Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1897-01-13

| o CLOCK.
assented to the wisdom of this
and said that then nobody would be
about If the thing ran away with him
again.
He turned on me fiercely
IL tell you have the machine under
the most absolute, perfect control"
replied that this was obvious.
Thereupon he completely lost his
temper and after making several UNI
founded suggestions as to the condi-
ton of my mind, stall5ed into the
house. However, at tea he generously
forgave me and became enthusiastic
once more and said he would write
out an agreement giving me a third
share in his invention before he went
to bed-which share represented, ao-
cording to some close and intricate cal
culations of his, a capital sum Of
f24OOO0 Then he borrowed half a
sovereign from me for couple of
days in the kindest 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 I met him as
agreed. The first trial of the machine
was to take place down the Chalk hill,
as 1t is called. This is a steep, grassy
incline, with a brick wall about six
feet high running along the bottom.
He was going to leap the wall; though,
If had been he, think should have
chosen something softer than brick to
experiment on. | did the best l 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. 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 a good, long, level run.
He also proposed that I should get on
an ordinary bicycle and accompany
him; SO left Polly and mounted my
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 a
runaway horse. shying at every post
and making spasmodic jumps at the
slightest obstacles. By the most flu
rious 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 we'll 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 lively in
terest in the proceedings, especially
the constable, who is a very stubborn
and oflicious person and seems to think
that If 1t were not for him the nation
and the law would fall to pieces, so
l cannot say feel very sorry for him
he should attend more to his own
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
ran out into the middle of the road
and clutched at the genius as he flew
by. Unluckily for him. he missed COM
pletely and the front wheel of the
machine smote him heavily in the
loose ribs, .leaving him dusty and
disheveled wreck on the side of the
road. When l passed him he was
slowly recovering and 1 judged from
his expression that his emotions were
violent and mingled. We fled along
the main street amid a horrible clat-
ter. At the end of the village the road
makes sharp turn to the left and |
knew that this would be the decisive
point in the genius furious career
If he could but turn the corner he
would have nearly straight road in
front of him for three miles. II he
could not, there was the ten-foot wall
of the ladies' seminary to be sur
mounted. I confess 1 had no hopes
whatever, either of his turning the
corner or of his forcing the bicycle to
take the jump. The machine now
seemed to be pulling itself together
for a final struggle, which fact the
genius seemed to grasp, and he
groaned audibly as he tried to pull the
handles round in order to take the
turn. But the bicycle was too much
for him.
1t was a splendid effort; indeed, !
never saw such a tremendous jump so