The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-01-23
ODD VEHICLES.
Chica9oans Who Get About In
Strange Fashion.
Roller Skates, Motor Cycles, HoEseless
Carriages, Mules and Oxen
Employed ~ Locomo-
fly0R,

In these days, when men who would
be at the top notch of style perch
themselves away above their fellows
and ride in dizzy carts, when women
who adopt equestrianism ride astride
and the common herd that must trust
to the street car rides astrap, eccentric
modes of travel attract scarcely more
than passing glance.
One day, however, when farmer and
his wife ambled down Washington
boulevard behind a mule and an OK
every one was interested. Faces peered
from windows and doors and people on
the street turned round and stared in
open-mouthed amazement. But the
old-fashioned couple paid no heed to the
attention they were attracting. The
man. red-faced, sturdy yeoman, stared
straight ahead and flicked his long gal
on the ox's flank, while his wife sat
huddled up by his side scrutinizing the
design on the lap-robe. Even when a
big, good-natured fellow On the curb
raised general laugh by remarking:
81 thought we were shaking horses"
the couple paid no heed. They either
would not or did not notice any incon-
gruity about their team, and went
about their business like business peo-
pie.
These people were from the country,
but there are people who live in the
city who adopt modes of getting about
that are equally as novel as mule and
an OK hcy,ked together. Every night
and morning residents along Ogden av-
enue see man riding by on huge tri-
cycle of a most primitive pattern. The
machine is built on much the same
plan as that ridden by little girls. But
instead of being constructed of steel
it is of wood. The two rear wheels arc
cumbrous, wooden affairs = evidently
ordinary buggy wheels-and the front
one looks as though it had once done
time on a country wheelbarrow. The
rider is a thrifty-looking man, with an
intelligent face, and his garb is that
of q mechanic or laborer of some sort.
Under the seat of tine machine bangles
q lunch basket.
Ever since the fall term of the Art
institute opened students coming away
from the afternoon classes have beer
interested in nanotherpeculiar methodo
getting home after the days work i
done. Rain or shine, except when thc
mud is too deep or of late when the
snow has been on the ground, at the
hour when the afternoon classes are
dismissed for the day this man is to be
found on the curbing in front OF thu
institute buckling on pair of roller
skates. Then he will start down Mich
igan avenue at a merry gait. He j:
several notches past the prime of life
and wears d. long black beard, slightlT
tinged with gray, which adds to the ODD
ity of his appearance. But he makes
much better time than the people or
foot and pays no attention to the jibes
that are flung at him as he plunges
along, his beard trailing over his shoul-
der till his head looks like bobtail
comet. Sometimes he has an even
ing paper with him and peruses the
headlines and cartoons as he skates
along.
A motor carriage with party OF
three or four in it is not an uncommon
sight on. Michigan avenue. This is :;
very elaborate affair, with pneumatic
tires, highly polished and painted wood
work and gorgeous robes, but its spec
is not such as to put to shame eithc.
the homemade tricycle. or the man or
the skates.
In Lake View in the vicinity of Hal
sted street and Diversey avenue is tht
stamping-ground of man who has ev'
dently invented bicycle which wi!
run without any exercise on the part /
the owner other than that of steerinr
The machine resembles On ordinary BIZ
cycle except that the wheels seem tc
be slightly smaller in diameter, while
the tires are larger than those in Or
binary use. At the point where the
pedals come in the common wheel Is
a compartment about foot square
and about half that in thickness. This
evidently furnishes the motive power,
and alongside it are fitted rests for the
feet. The speed Of the machine is
equal to that of the cyclist who has not
become a fiend on scorching, though
how long it can be made to run is
matter for speculation.-Chicago News.
rA> .sr> p~u ~ YnaortR.