Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-12-23
THE BICYCLE WAS suLkY
That Was the Excuse of a BeEinEe'
for Her Slow Progress I'm Riding.

for Her Slow Progress i'm Riding.
che lady disentangled herself fror
the wheel and looked at it mournfull,
,reprachfully,s despairingly. The pa
tient instructor stood meekly by, hold
ing the machine, awaiting herpleasure.
What can be the matter?" the lady
asked.
Its certainly mighty curious" the
instructor replied. shaking his head.
I'm sure don't ride half so well as
l did at the last lesson" proceeded the
lady.
That's so.' admitted the candid in
structor.
Nor quarter so well as at the one
before that"
No, NM"
AT my second lesson / rode half way
across the room without your holding
the wheel"
You surely did"
"And at the fourth lesson l almost
made a mount by myself
4 seen you do it, and the instructor
tapped his fingers on the saddle by way
OF emphasis.
and now, pursued the lady, in an in.
dignant tone. Il can't ride two feet
without falling or"
The instructor lifted the bicycle up
so that il rested on the front wheel
and kicked the pedal around, out said
nothing.
what can be the reason?" persisted
the lady.
The instructor felt the tire Of the rear
wheel, but remained silent.
DO you suppose it could be the fault
of the wheel?" asked the lady.
"Hay2' exclaimed the instructor. his
surprise overcoming his politeness.
Il don't mean it that way" the lady
said, hastily. with blush 'Of course.
its really my fault, in a way, because
|. and not the wheel, am learning to
ride. But don't you think that the
wheel nay be misbehaving and that
that may have something to do with
it?N
DO you mean that it's out of order?'
asked the instructor, beginning to poke
around among the joints and sprockets
NO" said the lady; only just sulk-
ing"
Il never heard of a bicycle sulkiug
replied the instructor, unsympathet
ically.
Didn't you?' returned the lady, with
growing enthusiasm. We'll. then, per
haps I've discovered something new
You know that sewing machine gets
sulky sometimes? No? Oh. of course
not. if you've never used one. Wei, il
does. Sometimes it simply won't work
right. Perhaps the weather affects it.
Then it win take a jump and run along
beautifully for days and days. 1t is |
simply mischief Now the first day ! |
rode this bicycle ! got along beautiful
~ on it. and wasn't bitafraid, and the |
second lesson was the same. Then II
began to be sulky, and | began TO be
afraid Of it, and I've been getting more |
afraid Of it ever since Now. how do
you account for that, if il isn't the faul,
Of the bicycle in getting sulky and
me?"
You got frightened because you
of" said the instructor, in
way.
Yes" said the lady, "and why did
tumble of? BECAUSE the bicycle was
sullly and began playing tricks on me
Otherwise ! ought to be making prog
ress instead of falling back, as am do
ing. So, don't you see, that it really is
The bicycles fault and not mine that
am doing so badly?"
We'll, perhaps So" said the instruc
tor, resignedly.
THE wheel has had a rest, said the
ady. Perhaps it will be feeling bet
er now. will try it again. But keep
! good hold of It,"
And then she made another attempt
o master the art of riding alone.-N. y
Sun.