The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-04-06
INVISIBLE FRIEND.

The members around the clubhouse
fire wero talking of the prospects of the
spring road races, and from that the
conversation turned to road racing i'll
general, and every member had some
experience to tell. Only the wheelman
who had travelled was silent, as was his
wont until stirred to tell some tale of
wild adventure by the questions of his
companions. who seemed not more than
to half believe his stories and yet to
feel that they We're really true, such In
disputable proofs did the travelled one
always present. On this occasion it was
the club road race champion. Nom
Der who wore II string of century bars
three yards long. who said sareastically,
81 suppose you've been the greatest road
racer of all of US. haven't your
Il won't say that exactly" replied
the wheelman who had travelled, but
there was time when l would have
backed myself against the best man in
the business. That time hns passed and
will never return, but il | should tell
you the story you wouldn't believe It,
so what's the use?"
Como on, tell il, = broke i'll the
bugIer. Don mind him. He thinks
he's the only tune tho orchestra can
play just because he's got few bars.
Tho wheolman who bad travelled put
his hand in his pocket and drew ont u
plain leather pipe case. Without word
he opened it aud passed it to the club
captain, who examined it curiously, for
the travelled ones manner presaged II
story.
Il don't see anything about road rae
ing III that, +" remarked the captain.
What III itt' asked the champion
liar.
Nothing apparently. responded the
captain, and, in fact, the case appeared
TO be empty.
Feel Of the inside, suggested the
wheelman who had travelled. Tho cap
tain obeyed the suggestion and started
as though he had been struck.
Why, there's pipe there, but !
can / see il, " he exclaimed.
Tho other members felt of the inside
of the case, and sure enough. plain to
the touch, but at tho same time absolute.
ly invisible, was pipe. The wheelman
who had travelled took the case, lifted
something out of it apparently and held
it up. His hand appeared to be empty.
What il it-a fine piece of glass?"
asked tho member with tho pink golf
socks.
mot n bit of it. " answered the pos.
SCISSOR Of tho wonderful pipe That
pipe il relic Of tho most faithful
friend | ever had and one who saved my
life on more than one occasion | never
hear road racing spoken Of without
thinking OF him. Give mo some tobacco,
some one, and III tell you why prize
this pipe so highly"
The other members watched him
ouriously as he rammed the tobacco
down into the empty mir apparently.
and they shrank away from him AS
though he were something uncanny as
they saw the smoke rise from "A distance
of several inches from the smoker 8
mouth but the member who had trav-
eled settled hack In his chair and be.
gan:
1t was in the winter following my
disastrous experience at ostrich farming
in Africa that / decided a change of air
would be necessary. and consequently
went to Australia, where il was then
summer, Of course. l had an idea that
there might DO some good touring in
that country, and | took my wheel
along as matter of course, / landed at
Melbourne and found the town very
dull. l wheeled along near the coast to
Sydney and found it no livelier there,
so | made up my mind to strike for the
interior Of New South Wales / was
warned that it would be dangerous to
venture far into the bush alone, but
had plenty q nerve ia those days and
started out feeling better than had
ever felt in my life.
THE trip was wild enough TO suit
the liveliest imagination, and | thor.
oughly enjoyed myself. / passed
through the heart of the kangaroo dis.
trict and often stopped to watch the
amusing antics Of those clever animals,
which can leap 40 feet at jump and
are as strong as horse
lone day i was standing by my
wheel watching herd of them when
all of sudden they seemed to become
alarmed at something and went Off to-
ward tho horizon in great leaps until
every one Of them had vanished. | was
wondering what had scared them when
felt hot breath on the back of my
head. ! looked around with start, but
saw nothing. heard, however, what
sounded like an animal painting for
breath directly in front Of me, and
will confess that 1 was thoroughly
frightened. 1 attempted 10 show no
signs Of fear. however, although my
hair rose so that it threw my cap off.
and stood there perfectly motionless,