Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-09-02
of the two bicycles which leaned In

/ Much Disguised at this prosaic in
terruption, the poet turned his head
impatiently in the direction indicated.
A distinctly ruffianly and unkempt in
dlWdual was undoubtedly standing
in suspicious proximity to the ma
chimes. Lady Laelia sprang to her
feet with the impetuosity of mother
who sees her child in danger. Mr..
De Curza rose with far more delibera-
ton, and feeling of uneasiness be-
came manifest IN his breast. Good
heavens! was there going to be an al
! tercation with common, low, uncul
tured person who would probably use
the most uurefned language? How
odious! How unpoetic! How excrucia-
tingly discordant to the artistic sense!
Besides, the common person appeared
to carry an ugly, thick stick, which he
held precisely as Irishmen do their
what were they called?-oh, shille-
laghs in pictures.
Lady Laelia rushed into the fray
without thought of art or poetry, or
even of the stick.
GLOW dare you touch my bicycle?"
she cried. ''What are you doing to
it?"
'sNo arm, lydy," replied the tramp
volubly. ''Not apoth of arm, s'elp
me. Only hadmirin' of EN-, that's
ALL
s"Then you will be good enough to
proceed on your way, retorted Lady
Laelia. s'AIr. De Cruza tell this man
to go away
There was pause Then De Cruza
observed in a high voice that had
curious lack of the commanding note:
eyes, do as the lady tells you. You
are not wanted here"
There was another pause. The
tramp looked from the woman to the
man. He moved step forward, and
so stood between them and their ma
chimes. Lady Laelia commanded him
Indignantly to go away. De Cruza
drew back step in silence.
Tim thinkin'," said the tramp, and
his tone had less Of the fawningawhi
that a pious and charitable lydy like
you ud be willin to 'elp pore 'onest,
hard working cove with trife."
81 have nothing to give you,' cried
Lady Laelia; "and honest men don't
NEEDLE with bicycles behind their
owners backs"
Elm obleeged to yer, lydy," said
the tramp, with an evil grin. II will,
since yer are so pressin', tyke the
purse yer hotter, and likewise them
pretty sparklers yer ave on yer
wrists"
elbow dare your cried Lady Laelia.
s'Mr. De Cruza, drive this rufian
away!'
Was there ever such horrible, I'M
poetic, barbarous request addressed
before to an eminent bard?
eyes, do go away. We have moth
ing for you,' quavered De Cruza. eff
you don't go away I shall inform the
police about your
"Stow CANNON cried the uncul-
tured intruder rudely, ''or I'll smash
your tallow-colored mug fer yer. And
now, and over the dibs.
With quick forward movement he
caught Lady Laelia by the arm.
''Help, Mr.. De Cruza, help!" she
cried. struggling bravely with the as
sailant; and then, as De Cruza gave no
sign, she added ''Help, you coward |!
Do you mean to see me murdered?''
With his heart sinking into his
boots, De Cruza made doubtful for
ward movement with his hands ex-
tended in fashion eminently unset
entifc. But when the rufian, fling
ing Lady Laelia to the ground by a
brutal effort of strength, turned upon
t her male companion with a stick up
lifted and the glare of savage, the
poets heart seemed to fly out OF his
, body far away, and that illustrious
man fairly turned tail and fed in the
same direction.
If he had preferred to refrain from
this exhibition he would have heard
| Lady Laelia's cry of "Thank Heavensp
: as newly arrived bicyclist descended
suddenly on the scene and dashed IN
to the rescue.
It was little Hounslow.
The tramp came up to the scratch
, nothing 10th, for his club and the small
f size of the new arrival made him over
! confident. Hounslow, however, was
as active as cat, and in excellent
condition. He lodged blow that
, would have felled an OK, darted in,
countered heavily with his right, and
put in one straight from the shoulder
: with his left. Over the other went,
completely knocked out of time.
: Whereupon Hounslow naturally took
: possession of the club and pitched it
far.
When Lord Hounslow repeated his
, proposal to Lady Laelia, which he did
as soon as possible without the small,
est delicacy, she owned that she had
i somewhat altered her views, not only
, on the subject of moral suasion and
the dignity of being in the right, but
alno nth ranard To the nleStiOn of