Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-02-25


out an agreement giving me third
share in his invention before he went
10 bed-which share represented. &C.
cording to sore close and intricate cal
culatlons Of his, a capital sum OF
t2i0,oO0. Then ne borrowed half a
sovereign from me for couple of
days in the kindcst possible manner
and said he didn't mind me at all, be-
cause he understood me and knew that
there was not bit Of harm in me.
The next morning l met him IS
agreed. The first trial of the machine
was to take place down the Chalk hill, !
as it is called. This is a steep, grassy
incline, with brick wall about six |
feet high running along the bottom.
He was going to leap the wall; though |
II l had been he, | think | should have i
chosen something softer than brick to |
experiment on. l did the best could. |
though, by preparing the ground on the
OTHER side of the wall with the garden /
tools until the soil was beautifully
soft and loose-quite an ideal place to
fall on. l didn't tell the genius about
my foresight in this matter; he had
such a wretched way of sitting on
fellow.
| He said he would try 1t on the road,
though we begged him to desist. He
said the hill was not long enough; he
found that what he wanted was not so
much hill as good long, level run.
He also proposed that l should get on
an ordinary BICYCLE and accompany
| bip, I 1nft ri nd tor
machine.
At this time the machine was act
ing in very peculiar manner and
seemed to have taken the bit in its
teeth, so to speak 1t began to tear
along the road with the speed OF
runaway horse shying at every post
and making spasmodic jumps at the
slightest obstacles, BY the most flu
rous riding l was able to get along
side and excitedly advised the genius
to hurl himself from the demoniacal
machine and risk the consequences.
He didn't hear me, or If he did he
paid no attention. He had an in
tense, far-away look in his eyes and
seemed to have no interest in mere
earthly matters. The machine, re-
joicing in its newly found power, put
on an extra squirt and drew well ahead
of me. making the most extraordinary
leaps from time to time.
We were now close to the village,
and the few people still lingering
about commenced to take a lively in
terest in the proceedings. especially
the constable, who Is very stubborn
and officious person and seems to think
J that if it were not for him the nation
; and the law would fall to pieces, sc
l cannot say l feel very sorry for him
he should attend more to his owE
business. When he saw the bicycle
=, coming he shouted to the rider to stop
To this the genius gave no heed. and
the constable prepared for action. He
l ran out into the middle of the road
4 and clutched at the genius as he flew
by. Unluckily for him, he missed com
, pletely and the front wheel Of the
S machine smote him heavily in thu
4 loose ribs. leaving him dusty ant
S disheveled wreck on the side Of thu
: road. When l passed him he wal
: slowly recovering and l judged from
= his expression that his emotions wer'
l violent and mingled. We fed alon,
: the main street amid horrible clat
It ter. At the end of the village the roa'
d makes a sharp turn to the left and
r knew that this would be the decisiv
| point in the genius furious career
!; II he could but turn the corner h
would have a nearly straight road +
front of him for three miles. If h
could not. there was the ten-foot wa
of the ladies' seminary to be SUI
mounted. l confess l had no hope
. whatever, either of his turning tn
corner or of his forcing the bicycle t
take the jump. The machine no
seemed to be pulling itself togethe
for a final struggle. which fact tn
! genius seemed to grasp, and
groaned audibly as he tried to pull til
handles round in order to take tn
turn. But the bicycle was too muc
!. for him.
1t was a splendid effort; indeed.
never saw such tremendous jump
calamity attempted. But, as it hal
pened, the plucky bicycle just landt
on the top of the wall and with no
ID. rid crash both machine and rider fe
of at the feet of procession Of fourtet
in young ladies who were about to tai
Nv their daily airing. The bicycle u.s.
10 the last of the compressed air in Il
tn cylinder to deliver several viole
kicks at the genius as he lay on Il
ground.
n, He will be carried down from
W bedroom into the garden some time I
m morrow afternoon, and the doctor sa
he that IL his collar-bone sets well he W
bo fol RI co,pd In, ohOut amt har wee