The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-16
Over a Puncture.

my solution lost, Hunted high and low
for it. Must have dropped it out of my
bag! NO good going back to look.
The searches on the ground bicycle
bell is heard)
All. good. There's another bike. I'll
ask him for some
| What a nuisancei It's girl, No good
asking her! They never have any. Be-
sides. she mightn't like it. Girls are so
| squeamish sometimes.
Young lady (to herself as she rides)-
That mans had a puncture! Now. shall
I offer 20 help him? Betternot. He'd only
think me fast.
tShe rides on. Young man looks after
heD
He-That girls rides well! Looks as If
she'd got her WITS about her. too. Wish
I'd asked her if she'd got any solution.
| He's a long way off, if there is a he.
| If there isn't-this is such an awfully
lonely road, 1t may be hours before l
see another SOUL HaloI she's coming back
again.
He sits. and pretends to examine his
machine. iGrl comes back, wheeling her
| cycle slowly along.
! Girl-(to the hedge)-I can't go on and
| leave that poor young ban without offer
! ing to do something for him. don't care
| # he does think me forward. This is such
a lonely road. 1t may be hours before
anybody else comes by.
! She-Did you CALLS
! He-I've just had puncture and
She-O, can lend you some solution!
He Thanks ever so much. Everybody
| has gone before me-
! (Sits and begins to examine machine
! She stands looking on)
| He docking up)-Won't you-won't you
-?
| She (mischievously)-Ride en-, do you
| mean? l must wait now, till you've fin
| ished-because that's all I have; and If
| had a puncture-and my friends are fol-
| lowing.
| He (to himselO-Nice, pleasant girl thisl
I Good looking, too!
She (alone)-He's really rather nice
! fellow-quite a gentleman-if he wasn't
so shy wish knew his name. Then
we might be properly introduced. .!
perhaps his machine is labeled.
Goes toward machine)
Rather mean ofme to try to md out
this way.
Oooks around)
He's not coming yet
(Kneels and examines machine)
O-Rudge-Whitworth - Centaur. No
here it is! George-George Spokesman!
All! he's coming. 1 hope he didn't no
tlCG what L was uOlHS. u VI IiS AON4-N(-
1 see you've got "oil-retaining hubs"
He-I see you're quite up-to-date.
CA pause, while they look at each other)
She (shyly-If you've taken as much So
luton as you want, / think l must be
going. It's getting late, and my friends
will wonder what's become of me.
He-But 1 thought you said they were
behind. Hadn't you better wait till they
come up?
Shell thought you said he was in front.
He-I don't believe the man 1 saw could
have been a friend of yours In fact, I'm
sure he wasn't.
She-How can you be sure?
He-Well he didn't look like alike the
sort of man you would know.
She-What shall do3s
Hell don't see that you can do any
thing but wait, now.
She (mischievously)-But we've not been
introduced.
He Offering his card)-My name is
George Spokesman.
She-And mine is Jessie Tyre.
He-Jesse Tyrel Then, of course know
youi-know of you at any rate Your
friend, Lily Taylor, is always talking
about you. I've seen your photograph
1 was sure I knew your face.
She-You know Lily Taylor?
He-Yes; her brother is great chum
of mine. What al awful nice girl she
*,
She-Then, I suppose we may consider
that we know each other.
He-O. rather! At least, I do.
She-Then, perhaps 1 may be allowed
to offer you some tea.
(She gets tea-things from her bas-
ket)
He (drinks)-Is it possible to drink
healths in tea?
She-Why?
He-If it were, I would drink to my
deliverer.
Bows to her)
She 0aking cup)-And I would drink to
the confusion of my-friends.
He-Are there really any friends?
She-Shau I confess% No. there are
none: and don't believe / ever tod such
a story in my life before. I'm dreadfully
ashamed.
H-There's no needi At least. If you
are ashamed, I ought to be. There wasn't
any man riding by.
She (nods)-I knew that!
He-How?
she-Why, If there had been. you'd have
asked him to help you.
He-You're a clever young lady
She-I should have been goose II
hadn't seen through that.
He-Then, why did you-make me pc
lieve about the others?
She Cblushes and turns awayl-Secause
thoucht-you thought ough: not TO
be out alone.
He getting nearer to her)-Did you re-
ally care what l thought
She getting up)-Not the least In the
world. I only wanted to punish you for
pretending.
(she begins to pack up her things)
He-O. must YOU go?
She-I think Ia better.
He-Don't YOU want TO know what Lily
TAYLOR said 10 me about YOU?
She with her bach TO understanding
silly, suppose.
He-She said you were JUST the sort OF
girl I should be sure total IN love
with!
now?
another one.
She-O, where?
She-Can't you guessE
she terine)-No-but-you' better
mend II before I 20.
He-They will you stay!
Sheet course I will
He-Do YOU really mean thatE
She-What else should | meanE
H-You will stay until It is mendedE
She-Yes.
He-then-don't you think-the best 60
luton would bs-for you 10 siAy-ioieFef'
i-Lady's Realm.
Smallest Monarch in the worn"
Probably the smallest monarch In the
world reirns over the HindoO vasssl