The National tribune., 1897-08-05
ADVENTURES OF THE BICYCLE.

Two People Who Received Inspiration
from GIimpses of Forests. Streams and
Flowers
They sat on highway under a spreading
thorn bush fragrant with blossoms, eating their
noon lunch. They were in the heart OF a
beautiful park that climbed by gradual ascent
from Il city dense with the smoke and CRIME
Of a manufacturing center. They were almost
on the brinl; Of steep ledge at the bottom of
which flowed a limpid stream, and they could
hear the chorus of the pines as the breeze
swept through the branches.
lie was man of 80. more, with merry,
happy go-lucky air. though deep seams under
his eyes and ut the corners of his mouth told
of hard lines aud many day out of work.
The woman some years his Junior. had pale,
oval face with full brow, and the shining
eyes that denote the artistic temperament.
What a beautiful world this is" she said,
"and yet but for the bicycle l might never
have had glimpse Of it here"
Eyes; don't forget that from the time you
left your home Until you got the bicycle you
had not had a glimpse of the woods for years.
except the outline of the branches seen through
smoke and cindefs.
And now the mill is so long shut, l sup
pose we must shut down on this too" she
fastened to remark. as she saw the shadows of
WEAKNESS and disappointment passing over his
handsome face.
He thought for moment and said: 81 can't
see it that way Annie. We must hold on to
the BICYCLES even if everything else is going.
And you know. you have the easel and your
brushes left"
but always painted in the galleries and
studios, you know" she said, pursuing his sug-
gestion and looking with far-away eyes into q
vista of visions conjured up at mention of
the old artistic days, when she gave up all her
hopes of fame, and fortune, and foreign travel,
for the heart and home of a man whose only
resources were q willing heart and strong
mans undivided love"
"But natures studio is here" he said. Are
not the trees around you better than painted
trees, and the birds better than painted birds?
And did you ever see any sky as blue as the
sky above you2 And don't you think you
could make as good q sketch of me sitting here
in this bicycle toggery, as you did on those
hot Sunday afternoons when | sat under the
cherry tree in the little back yard sloping
down to Plymouth Bay? That wasn't painted
in studio was it. or in the art gallery either?"
well. the next time we come out we'll
bring the brushes, and I'll paint you as tramp
asleep on the highway" she laughinsly said.
what you've lost in hope you've gained in
xperience you know, and that will make the
subject realistic, which is what people are look.
ing for nowadays
But won't be q tramp" he said. "Pve
got IL. III go up TO the mousse Oh the NIL aho
hire out for harvester. Then you can paint
me rs rustic, rake in hand. waiting to gather
in my fortune. Besides. am going to paint.
used to paint rising suns OIL red wagons long
before / met you, you know. and something
tells me l could be an impressiOnist painter
without half trying"
And so good-by to your theory" she said,
"that the man who earns his bread by the
sweat of his brow is a better man than he who
forces his thoughts into things through using
his imaginary powers. After all, nature will
have her will with US"
Tom Browning was born to be an artist, and
spent all the leisure hours of his oyhood days
in cutting birds and animals out Of sticks or
drawing rude pictures on the stone tagging
| and the sides of the barn with colored chalks !;
but his father, who was practical man. made
his pastime source of much trouble to him,
and finally forbade him to exercise his faculties,
at the risk of severe punishment.
| Tom was sent of to school, whore no drew