The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-02
HIS LAST PUPIL.


= Ahe uest tnlnB you can 90, salu my
doctor, sis to take TO bicycling"
"At present, of course, ono bicycles"
said the man Of the world.
You're missing the finest possible an
joyment by not BICYCLING" said my ath-
letic friend.
In fact, wherever went was met by
oicyclists who lonRed to make Others BIZ
cycle. Ii was not for health. nor for fash
ion, nor for exercise that finally took 20
the machine IL wns simply from the
pressure of public opinion. When had
finally given in and made up my mind to
spoil my Clothes bruise my body, and
ruin my temper by learning to ride,
sought out my athletic friend and asked
him to tell mo II there was any instructor
whom he could especially recommend.
"Yes, }" he said, There Is. There Is one
man, Barkinstone by name, who has quite
small shop In the Enderdown road. Ho
knows more about tho bike than any two
other men In England put together
would not dream Of buying a new ma
chino myself without consulting Barkin-
stone about II, though he would charge
me guinea for his opinion"
j said that that seemed rather o lot of
money.
My friend confessed that 1t was so.
"But II you want the very best you always
have to pay for it. Barkinstone's thor
ough that's what he is. He never adver-
tises and never makes any fuss. but on his
merits alone ho always has more work
than he can do. He never employs an as
sistant--except. of course, in his work.
shops. II he consents 10 teach you, no
will charge you rs, no matter how fow or
how many lessons you may require. 1t
seems a good deal of money, dare say,
but then remember that II you pay for
Barkinstone you get Barkinstone He
does not hand you over 10 some under
strapper who knows nothing Of the real
science of the thing, and he will turn
you out perfect. Your style will be abso-
lutely correct. You will ride easily and
confidently. You will thoroughly under
stand the mechanism OF your bike, and II
any trilling accident occurs be able to put
it right for yourself instead Of rushing of
TO "a reparer. Don't do ID unless you like
but II you do can guarantee that you
will get your moneys worth"
"Did he teach youg' i asked.
"Welr, I'll tell you. / learned to ride
all right, os thought then, from friend
of mine After had ridden for about a
year met one Of Barkinstone's pupils, a
lady, and whom / watched her i felt dis
satisfied with myself and uneasy about
my riding. l got an introduction from
her-ho won't take pupil without an in
PRODUCTION and went 20 Barkinstone.
Look here, l said, i want you 10 try mo
and soc II ride properly He put me
lot of tests, and / thought got through
most Of them fairly we'll. Yes, said Bar
kinstone, your machine doesn't suit you,
and your saddles not right. You get
along anyhow and ride like the average
man. What do / wantY asked. Two
finishing lessons at n guinea each, he said
took them, and never spent money bet
ter. gained In comfort, gained in speed
and got an understanding of the machine
that was alone worth the money"
TIE decided me. With an introduction
from my athletic friend / sought out Bar
kinstone in the Enderdown road. He
was tall, thin man, with loose lip and
inquiring eye. He heard what i wanted
and then looked up entries in notebook.
"Tm full up for a fortnight" he said.
You can take the course then II you like.
shall require the &c In advance and "a
written promise 20 keep my system of tut
zion secret. That is my usual CUSTOM"
gave him the money and the promise
and said good morning.
"Wait a minute, sir" said Barkinstone,
81 must have "a machine exactly right
ready for you TO learn on. Step this way"
He took me into another room, weighed
me carefully, measured me frequently ana
accurately and told me exactly what
clothes was to get. He bad model suit
there and explained it to me- He had n
tame tailor who was intrusted with the
making of these suits. He would not risk
his secret by allowing you TO employ your
own tailor.
AT the end of fortnight I returned to
him.
Ipaid altogether exclusive of moder-
ate charge for the clotbes) seS 3s. to Bar
kinstone, 90 for tuition, l guinea for
choosing machine for me and guineas
for procurpc. altering and fitting special
saddle In four dnys 1 could ride straight
upn stiff bill without bending my back
and with my hands off. could take my
machine 10 pieces ard put IL together
again. On the fifth day / rode 40 miles
without feeling particularly exhausted.
Now, uT by 10 means nm athlete, and
pm particularly slow at learning any
thing. In shore, Barkinstono was expcn-
sive, bit he was also the most amazingly
clever and thorough instructor that tho
world has yet produced. i sent him four
pupils and the last of them had to wait
three months before Barkinstono could
take him
AT rough guess | should say that Bar
kinstone was making from ESQ to GOO "A
week clear profit. | heard indirectly that
ho was investing largely in house property.
About year after this was In flsh-
Ing village on the Yorkshire coast, | was
there for holiday, ard dixie most writing
mem found thus | got rather moro wcrk
done In my holiday than did any other
time One hot day had been sitting ont
in the garden most Of the morning and
afternoon doing bud reviews OF worse nov.
els nt my leisure. After dinner finished
the reviews and took thcm out To the pos
] observed that there was q glorious fuii
moon; that the roads wore In capital con.
diton, and remember that | had taken
no exercise all day. l went back to tho
house, brought out my bicycle, lit totally