Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-11-25
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4 4 Bicycle ROMANCE. :
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TT WAS a wretched-looking old bike,
and for antiquity would have taken
first prize anywhere. My Gisappoint-
ment was intense, and tears OF NORTH
cation sprang to my eyes. but l forced
them back as | noticed the look of anx-
iety on the face of the old man beside
me, who inquired, with some emotion:
"Have you got a cold, hathie? Your
eyes are wet" "Yes, Uncle Thomas"
replied "and summer colds are so hard
to get rid Of; but never mind my cold;
thank you so much for buying me the
bicycle"
"Well, dearie," he replied, ''it's not
quite a new one, but l thought it would
do for you TO learn on" Oh, how | did
wish he would 90 away and let me have
u good cry; brt as lIe hung about 7 had
to mount and take few turns round
the garden, much to his delight, and
he rubbed his hands, exclaiming:
"Well done, little girl! You'll be there
before any of them, you bet!" AT last
he went indoors, and, hiding myself in
the summer house, I wept copiCusly.
What should do? Get my prayer book
and keep on repeating the collect for
rain? Stay in bed the next day and pre-
tend my cold was worse? No, neither
of these resources would do; and even
If il rained all night, which was not in
the least likely. 7 would have TO put
IN an appearance on the morrow. Wen,
there was one spice of comfort left
the roads were inches deep with fine,
white dust. would start early and get
a good covering Of it over poor unCle's
gift, and then perhaps some Of its many
deficiencies might be hid; and then, be-
ing naturally light-hearted, 1 dried my
tears and went in to prepare tea, that
being a duty L did not allow our little
maid to interfere with. My mother
and had lived alone for many years,
my father, who had died when | was
three years old, being only memory to
me. He had been captain and owner of
a merchantmen, but he had only been
able to leave a very moderate independ-
ency for my mother, so we two had al
ways lived very quietly, and it was quite
an event in our lives when letter came
from Frisco telling that my mothers
only relative was coming home after an
absence Of 40 years. had never seen
my quiet mother so excited over any
thing. He was her mothers only broth
er, and she had only a very dim recol-
lection of his going away.
II am afraid, Kathie." she said, "that
uncle is only poor man; for, although
he has correspondent with me al long in
tervals, he has never mentioned his af-
fairs. Still, am pleased to think he is
couirr" Well. Uncle Thomas followed
closely on his letter; and, true, enough,
his affairs did not seem to have flour
ished, for his clothes were quite thread
bare and his luggage of the scantiest.
Like most girls of the present day, my
great ambition was to own bicycle,
but, unfortunately, tAe buying OF one
was quite out of the question, although
I could ride well enough, my compan-
ion, Florrie Floyd, the doctors only
daughter. having let me learn or hers.
So, after once more discussing the
matter over with mother I had to re-
luctantlv give up all idea of joining the
picnic, and I had so longed TO go; for
one thing, it was the first time Sir Wal
ter's demesne had ever been accessible,
end that in itself made me more anxious
70 gee the beautiful grounds that had
always been so jealousy guarded from
Intrusion. Sir Walter had died six
months before, and the heir that he had
never seen had given permission for
this special party to hold their meet in
bis demesne; and, by the way, he had
not seen the place himself, but was eX-
pected 10 arrive at an early date. Per
haps ought to have said that his agent
had given the doctors party leave to
see the grounds, and not he. Well, after
mother had succeeded in convincing me
of her inability to get me even a second
hand mount, Uncle Thomas had uneX-
pectedly chimed in by saying: well,
Kathie, if you don't mind having very
frst-class bike, I'll get you one" Twas
both astonished and delighted, and
kissed the old man cfTusively and went
20 bed quite happy; ana now, just be
fore the day of the meet. he had brought
this monstrosity! Well, l must not be
too hard on the old man, but l wished he
had bought himself a new coat instead.
| Inc collect for raiu vas unanswered;
| so was nv desire for sudden sickness. 7
never felt better in my life, and the sky
gas cloudless, so there was nothing for
| Il but TO put a bold face on the inevita-
| bic. and at the time appointed | started,
watched from the gate by my evidently
aGmiring uncle Creak, creak, went the
old ramshackle II was awful. What