Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-12-11

puc par Sutes. aiOuy tnlS Stretcn o.
road tandem bicycle was being rid
den at n hot pace.
'Gre:.t Casar!' l cried, on catching
sight Of the distant scorchers; "that't
Bertha, isn't it? And the other no,
it can't be"
"Is Captain Moston," interposed
Joan, eagerly. every morning they
60 for spin as far as Bra!esley and
back. Mustn't it be just glorious
The sense of freedom, of buoyancy, o.
swift joy, of life and power, of-of-
Oh, how I envy them!"
every morning?" 1 repeated, con
fusedly. "Bertha and Captain Mos
ton? l don't think 1 quite under.
stand"
Hasn't Bertha told your She and
Captain Moston have been great friends
ever so long, and they have become
= But, there, now, I'm betraying
strict condolences. 1 ought not to
have said word about it, but ma lie
i,,..th - a'H ;, """ld have told her own
CHATS her way of informing me
of the fact" reptile I,pointing toward
the flying figures. "And, all things
considered, she might have chosen Il
worse method. Eertha possesses
more tact than l ever gave her credit
for. l only hope may hit upon an
equally pleasant and original plan for
acquainting her with my engage
ment--"
"Your engagement !" murmured
Joan, with manifest effort to control
herself that set my heart humping
with Joy. Electromagnetic"
"To teach you cycling"
"Oh! I thought you meant-some-
thing else"
"Since it's clear your regular in
structor will not be available today,
may ask You to consider my proposal,
Joan?"
cts good of you to offer, Tom.
I'm afraid you'll find me terribly
backward pupil, and know shall
never be able to get on by myself"
''Then allow me to help you. FIRST,
you place your right foot on the pelal
so; now lift you to the saddle and
keep you there firmly, securely -"
"Oh, but didn't mean that, you
stupid boy! And need you hold me
quite so tightly? My other teacher
did not"
"By George, l should hope not, in
deed! He couldn't put his whole
heart and soul into the matter as L can
that is, if I am to consider myself
definitely engaged"
"Well, not definitely, Tom; say tenn
porarily, until I see how you suit"
with any prospect of permanent
cy, Joan?" asked 1, unsteadily. I'm
serious now; you cannot have misun-
derstOOd-"
"Oh. Tom--hold me! I'm go-go-
going! There, you nearly let me
tumble over that time! Why, L don't
believe you're a bit abler instructor
than the other one, after all. You
may he stronger and have better the
cries as to Why, here's Harold
Just when we were managing so nice
~, tvv!''-
AS Joan spoke, my uncle's young
hopeful came Looping along the path,
b:ea hess and spent with the haste
he had made.
lawfully sorry I'm so late, Miss
rel'inger," gasped he. 'Some silly
idiot fastened me into my bedroom
this morning, and it took me beastly
long time to screw off the lock with
my penknife. I've half notion it
was one of Captain Moston's jokes"
Captain Moston?" said I, my hand
going instinctively into my pocket,
where lay the incriminating key.
eyes; our rooms are close together,
you know--his two rooms to the right
of yours, just as mine is two doors to
the eft. But Til find some dodge to
ray him out for this lark before
Fin day older, you bet And now,
Miss Bellinger, if it isn't too late to
begin -"
81 rather fancy it is, Harold" I has
tened to put in.
"For me, you mean?" exclaimed he,
grinning. "Well, I guessed some
thing of the sort when saw you here.
I'd better clear out, eh? So Til ta-ta
now and leave you. Go ahead, old
chap! I never like to spoil sport"
Journal.