The citizen., 1897-03-19

hung IN the western skies, as the rays
of the now obscured sun cast indescrib-
able glittering tints over them. But
poor me, my body and mind were racked
with pain, and did not appreciate our
surroundings. After the fall then the
unusual exercise, every muscle and
nerve in my body seemed to tingle with
electric shocks. | was just about done
up and when | would think of the re-
turn journey my heart would nearly
bound from its natural and best loca-
ton. Every breath took seemed 90 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 disgusted with everything, even
with the maiden at my side, whom /
now thought one of the ugliest. most
uninteresting persons it had been my
misfortune, to meet. l was thinking,
thinking deeply; thinking some things
| would not dare think aloud, when |
was suddenly brought to my senses by
my fair companion saying: Well, I'm
ready So was IL had to be, and |
at once arose and grabbed up that
wheel. OF course, before l could start
her homeward it was first necessary to
get her on to the bicycle, and | trem-
bled as l thought of the task before me.
This time l braced myself against a
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 off
gently and then took hold of the saddle
again, prepared to trot home back of
the young lady like dog following its
master. | was cougratulating myself
upon the little trouble eSA ,rienced 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, | was on the opposite
side of the wheel and pulling terrifically
ut the nigh handle bar l 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
l wish to say that began to think just
wee little bit more of Miss Jones than
| had while we were sitting at the road
side a way back.
Once again she started homeward
and by the way she pumped and pushed
those pedals | know she was mad about
that accident, and as she gained speed,
also began to realize that my powers of
endurance would give out ere long, un-
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 face of
the earth. | was glad that she had gone
and leisurely climbed upon rail fence
at the roadside and sat there meditat-
ing. l was mad clear through and the
more l meditated the angrier got. But
at last it dawned upon me that it was
not the proper thing for me to be sit
ting upon wayside fence and leave
young lady to take her own way home
after nightfail. Horror of horrors! sup
pose she had fallen from her bicycle
and at this very instant was lying in
the road, possibly with broken leg
or injured in some other way so as to be
unable to move. Suppose a team of
spirited horses were approaching and
the driver could not see that PROSTATE
form and ran over it. Ugh! the very
thought made my blood run cold.
jumped from the fence and started in
.he direction in which Miss Jones had
gone. | walked along slowly, but as
more horrible possibilities came TO my
mind | went faster until at last | was
running as fast as | could, but even then
| thought | was going at a snail's pace
Half Il dozen times | imagined | saw
Miss Jones on the ground ahead of me
but always found it to be but halluci-
nation of my wild and disordered brain.
| did finally reach town and because !
had not found Miss Jones lying on the
road in a pool of blood | was sure that
she had been spirited away or kid
mapped.
Il rushed to the home of her parents.
Her brother John was sitting on the
porch smoking horribly rank stogy
and when l eXcitedly asked him where
his sister was he looked at me as though
he considered me lunatic. implored
him to tel! me, for the love he bore his
sister.
He looked at me again. then slowly
turned his eyes toward the side of the
house My eyes followed his, and there
Miss Jones stood. cool and collected
with a heavenly smile on her face, and
how beautiful she looked. But l fell
to the ground in dead faint and when
next | realized anything | was in my
own room at home, with my dear moth
er at my bedside. | looked at her ques-
tioningly. and then said: Mother. how
many weeks have been ill?' She
looked frightened. then answered:
why. my dear son. you've been here but
a few hours. John Jones and his father
brought you here. They said you
tainted at their house Tell me what
the trouble is After getting over my
astonishment told her about my awful
experience of the evening. She laughed
at me and comforted me, but say. tell
you got even with that John Jones for
palming his sister off on me that night.