The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
A PERFECT GENTLEMAN.
A Bicycling Adventure and What
Came of II.

of fashion and the ghost of sheer drove
him to do it. More particularly the ghost
of sneer. 1t was the tragedy of his life
that he admired her. and he struggled
against her in vain. She was frankly-anti-
pathetic. You might have called her any
thing before you would have called her
chic; at times he had to admit that she
waste tell the dreadful truth-"robust."
Moreover, the most exquisite epigrams, the
prettiest turns of wit, would often as not
simply make her stare and laugh-ony too
evidently at him. And yet when the
healthy Philistine schoolgirl asked him,
DO you ever venture beyond the park,
Mr.. Crampton?" it sufficed. He told his
mother plainly his honor was involved. And
an irreverent porter saw him. already heat
ed wheeling his machine upstairs from the
Sutton platform, and there aresfew things
less adapted to go upstairs with any pre-
tence to grace, on his way to Brighton
and her.
His machine, like himself, was a little
overdressed-we are far from a sound criti-
cism of bicycles-chocolate enamelled it
was with translucent mudguards and the
daintiest white handles, and the gear case
was of filmy celluod with a sort of metal
dab like a medal upon it. He wore
cooked hat-or at least one of those brown
felt hats that ought to be called cooked
hats, whatever the proper name for them
may be-and to distinguish himself from
the common cycling cad, among other rea-
sons, he wore trousers. The brown of his
clothing was apt to his machine, and his tie
white and pretty. And when the vulgar
cabman outside Sutton Station called New
woman" after him he pretended not to
hear and went on mounting his machine
all across the road. He was quite sight
TO see riding up the road toward Belmont,
and the sun was so struck by his spick
and-span appearance that he picked out
every line of enamel and metal On him and
dazzled the passer-by Herewith. Some
thing like thing to shine on!' said the
sun. Just look at this" and Did you
ever?" in the excess of his admiration.
He had begun his ride from London to
Brighton Sutton-which was generous
treatment for London in the geographical
sense. His mother-he was her only son
had gone to Brighton by train The Fen
tons were there also. and the juxtaposition
had its quality of design. His mother had
devoted her life to him; she held that he
was delicate, and knowing the dreadful
ness of public schools, almost as well as
Oscar Browning, had kept him by her
under a progressive series of amenable
understanding perfect gentleman of him
according to her lights And Madge Fen
ton, with her half share in Fenton's Safe
Cure, was just the fit mate for the sole
proprietor of Champions Meat Juice 1t
was quite a mothers plan to marry her
son and yet keep him in the family And
certainly he appreciated Madge, though her
attitude was a little doubtful. Yet the
steady pressure of her elders was bound
to win in the long run, and she was a
good girl-as times go.
The road from Sutton to Burgh Heath
looks like any other road on a map. But
unlike the generality of roads known to
Mir. Champion, it persistently went up hill.
II was already gong up hill at Sutton sta
ton and il went on pretty steeply for a
space, but with an air of its being a last
effort. Then round a bend came a view of
a huge industrial home and another last
effort. Then clear interval even down
nil TO Belmont station, and then it started
off again fresh as daisy 1t went up hill
VlsiblV for a mile to Banstead station, and
tnen masked by trees, it continued to go
up hill. Mr.. Champion was surprised but
the day was young and his man had oiled
and adjusted his machine to nicely So
ne stuck to it, riding steady and swinging
a cigarette in the disengaged hand until
presently Bounder with a machine that
went clank became audible behind him.
To Mr.. Champion the idea of being over
hauIed bY a member of the lower classes
was distasteful, and relying on the clank
ana the excellence of his machine he threw
away the cigarette and quickened his pace
Thereupon the Bounder rang his heII~it
was beast of a cheap bell--and the cIank-
ing grew more frequent and louder until
1t was close behind Mr.. Champion After
q sharp squirt Mr.. Champion decided that
er drew alongside He was quite the most
dreadful type of Bounder with a machine
with loose mudguard and speckled bell;
he had very dirty suit of c. T. c. gray
ana perspiring red face with a striD of
damp hair across his forehead. And he had
the .e,s cheek to t. speak to Mr.. Champion!
fha
M, Mr. CHAMPION was so startled he wob-
bled and almost collided. Il beg your par
don, he said in a repressiVe tone
Nice looking machine you've got
MI; CHAMPION was quite at loss for
words. But he was determined to shut the
4elow mp promptly. I'm afraid 1 can't saw
the same of yours" he said at length.
NO, 1t isn't up TO much" said the Bound
ep, eheeeerfuily. Are you going far? Be
Two girls POSSIBLY nice girls) appeared
TidIhg down toward them They might
!sn ll tnat ne and the Bounder We're travel
SAID Mr.. Champion, where I'm @oino2,
And 1s, something indistinct about damned
Lord said the Bounder. mo offence "
II TOOK MN a minute to digest Then he
Salu something over his shoulder to Mr..
HLIdIhptoh that was lost, and putting his
mead down below his shoulders. Went
clank1ng off at a great pace his shoulders
despicable. -oi eH'iiely
Mr. Champion rode quite erect. and with
3nly one hand on the handle to show that
ne was !, not racing until the girls were well
Past MN, and then he dismounted This
eternal hill was tiresome and ne did not
want 10 oVertake the Bounder WALKING
one could notice the fine growth of green
with which the hedges were speckled ana
Ihe gum-eXuding chestnut buds: and the
Head nettles were all in flower In fact
II was a pleasant change from the saddle
Tor a man who was not a scorcher.
ana at last he came to BJirgh Heath AS
this seemed to be a sort Of Village green
ne mounted again. Some way along was
q ntlle sWeetstuH shop, and outside was
me g.! founders machine. The Bounder was
In the doorway with his hands in his noel.
cts eating. He looked around at Mr.
CHAMPION and Immediately looked away
dg9lh with q hollow pretence of self
And away down a hill Mr. Crampton was
passed by tandem bicycle. He overlook
us riders, girl and a man, walking the
nsSt ascent They seemed to be father
anu bao sHa5ughter, the father a sturdy, red
1earueu man with very fat legs and the
daughter decidedly pretty She was
SITessSu IN greenish gray, and had red hair
~ hampton was very glad indeed that
ne had got rid of the Bounder forthwith
he had 10 set his teeth TO get up the hill
but OF course 1t was impossible to dis
Ltnoult ana then came down, and
tneil long gentle slope that was rather
LSlis, win pretty girl on a tandem be-
ninu. lhat IS, TO keep one in the saddle
iSelSate Hin came none too soon to give
WI. CHAMPION decent excuse for dis
mounting So he put the machine carefully
Wnere 1t looked well on the turf and took
out his silver cigarette case and was in
ms attitude ready, looking over the clus-
terlng town and broad blue Weald as the
IN tqiuet n Coupie came walking down the
ant. - P7
After that the Bounder, hot and panting
lie came toward the turf as if contem-
plating a lounge, and his eve eau@bt The
chocolate hipNrlp To oil.