Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-04-01

hands. That Is best, SAID the moth
or. Twill you help my daughter TO win
the crown prince for husband?"
"That will |. " said the man, for no
girl ever called me uncle before. "
Nov | have enough uncles," said
the girl. THE next stranger | meet
shall be my cousin. But they met no
one else, for all the world had gone to
the tracks Only when they reached the
pavilion they saw II smart young soldier
pacing up and down. Good morning,
cousin, " cried the girl Good morn
ing cousin" replied the smart young
soldier, and he gave her "A hearty kiss.
"How dare your" cried the mother in
a rage. Cousins always kiss, replied
the smart young soldier. The unclcs
looked at each other and said, 1--WE new.
er thought of that. But the girl blush
ed and said nothing, for the smart
young soldier was the same handsome
young huntSman whom she had vowed
should be her husband. And now
must leave you, said the smart young
soldier, and he marched of, whistling
1.-THE Girl Left Behind Me. "
Then they prepared for the first ride
and dressed tie first uncle in crimson
suit and put on him veil of gold EN-
broidery that glittered like the sun. The
signal sounded, and they opened the
pavilion door, and the first uncle sped
out like the wind and kept his eyes shut
till he came to the hedge that was 100
yards thick. and there he opened them
and saw his way through i'll a tree,
and so, shutting his eyes again, he sped
round the track 10 the other door Of the
pavilion.
Now they dressed the second uncle in
a suit of dark blue and put on him a
suit Of silver filigree work that glisten-
ed like moonbeams And he flew ont Of
the door like bird and kept his feet on
the forks till he came 10 the pond that
was 100 yards across, but then he put
his feet on the treadles and skinned
over the water without even splashing
it, and so, coming 10 the other side, he
put his feet on the forks again and few
around the track to the other door of the
pavilion.
The third uncle had a suit of black
velvet, but as there were no pockets for
him 10 put his hands into they were
forced 10 cut slit on either side III
stead. His veil was of black lace, span
gled with diamonds which sparkled
like the stars on a frosty night, and
when the door of the pavilion opened
he shot forth like lightning, with his
hands Ill the Sits of his suit but ~
/, Il, ct,
100 yards high he took hold of the han
dies and daIted up and down the ladder
Ia a twinkling, and so, putting his
hands i'll the Sits again, he whirled
round the track to the Other door OF the
pavilion.
You may be sure there was great
shouting and mighty rush of people
toward the pavilion Of the champion
lady bicyclist Of the world but line
of soldiers barred the way, and only
fell back to let the crown prince and
his retinue gallop past
And when he got to the door ever so
much before his followers, he found the
mother standing and watching. She
saw at a glance that he was the smart
young soldier who had met them in the
morning, but she pretended not TO know
him. Little he cared as, leaping from
his horse, he rushed into the room,
where he found the girl dressed in her
ordinary clothes and looking more beau
tiful than ever.
The retlnue crowded III and stood by
the door, but the prince ran up 10 her
and, opening his arms, cried: Dearest,
| have loved you ever since we met III
the forest. Will you be my bride:"
The girl hung her head for she was
frightened when she saw all this gran
deur and knew that her lover was a
prince. But her mother said, kings
always caress. Il never thought Of
that, 4" said the girl, and fell into the
princes EN- brace.
So they We're married, and Of course
the three uncles were asked to the feast,
and then for the first time the prince
looked away from his bride and saw
how odd looking they were, and he
asked the first uncle, How did you get
such projecting eyes and that hard,
fixed gaze?" And the first uncle an.
swered, by SWIMMING, by skimming,
by skimming. Then the prince asked
the second uncle, How did you got
that monstrous fiat foot:" And the sec.
ond uncle replied, by scorching, by
scorching, by scorching. Then the
prince asked the third uncle, How did
you get that bideous, huge hand:"
And the third uncle answered, by
shopping, by shopping, by shopping.
" Swimming, scorching, skopping" said
the prince. Il done know what you
mean.
Then the mother explained: May it
please your royal highness, my eldest
brother has the cycle eye, that comes
from always looking miles ahead, which
is called skimming; my second brother
has the cycle foot, which comes from al
ways pedaling as hard as he can, which
is called scorching, ana my youngest
brother has the cycle hand, which comes
of always steadying the machine over
ups and downs, which, as it Is some
thing between skipping and hopping. Is
called shopping. Some people who BIZ
cycle very great deal have all these
three Decul iarities - II upVpr thopobt