The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-09
HARRY CoNOR,s Dyke.
Hoyt's ma Exponent Tells How
He Acquired n Wheel. I.

He Acquired n Wheel.
Harry Conor, who helped make Hoyt's
"A Trip to Chinatown famous. and was in
turn made famous BY it, is a bicycle rider.
A New York paper says he is even %funnier
in private life than on the stage, and tells
the following story 70 prove it:
Yesterday he came into the office of the
Park Theater in his bicycle suit, glowing
like a rose and smiling like a female sem
mary eating ice cream and jelly cake. lie
had just been taking a spin, only went 10
Jamaica pond, generally 20 farther but
there's a matinee to-day, and that, with the
night performance, will be exercise
enough" He thinks "the machine is the
greatest invention of the age and tells
how he got one.
"a Chicago man told Frank Mckee that
he was getting to look too much like a cir
Gus tent to be pretty, and that if he would
learn to ride a bicycle he would pay for the
wheel. He made me custodian and / went
right out and bought one-paid $160 for it.
They are much cheaper now, but / always
believe in getting the best, particularly
when | don't have to pay the bill. Then l
knew Mr.. Mckee, and as I expected TO own
the wheel when he broke his knee or neck,
l wanted a good one.
We'll, 1 taught Mckee. 1 gave him about
seven lessons, all free, and he couldn't ride
any more than a cow. He tried, though
III say that for him-but it wasn't any use.
/ couldn't ride myself, but l gave him les
sons lust the same. Then he rot another
teacher. l used to go with him 10 keep his
courage up, After the second lesson the
master WOuIul [ let me 90 III the DullulIlS.
| don't know how he managed it, but he
learned how to ride in ten lessons, and the
first week he reduced his weight fourteen
pounds, and he kept the machine-that
beautiful wheel that cost $3.50.
Il had to buy one for myself; paid 1920
for 1t or some such price. l taught my
self to ride. | had two men walk along
and hold the thing up until outran them.
L went pretty well till it stopped. Then l
used to take a nap till they caught up.
But it's great fun; there's nothing like it
for keeping Well, reducing flesh and for
getting the troubles of life.
Il used to ride a velocipede when l went
to school here in Boston. Dixey and Nat
Goodwin went to the same school and John
l.. Sullivan was one of our contemporaries.
He wasn't in our school, but all the public
school boys knew him by sight or reputa-
ton.
"Dixey? o he got his share of lickings;
so did Goodwin. Me? o it all depended on
the teacher l had. One techer, a lady, used
to keep picking at me, and of course l was
in trouble most of the time. L used to give
her the core; sometimes she caught me be-
fore had eaten the apple, and then l gave
her half or all that was left.
"Once l drew something on the black
board for the last day of school. There
were dolphins with little boys on their
backs blowing bubbles; these bubbles com
ing together from opposite sides OF the de-
sign made an arch, and in the held the
year and class notices were printed. II
was on a little front board, and 1t stayed
there for five years to delight the hearts
of the underlings."
incidentally Mr.. Conor has artistic abil-
ity above the average. He mas done some
very creditable marine painting, ana MS
portrait of himself is excellent. He studied
in Germany with the idea OF making q pro-
lessor of art and remained there long
enough to learn the language, acquire q
taste for illustrated week.-Mrs.. and obtain a
liberal art education. He took to the stage
because he found that living in a studio
garnet was not pleasant. The stun
comes quicker in such characters as "A
Stranger in New York"