The evening times., 1898-05-17
OPENING UP
THE SEASON.
A Chicago Girls Early whirl
On a Repaired Wheel.
'Koae In Fine style Ostward. But the
Return Reste Causes Her to
s.,s., Forswear "Btlking," .lsi,-

II nothing ever really came to pass and
one could always live in a state of expec-
tation. what d Joy life would be! The
crumbiing-to-ashef process is always SO
disheartenins.d5sst rar.- --- 1'''"
For weeks she had thought about her
first bicycle ride. Along In April she
wheeled her dusty. scratched wheel over
to the. repair shop and left II With an ord
er for thorough cleaning and re-enamel-
ins:' 1t would be done. said the man, in
two weeks. Meanwhile she turned her
attention to ttaii6rs and bicycle suits.
In two weeks sskt called atsthe repair
shop. The man regarded her with an
unfriendfy eyen or coufse her wheel was
not done. he said. What could she ex--
pect when they were SO rushed? No. he
didn't know when II could be finished.
She skunk out meekly and sighed as she
felt the bright sunshine and Thought OF
the tender green OF the leaves just bud
ding IN the parks-the unattainable parks
for 1t is sacrilege to take a humping old
cable car to view Spring In the park.
Then for weeks she visited the repair man
on and on and begged and entreated and
scOlded and pleaded. Finally he let her
see the frame denuded OF wheels and
other appurtenances In Its new color and
she was somewhat comforted. Mean
while her suit was finished and after 1t
had been sent back three " times she
thought perhaps it might do. Over a
week ago her wheel. glorious in its re-
juyenation, came home. The first ride
she planned failed to come on because
IL rained. the next because she caught
cold and had to stay in the house. and
the third because it was at night and
she had forgotten to have her lantern
-.
set her teeth. hurriedly fell into her
out of the basement. for fear II she wait
ed an instant longer the roof would cave
in or the world would come to an end.
Oh. ii was fine-the old, half-forgotten
feeling of rushing through space. the
brush of the wind OF his cheeks. the
lent grace of the perfect machine. spin
ming along almost Of its own accord.
Down Drexel boulevard she sped. with
her head thrown back and actually thrill
ing with the pleasure of 1t. Washington
Park, exquisite in its young greeaness.
the delicate lace work of silks1 leaves on
the silvery birch trees alternating, with
the wild crab apple trees thickiy budde6
with hard. red promises OF sweetness was
Intoxicating. Down the Midway into
Jackson Park she rode without stopping.
Then she turned home. Al least, She
tried to.
There was a wind-a regular you-can't-
lose-me. roliicking Chicago winl blowing
steadily from the north and sor mo-
ment she concluded she was trying 20
ride against a stone wall. Her ykirt. her
new, artistcally cut skirt. saiel out INTO
the surrounding territory ysris away IN
either side when Ii was no. trying TO
wrap around her throat and s:i:tnSie her.
She beat 1t down with her hands and
mr. nm la1 off har u-b.
awful ride home she speaks only behind
closed doors. Six times 81 live miles did
she get of and walk. pushing her bicy-
Gle. the wind gleefully shrieking over her
head. Six times did she VOW 10 herself
that il she died for il she could pever
push the pedals round once NOR: and all
bicyclers know what the sufferings of
that state of exhaustion are When sns
reached home her necktie was under one
ear. her hat askew her hair in steamers:
her skirt looked as though 1t hal been
through a clothes wringer. and she sat
down on the bottom stair and orie,I AMI
her brother had to come and drag her UP
to her room. Then she lay doyi and had
her dinner sent up. called for ihe witcn
hazel. wept down her sisters collar and
made her a fearful present on the spo: OF
the bicycle for she was never, no never.
if she lived 1000 years, going 10 mount
the hateful machine again.
That was Saturday. Monday she took
a l5-mile ride. and speaks enthusiastically
of the wheeling prospect for ne Summer.