The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-09
MICHAEL TO DE A DUDE.
Midget Wheelman Intends TO Sur
pass Jockey SiOan's Wardrobe.
From the New York Journal.

From the New York Journal.
When the bicycle starts out after the
horse the days of that equine are done.
When the scorcher Dursues the jockey
the odds are with the man on the wheel,
but when Jimmy Michael gets after Tod
Sloane il is an even match and hot
fight.
For many months Tod Sloane, the mid
get of Jockeys has been astonishing the
turfmen of England as they have never
been astonished before. He has occupied
the embassy suite of rooms at the Hotel
Cecil; he has equipped himself with a
private secretary and other trimmings, and
his clothes and his diamonds have wilted
the hardened heart of Newmarket. He has
chatted with princes and given his expert
judgment on the horses Of the Queens
household. Also, and incidentally, he has
been making a little over $4,000 a year.
These things have reached the eye and
ear of Jimmy Michael midget of bicy-
clists, and they have made him restless.
Jimmy is the pet of the bicycle fraternity,
and although that fraternity doesn't make
so very much noise, ii is getting to be
richer and more powerful than the race
track outfit. Michael has ridden for some
little time, and although he has not made
100000 a year from his speed, he has
saved every cent he has made, and the ag-
gregate is calculated 10 give Jockey
heart disease. Jimmy hasn't any gorgeous
clothes; his diamonds are not Vociferous,
and he has, hitherto, managed to get
along without a private secretary. AS
matter of fact, the general public has sell
dom seen Jimmy Michael in any other
costume than a sweater, a cap and knee
breeches, and Jimmy thinks it is time to
awaken the public-the English public for
preference-to the fact that although Tod
Sloane and a horse may be shining and
inspiring sight Jimmy Michael in his new
clothes can beat the combination TO
standstll if he wants to.
And Jimmy wants to-or, rather, his
manager. Dave Shafer, wants to, and it
comes to the same thing. Wherefore there
are now being constructed for Mr.. James
Michael clothes of variety and state where
with he will dazzle the eyes of the bicycle
folk and such others as come within range.
| There are dress suits and tweeds and pink
pajamas; shirts to affront the African par
rot and shoes to increase the income of
bootbacks and chiropodists. The days of
the comfortable old sweater and the abbre-
| waited trousers, that were fashionable be-
| cause they did not bag at the knees, are
| done, and now the only James Michael will
| be entirely at ease when he dons his gol-
| fng clothes. 1t is a painful fact that Jimmy
wouldn't know a golf club from a sacred
hex if he met it on the street, and that
he is not in the least ambitious 10 learn,
| but Manager Shafer deereed the golf suit,
| and in the language which is trite the
| golf suit goes"
The means to the end of the ambition of
Michael and his manager graft themselves
| upon the fact that the midget bicyclist is
| badly in need of a rest. The little man has
| been riding hard since 1890. and the last
twelve months has been a year of glory
and work. Both have told upon Jimmy,
and the things that happened to him at
! Madison Square Garden the other night
have helped. The upshot of it all is that
! Shafer-and Jimmy-have decised that sur
! cease from the giddy whirl of wheels and
| work is badly needed, and the fiat has
gone forth that the vacation is to be TAX
en-.
1t was at this stage of the prelimina-
ries that Manager Shafer, attentively read
| ing the paper was assaulted by the pic
ture of Mr.. Tod Sloane, Jockey, attired in
robes of state and disporting himself in
his private billiard room before his private
| secretary and his private valet
What Mr.. Shafer said is not germane
to this story, but the gist of it was that
the jockey from Kokomo. Ind, was get
ting to be somewhat "chesty," and needed
| to be shown that bicycles were the equals
of horses Jimmy Michael, as a Welsh
| man, was anxious to revisit the land where
| even sneezes are eloquent, and a splutter
is oratory, and from Hwfmffssthfy Ghe
birthplace of Mr.. MichaeD to London,
where Mr.. Tod Sloane is disporting him
| self, is not Mr.. Shafer argued, very far.
| Therefore, it would be possible for the
| speedy bicyclist not only to revisit his
| boyhood's happy home but also to descend
upon London and paralyze Tod Sloane.
Yes" said Mr.. Shafer. Jimmy is go
| ing to take a rest. He needs it badly.
Immediately after his race with Taylore
the French rider, he will go abroad. In
all probability, We will go to England by
way of Wales. This man Tod Sloane is
| putting on whole lot of style over there
in London, and I would just like to show
those people that the bicycle can beat
the horse when 1t comes to a matter OF
display. My ambition is to let people see
| Jimmy dressed as he ought to be. That's
a mighty good-lookng boy, do you know
| 1t? Why, l tell you, people will be as
tonished when they see him in fine feath-
ers. l want to see him the Tod Sloane OF
| the bicycle world want him to be OF
the wheel what Sloane is to the horse.
Just you wait until | get him in a high
| hat and Prince Albert. / tell you, il
| Will surprise people who have never seen
him out of a sweater and a bicycle cap.
Right now Jimmy weighs less than a
| hundred pounds, and that is less than ne
| ought to weigh He is out of condition
| and | want to get him back in it. I'm
mediately after this race with the French
manor in January, anyhow--we will GO
abroad. Jimmy has had a lot of clothes
| and things made. There's a golf suit and
all that sort of thing, and I tell you he'll
look winner. When he gets those clothes
on l just have to stand around and adj
| mire him. | can't holm