The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-29
CYCLING AS SHE IS TAUGHT.
Tho Lovers, Her Wheel and What Har
mems Whom She First Rides Alone.

Tho Lovers, Her Wheel and What Hap
pens Whom She First Rides Alone.
He generally teaches her 1t appears to
him u capital idea, as being likely to afford
unlimited opportunity for tete-a-tetes, lit
eral and metaphorical. And she receives
the suggestion with unfeigned delight
having already made private attempts to
subdue the inherent vice OF her steed, both
alone In the back garden and, supported
by her brother, in the quietest side street
procurahle. But In the one case the BIZ
cycle has demolished tho adjacent box bor-
ders, furiously attacked the fruit trees and
bitten her shins and ankles, while In the
other Jack has persistently and cruelty let
go her waist at all those crucial moments
when common humanity would have sng
gestcd that he should hold on like a steam
crane. "His' proposal comes in time to
save her from despair, and she arrangcs
meeting place as far from the haunts OF
men as the Vaccinations Of her mother
and the business hours of "he" will allow
Then they proceed to business. He puts
tho saddle up to its proper height, and she
makes him lower it again, BECAUSE she
says, 1t reduces the danger and makes her
feel happier. Then he holds the machine
with grim frmness and decision meant to
show 1t has met its master, while she puts
her high heclcd shoe on the frame, scrapes
off good bit of enamel and scrambles into
the saddle. Afterward she catches hold OF
him with both hands and entreats him not
to let the horrid thing move He asks her
mildly but firmly what she thinks she has
come out for and begins to wheel it down
ho ho hnn In hnp 4 l,
one hand and clutches her lover by the
scruff of the neck with the other so that
he silently curses stick up collars in his
secret soul and wonders why it is no man
can go spooning in his everyday clothes,
By and by she gently but firmly borts
him eff the crown of the road into the gut
ter, until his legs scrapo against the curb.
Then one of the pedals catches him in the
calf and causes him suddenly to sit down
Of the edge of the footpath with the bicy-
Gle in his lap and the girl In the lap of the
bicycle. After he has explained that it was
all his fault and she has forgiven him they
60 on again. Now she is beginning to gain
confidence, and she makes him trot smart
ly beside her for half n mile or so, every
now and then lending the whole forces OF
his manly frame to keep her from clint,
ing trees OF removing such Of her neigh
bors' landmarks as may lie handy IN the
shape of walls and gates. Then they cons
Oh little slope and she kicks the bicycle
over in her efforts to ride up He asks her
| II it isn't gcared too high, and she says no;
she lowered it herself with monkey puz-
zler, or something of that sort, as soon as
tt arrived and hasn't allowed it to be raised
since. And he signs, but says nothing.
Then she tells him he can take his hand
off the lar and only hold the saddle, and
he does so and says nothing about til,
pieces that the saddle springs pinch out Of
his fingers. And thereafter comes great
display Of skill and courage, and she is en-
boldened to order him to run beside with
arms outspread like the wings of guar
dian angel and not to touch her at all. And
this he does until his wind gives out, when
he seats himself on rustic bench bios
Soming with nurscnlaids and babies and
secs her wahble away into the dim dis.
lance And thcn-then she looks aside
(since she cAunGt look aroundl and calls
upon his maine and knows that he Is no
longer there And she lets 70 the handles
III panic OF terror and the road stands III
and hits ler on the head, while the bicycle
lies down on her and tries to kick her and
rSll over her But he comes up in time to
save her from its fury, and as he wipes the
dust OF her dress he tells her that victory
Is hers ut last, for she has ridden alone. -
Chicago Tines Herald