Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-05
\ BICYCLE PICNIC
Talking about bicycle clubs. and who
talks of anything else these days, you
should know my friends the "Artful Dodg-

"See Naples and die" says a familiar
quotation. but 1 say go on a bicycle picnic,
come home and die that is If you don't
finish up tine job while on the road.
1t was last Saturday night that my
friend Green Sweater came around and
asked me to go out on his clubs weekly
spin.
1--WE start at o'clock tomorrow from
in front of my house." he said in his most
beguiling manner, land the ladies bring
the lunch, SO all you have to do Is to get
yourself and wheel there in time-does 1t
go?" And !, in my gentle innocence, an
swered that it went, and it did.
The party, numbering about ten in ALL
was assembled at the rendezvous next
morning, and had the pleasure of greet
ing some of my old friends.
Miss Rhode Rider was there in suit
that had evidently seen service. while
Miss Walker-Hll was spotlessly neat and
trim.
The gentlemen of the party soon had the
luncn boxes carefully tied to the wheels
and at the word from Green Sweater we
all mounted-with more or less grace and
ease-and started off.
l found myself beside Miss Fancy Rider.
younger sister Of the lady mentioned
above, and she proceeded at once to para
lyze me by the careless suggestion that
We take hold of each others hands and
coast. an idea appalling to one of my mod
est and retiring nature.
However, she was soon Joined by Mr..
Handle Barr and l fell behind with Patent
feathers, young fellow whom l had no
tlced as having a wild, unholy look in
his eyes.
He conf1ded to me as we gaily spun up
18th street, that it was "All the fault of
these miserable tooth-p.ck toes! The man
ought to be arrested for selling them!'
They were really pretty shoes, and gave
him decidedly dressy look. but as he
said to me in piteous confidence. Can
there be more serious combination than
tight shoes, bicycle and a rough road?'
young men of the party joining US at this
point. He was clad in a suit that sug
gested patchwork quilt and wore golf
stockings that-well, We won't mention
them.
THE sky's overcast we get no sun,
and yet 1t isn't cloudy enough for rain
He was cheerful boy, and known by
his friends as other public benefactors
have been in days gone by-as the idiot"
What have you got your lamp on for?'
1 asked him. noticing as l spoke that all
the wheels were so equipped.
"Oh. we won't get back until long after
dark" he replied joviaiy, well make
day of it, 1 tell your
Yes" 1 said feebly. that will be nice!'
Due to Good Luck.
vi we went, ullll udFlHS SOHe Qullt d
distance on the main road. we turned down
into side path. 1t was here that the first
accident occurred.
Miss Fancy Rider and the idiot were
in the lead, mounting easily-for it was
something of a hill-with their hands on
each others shoulders, when Scorcher who
of course. was one of the party, rode up
to Miss Grace Fultumbler and offered to
take hold of the handle bars and pull her
han vail
a barbed wire fence on the side of the
road or I guess they would not have
stopped yet
Scorcher lost his balance, ard they both
lost control of their wheels, bat the result
was fortunately not serious.
At the Picnic Grounds.
1t was some little time after this when
we reached the picnic grounds and more
picturesque spot could not have been de-
sired. By the side of rocky stream, right
In the heart of the woods, with the narrow
path by which we had come winding away
in the distance. 1t was an idyllic SPOT and
having stacked our wheels we made our
selves comfortable O. on the great, fiat
rocks.
Green Sweater and scorcher left US, saw
ing they We're going for the ginger ale.
Where on earth will they find it,? 1
asked of the idiot"
Don't you know?' he said with a friend
n. ii
tell you the whole story. We came down
this path one day when we were out for a
run. and thinking 1t would make a fine
picnic spot sat down to rest. Just as We
We're longing for something to drink along
came man, Why don't you come on up
to the club house?' called he. Mistaking
our modest hesitation for something more
practical. he called again. You won't have
to pay cent That settled it and we
went 1t is only mile or 50 up the road
and we sat cut on the porch and made our
selves generally at home. The man told me
that the house had been built by Senator
- for country residence, and he left
a colored man In charge of it. One night
the man was killed, and upon examination
II was discovered that one of his hands was
missing. OF course people soon decided
that the house was haunted, and the Sena-
tor never came there to live. and he-the
roprietor-managed to get the place for a
rfdtculously small rent.
Became Club Members
Being very thirsty after this dry tale, we
confided as much to our host, who deeply
regretted that he could not furnish us with
anything to drink. IF you were only club
members now" he said, suggestively
Couldn't we become so?'' why, yes" he
said. 'for % cents apiece I will furnish you
with the club button, and you will sign
your names in my book here. and then 1
will take great pleasure in selling you any
thing you may desire" He was no farmer,
that urbane gentleman, though he did live
in an agricultural district. Well, the
names we signed in his book did credit to
our imaginations, and we came away
ladened with club buttons; he was a gen
erous man.
so. Green Sweater has gone up there
now?" l said.
Yes" replied the idiot land he'll
come back loaded down with bottles and
buttons. and then we'll have lunch"
1t happened even as he had said. Green
Sweater was soon back again, and we en-
joyed most delightful and rural repast
After that we had singing-we called it
so-and various excitements. The idiot
did some acrobatic and balancing feats On
an old log stretched across the stream.
while the rest Of US threw stones at him
and made bets as to how long 1t would be
before he fell in. Patent Leathers won, the
time being four minutes thirty seconds
1t was not o'clock when the young la
dies began to be afraid that mamma would
be worried about them, and the men to rec
ollect divers important engagements So
we tidied ourselves up as best we could.
mounted our trusty steeds and were off.
As q Brake.
We were going down hill, all in the best
spirits, which. strange to say, seemed to
increase as we neared the city, when the
Idiot" began to show Scorcher how clever
ly he could use his foot as a brake. scorch-