Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-10
"DERE GOES DER Doc !
When DR.. ParkhurSt Bikes Small
Boys Salute Him.
ROCKEFELLER THE VICTIM
Has Sold Many of His Trotters and Now Rides
Whee-The Cycling Nurse and
Baby

New York, May S.-The newest victim
of the bicycle habit is DR.. Parkhurst
Like all beginners he has suddenly de-
Veloped into the most rip-roaring kind of
an enthusiast. He has not contracted the
scorchlng habit as yet, but that is prob
ably due to the fact that the Western
boulevard, his favorite wheeling ground,
is carefully patrolled by policemen on
bikes, who would like nothing better than
a chance to run the doctor in for speed
ing at rate higher than the limit allow
ed by law.
The doctors costume is a very quiet af-
fair. AS he Is very slender it is fair to
presume that his legs are not of robust
proportions. AT any rate, he'does not ex-
pose them to the gaze of a critical world
by wearing knickerbockers. His hiking
suit is not altogether commonplace, as 1t
is deep maroon in color, and his hat, a
modified alpine, Is almost the same shade.
The coat buttons close to the neck and Is
innocent of braid
The doctor has not yet acquired the
bicycle face. He sits erect on the saddle
and looks straight ahead of him,
although every one else turns around to
look at him. His usual ride is up Madi-
son avenue to F'ifty-second street and
across to Broadway, and then up the
boulevard to One Hundred and Eighth
side drive.
The small boys along the route are all
familiar with the well known face of this
preacher, and they make this fact known
to him by yelling: "Dere goes der Doc"
"Put a little more steam on, Doc" "Shake
Ter up, Doc" and other bits of friendly
criticism and advice.
DIR Parkhurst is not timid but 1t was a
long time before he summoned up enough
courage to appear on the road. He prac-
ticed all winter in a riding academy, and
notwithstanding the Establishments of
the complimentary instructor, who as
sured him that he was the cleverest pupil
in the history of the academy, the doc
tor put off his debut until he had become
the next thing to an expert.
DR.. Parkhurst Is not the only wheeling g
oddly to be seen on the boulevard by
any means. 1t is something of an I'M
usual thing to see a man worth $4,000 900
shooting along on a 800 bike, but that Is
what William Rockefeller does For
many years Mr.. Rockefeller drove the
Hpeediest trotters on the road. and his
love for the horse is still very great, but
the plebeian bike has made him cut down
his stable considerably.
wenty-dollar-a-week clerks who spend
0ne-quarter of their weeks salary on the
hire of a horse and buggy for a
Sunday afternoon drive with his best
girl look down upon the quietly dressed
man on the bike but If any one told them
that this unpretentious chap could spend
$4,000, 900 every month of his life without
affecting his income they would probably
faint with surprise.
Most of Mr.. Rockefeller's wheeling is
done on the roads of his own estate,
lockwood Hail. at Scarborough-on-the
Hudson He is the owner of four or fivd
machines, one of them being an oil burns
ing motor cycle. He is often seen spin
ming through his pretty park, and will
H. n ntir w 10 q Iffln ar
about bicycle tours II the notion strikes
him. In order to make wheeling easy
for wheelmen and wheelwomen, Mr..
Rockefeller has constructed cinder
path from the beginning of his estates
at Scarborough to its end, near Tarty-
town. making one of the finest bicycle
Iaths for tourists in New York state.
Mr.. Rockefeller is getting to be quite a.
tourist himself. He also likes to coast
down the hills on his estate and has often
proved himself to be an expert rider IN
eases of emergency. He makes trips to
Tarrytown on his bicycle nearly every
day, visiting the vast estate of his broth
er. John D., and he also rides to Dobbs
Ferry, where the new Millionaires' Coun-
try club is located.
Mr.. Rockefeller's bicycle costumes are
very striking. Some days he wears a
light corded kniekerbocker suit, light col
ored alpine hat, light cloth leggings and
light tan colored shoes. Other days he
wears a suit of some dark material, with
silk lining, dark alpine hat or cap, leather
leggings and low patent leather shoes.
When riding he sits erect on his machine,
The Biking Nurse.
The newest freak on the boulevard is
the hiking nurse girl and baby. The
father of the baby is millionaire. with
a fine home in West Seventy second
street. and he Is a wheeling enthusiast of
thu most rabid kind. He had peculiar
HI, of a bike built and his friends say
that he got the idea from a French hu-
morous paper They claim that he cut
ont the picture and sent ii, with orders to
firm of bicycle makers TO reproduce it.
This machine cost 800, and while it is
certainly great novelty. it is not likely
To prove a popular baby carriage with
the masses. The continuance was made
out of two ordinary wheels built for
women. The saddle of one of the bikes
was removed and replaced with spe-
cially constructed basket of nickeled