The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-06
bicycles don't shy-neither do

maJeslc pOSlJlOn on the neaflnluS
lone thing is, you'll soon be tire'
of it," he observed. 'You neve.
keep thing up for long,
"You made that remark las
spring, ''was the answer, given will
remarkable heat, "and you were
wrong, you see.
"Lots of women have got tired O
it, though, said Mr.. Butler shifting
his ground disingenuously. "Every
one says it was a craze, and it's go
ing out. And I'm not so sure, !" HI
added vindictively, chat you are a
keen about it as you were. There
wasn't half so much fuss over thu
confounded thing on the journey
down as we had last time. y
Mrs. Butler rose impetuously
She appeared to have lost her tenn
per.
"I love it more than ever, = she
cried, Hand I always shall, will
which incoherent observation sh(
withdrew.
The breakfast room was empty
when Mr.. Butler strolled down al
about half past 10 on the following
morning. This did not surprise
him, but the message delivered tc
him by the servant did.
"Mrs. Butler told me to say, il
you please, sir, said the man, "that
she has ridden over to Fernhill on
her bicycle, and will lunch there.
"What time will she be back9'
demanded her husband.
''About O'Clock, sir" was the
answer.
Mr.. Butler unfolded his newspaper
and ground his teeth.
1.-The whole dayl' he calculated
to himself. well, I must say
However, she'll be tired. Forty
miles there and back, and then
she'll go to sleep all the evening.
Well, hanged if I carel Wonder at
what time she started, and how far
she's got. ("
AS matter of fact, though Mrs.
Butler had started some time since,
she had not made any remarkable
progress. 1t was delightful spring.
like day, but .he state Of the roads
was not all that could be desired.
At this identical moment she was
walking along particularly un-
pleasant combination of ruts and
mud, wheeling her bicycle.
Mrs. Butler had her detraotors, as
have all successful people, and there
was those who said she rode bicy-
Gle because she looked SO we'll in
the dress. Her short, tailor made
frock and neat hat certainly suited
her to perfection this morning, and
her little feet, in the daintiest imag-
inable shoes, were a delight to be-
hold. But Mrs. Butler did not ap-
pear to be thinking of her appear.
ance just then-she was obviously
taking no pleasure in it. Her pi-
quaint face was rosy with air and ex-
ercise, but it was distinctly overcast
in expression, and her every move
nlent, as she wheeled her machine
with incredible carelessness over
the ruts, was expressive of boredom
and disgust. The bad bit Of road
passed, she stood for AN instant con-
templating her bicycle with an in
describable expression.
81 shall never be able to give the
thing up,'' she said to herself de-
spairingly. "Neverl If I did, he'd
think wanted Oh, what bore
it isl"
She mounted as she spoke with
despairing sigh. Perhaps she was
careless, perhaps the wheel slipped.
At any rate the next thing of
which she was aware was a general
upheaval of the universe, which left
her lying in the road with a broken
bicycle beside her and every bone
in her body, as it seemed, dislocated.
ooh, what fool I've beenl" she
walled despairingiy, and then she
tainted.
1t was not lonely road fortu-
nately, and she was soon found and
taken home. The doctor was sent
for and enjoined by Mr.. Butler on
his departure to come again in the
evening, and on coming down stairs
after his second visit he found Mr..
Butler hanging about in the hall.
The doctor did not wait to be ques-
toned.
Going on splendidly," he said
"Feverish tonight, of
course. But with a broken arm and
a very nasty sprained ankle that's
only to be expected. d."
For u man whose sentiments to-
ward his wife are of an eminently
philosophical nature Mr.. Butler
was looking extraordinarily pale
and wretched. He drew Il quick
sigh of satisfaction; then he said,
with an air Of stern superiority
which i'll disguised an undertone of
ferocious vindictiveness
a.1II,.c4ll,I,ll 4l,1....