The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-03-25

and went, and believe: if I had not
limited to her that sometimes became
fatigued, she would have been going
yet. But she did finally stop, and in
sheer exhaustion I fell to the roadside,
and when I had time to recover my
breath and look about us T found we
were away out in the country, at
least three miles from home. She sat
down at the roadside, little way from
me. Then she talked.
"She dilated upon the beauties OF
the summers evening, the mult-col-
ored foliage Of the trees, the irridescent
clouds which looked like rare jewels
hung in the western skies, as the rays
of the now obscured sun cast indescrib-
| able gittering tints over them. But
poor me, my body and mind were racked
with pain, and I did not appreciate our
surroundings. After the fall then the
unusual exercise, every muscle and
nerve in my body seemed to Jingle with
electric shocks. I was just about done
up and when would think of the re.
turn journey my heart would nearly
bound from it's natural and best loca,
ton. Every breath took seemed to be
drawing huge chunks of solid air into
my lungs, instead of the pure, country
atmosphere which was actually tax.
ing into my system. was tired, sore
and Disguised with everything, ever
with the maiden at my side, whom
now thought one of the ugliest, most
uninteresting persons it had been my
misfortune. to meet. I was thinking.
thinking deeply; thinking some things
1 would not dare think aloud, when
was suddenly brought to my senses by
my fair companion saying: We'll, I'm
ready So was IL had to be, and
at once arose and grabbed up that
wheel. Of course, before I could start
her homeward it was first necessary tc
get her on to the bicycle, and I trem.
bled as I thought of the task before me-
This time I braced myself against g
fence and held onto that wheel like
grim-visaged death, and when Miss
Jones boarded it in really artistic style,
was greatly pleased. started her of
gently and then took hold of the saddle
again, prepared to trot home back OF
the young lady like dog following its
master. I was congratulating myself
upon the little trouble experienced in
getting her started, when the front
wheel of the bicycle began to wobble
and chug! went the off handle bar into
a fence. Luckily, L was on the opposite
side of the wheel and pulling terrifically
ut the nigh handle bar I got it and its
burden again perpendicular. This time
asked her if she were injured, and
showing me an aw-ful-ly bruised hand,
she bravely replied, a little, but it's i'm
material Why, the skin was scraped
off the whole side of her hand, but she
bore it like a heroine. And right here
wish to say that began to think just
wee little bit more of Miss Jones than
l had while we were sitting at the road.
side a way back.
"Once again she started homewarl
and by the way she pumped and pushed
those pedals know she was mad about
that accident, and as she gained speed
1 also begun to realize that my powers OF
endurance would give out ere long, I'm.
less she reduced her gait. At last had
to give up but said nothing to her.
let her guide on homeward, AS thought
she would soon notice my absence and
then would either dismount or fall off,
cared not which. But she went on and
gradually lost sight of her in the dark
ness that was growing upon the fsce o:
the earth. was glad that she had gone
and Ileisurely climbed upon n rail fence
at the roadside and sat there meditat
ing. I was mad clear through and thu
more I meditated the angrier I got. Bu1
at last it dawned upon me that it was
not the proper thing for me to be sit
ting upon a wayside fence and leave {
young lady to take her own way home
pose she had fallen from her bicycle
and at this very instant was lying il
the road, possibly with q broken, LEI
or injured in some other way so as to b.
unable to move. Suppose a team O
spirited horses were approaching ant
the driver could not see that prostrat
form and ran over it. Ugh! the yer,
thought made my blood run cold.
jumped from the fence and started il
the direction in which Miss Jones hat
gone. walked along slowly, but a
more horrible possibilities came to m.
mind I went faster until at last wa!
running as fast as could, but even the1
1 thought I was going at a snail's pace
Half a dozen times I imagined say
Miss Jones ON the ground ahead of m
but always found it to be but halluci
nation of my wild and disordered brain
1 did finally reach town and because
had not found Miss Jones lying on tn
road in a pool of blood was sure tina
she had been spirited away or kid
mapped.
Il rushed to the home of her parents
Her brother John was sitting on tn
porch smoking g. horribly rank stog,
and when I excitedly asked him wher
his sister was he looked atme as though
he considered me lunatic. I implore,
him to tell me, for the love he bore hi
sister.
/ HE looked at ME again, then slowl,