have short
legs and are naturally clumsy. and you
ought to give yourself a chance"
Short legs! Clumsy!' he shouted, as he
struggled up. woman. get out Of the
road-get inside the gate! You are hoping
for me to keep on falling. and perhaps
break my neck, but you'll be disappointed.
You just keep inside that gate till you're
called upon to interfere"
Then Mr.. Bewser examined the wheels.
They were all there. He took long look
at the handle bar, but discovered nothing
| wrong with it, The pedals seemed to have
been hung on at the right place. and he
could find no fault with the saddle. Mrs
Bowser stood watching him over the gate
presence and drew a long breath and made
ready for another try at it. 1t suddenly oc-
CURED to him that he didn't get in hops
enough. and so he started out on a new
plan. With his foot on the step he began
hopping and humping. His idea was to get
good Roadway and then rise like a bird
but at the fifth hop the machine took
shoot into the ditch. and there was another
wrestling match. in which it came out on
top.
You see. you can't do it," said Mrs
Bowser as she went out and pulled the
| wheel off him. You don't seem to hold the
wheel right. and you hop on the sole Of
your foot If 1 were you, I'd wait till we
get back to town, and then I'd"
Mr.. Bowser arose and pointed to the open
gate. and 50 strong was his emotion that il
was a full half minute before he could saw:
Am l running this business, or are you?
When don't know enough to get on TO a
But you haven't got on yetr'
That's my affair. If I want to fool
around a little and get acquainted with the
! 1d1oms OF the machine. guess I can do it.
| haven't tried to mount yet"
ehe' " ''N' '0S' pfac'ic'hs'
| And you will oblige me by going into
tne mouse. mrs. Bowser. Should require
your presence or feel the need Of any more
| sarcasm, I'll send you a postal cardr'
she went and when she had disappeared
| Mr. BoWser looked the machine over again
| and chuckled to himself.
| "IH give the pesky thing a surprise partv
| the way that Thompson did! I'll act as IL
| l didn't care whether school kept or not
| and then spring into the saddle all of a
| sudden"
He led the machine up and down the road
| a few times. patting the saddle in a father
| ly way and humming "a tune and bye and
| bye, after quick glance at the house to
| see II Mrs. Bowser was looking he made a
| sudden dash for the saddle He cote there
| Just how he did 1t he will never be able
| to make out. but to his utter surprise he
| found himself there and his feet clawfng
| about for the pedals. His first impression
| was that he was al least twenty feet above
| the earth; his second that he was all of
| forty. He hac a dim idea that he was
| speeding along like race horse but it
didn't last long. AS a matter of fact, the
| machine took a ''skit'' of about ten feet
and suddenly stopped. Mr.. Bowser also
| stopped. When Mrs. Bowser got out to
| him he was on one side of the road ard
| the wheel on the other. Mr.. Bowser had
| struck Oh his head and was looking into
vacancy and whispering to himself 1t
| was like a dream-some one lifting his
| head-his body being rolled about-a wagon
| coming up and two men Juggling him into
| the house. He meant to charge Mrs. Bow
| ser with hitting him with fence rail-with
| showing crowbar between the spokes to
| upset him-with malciously planning his
| death-but the words refused to come, and
| while he was wondering what was the mat
| ter he heard one of the men say:
"Oh. not at all, ma am-gIad to be of apy
| service. He'll come to after a while and be