The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-04-15
THE LADY OF THE ROAD.
By CLINTON Ross.

row promised but another as weary.
We saw before Us vacation and Area
dia. Tommie said you could find 1t
Oh a wheel; and finally he persuaded
me. My persuasion was complete the
third day out To be sure, we had net
vet found Arcadia, but we had the fla
vor of some good health already, and
were hopeful that when we least eA
pected it we should cross the bounda
ry. The road had gained our spirits.
We knew already why gypsies persist
in the gypsying: why the most enter
tanning pages in Wilhelm Meister and
III henelm Chillingly are those where
the heroes take the road lover the
Mills and far away; why Prince Otto
is the most delightful of Stevenson's
stories aud Walking Tours the most
exquisite Of his essays although |
have not heard that he rode wheel.
We recalled that the real charm of
Pickwick was in the coaching and
footing of horns, and that Dick Tur-
pin was more hero than scamp
Aud so feeling fit and our hearts
attuned to simple, natural things. we
rode into that hos ky wood, which was
to be the scene of our first misadven
ture. The road was smooth and pro
miseful: through the branches at OR
right was the glimmer of a lake, where
Tommie said we might loaf comfort
ably for an hour with our pipes. So
we left our steeds by the roadside and
went down by that shore, stretching
| F. e., tolN Il
plation. An hour must have passed,
when Tommie gripped my arm.
Look, Fletcher there In the road"
[ followed his eyes, and say by our
wheels-a bit of sunlight on her face
"a most charming young woman, who
was gowned in one of those walking
costumes that are now the most ad-
mirable achievement of the modiste.
She was young, l say. and blonde, and
she was smiling to herself and look
ing our wheels over One she raised,
and before we even fancied iI-was in
the saddle as easily as any boy, and
tearing around curve and odt of our
ken.
"Vell, I'll be hanged, said Tommie.
II hope she'll bring it back" said I,
Particularly as it's my Wheel" said
Tommie. But in the road we could
see no trace Of her; she had vanished.
Get on yours and catch her." said
Tommie.
''Oh, she'll bring it back. She was
not"
"Yes, she was"
"A gentlemen of the road"
mo, a lady-times have changed"
sold Tommie, ruefully. swell, I'm
after her, Fletch.
And he, to, was around the curve
on my wheel, leaving me laughing
and mourning But in five minutes
he was back, hot and irritated
There are three forks of the road
just beyond. How in thunder am |
to know which she took?"
Try your luck"
Its bad enough" said he : [ can't
afford another wheel this year"
Il think, said |; that she's just play
ing trick"
Its rather near theft" said Tom
mie. "Confound you it wasn't your
machine"
No, SAID [ lighting a cigarette
We'd better walk on. She's gone ;the
wheel as-well, perhaps, it's pawned
by this time"
you think you're funny, quoth
Tommie. Ride on and I'll walk"
mo, said |, we'll both walk But
she was an Internally pretty"
"Thief,'
Mop, Tommle, you don't know
that said l.
well, said he, haven't l the evi
dence of my senses?"
| They sometimes lie said [. For
| saw he was not pleased; it wasn't
my wheel, and of course l could phi
Josephine more easily than he. We
took the most hopeful turn at the
three roads, since our map refused to
be explicit, and presently we came on
a rustic in boots.
Did you see a woman riding a
mans wheel?"
Il swan" said the rustic
Il should remark said Tommie
She stole my Wheel
You don't say" said the rustic.
| Don't you live here2" asked Tommie
'Since | was born. golly.' said the
rustic. Then where the deuce will
this road bring us to-" | asked impa-
tiently.
That depends on where ye goin'
replied the rustic practically
''On, Lord,' said Tommie I've a
notion to pound this fool"
The rustic looked frightened and
retreated a step.
I'VE want to 90 anywhore-to find
the stolen Wheel" said |.
This ere road goes to Arcadia, said
the rustic
A female Dick Turpin. Arcadia! We
opened our eyes.
It's queer name that Alerlv ale
calls this place" said the rustic Its
round that thar turn
| We left him despairful of getting
anything more lucid from him. but ii
appeared that at last we had reached
ArcadiaI began to laugh wheh Tom
mie said irratably, shut up"
About the turn we came on road
leading from ours between high gate
posts; and there on the grassy bank
was our lady of the road. l stepped
back embarrassed. She was undeni
ably pretty. And as we paused she
began to sing in g voice that probably
was not a good one, by common stand
ard, but here in the wood, singing tc
herself. it seemed singularly delight
full. Iclutched Tommle ahd held hin
back.
Sing no more ditties. sing no more.
! OF dumps SO dull and heavy;
The fraud of men was ever So,
7 Since summer first was leafy."
/: And of women, said Tommie, step
ping forward, cap in hand: at least b,
f remembered SO much of his manners
The singer started and drew herself III
Sir said she, like the affrontet
|. lady in the play.