The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-04-26
INVISIBLE FRIEND.


Post Wheeler in New York Press
INVISIBLE FRIEND.
The members around the clubhouse
fire were talking of the prospects of the
spring road races, and from that the
conversation turned to road racing in
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 were really true, such in
disputable proofs did the travelled one
always present. On this occasion it was
the clubs road race champion, mem
Der who wore string of century bars
three yards long, who said sarcastioally,
81 suppose you've been the greatest road
racer of all of us, haven't your"
81 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 has passed and
will never return, but if should tell
you the story you wouldn't believe it,
so what's the use?"
Come on, tell it, broke in the
bugler. Don't mind him. He thinks
he's the only tune the orchestra can
play just because he's got few bars. .
The wheelman who had travelled put
his hand in his pocket and drew out a
plain leather pipe case. Without word
he opened it and passed it to the club
captain, who examined it ouriously, for
the travelled ones manner presaged a
story.
"I don't see anything about road rae
ing in that, . remarked the captain.
whats in it?' 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. The cap
tain obeyed the suggestion and started
as though he had been struck.
"Why, there's pipe there, but /
can't see it," he exclaimed.
The other members felt of the inside
Of the case, and, sure enough, plain to
the touch, but at the 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 is it-a fine piece of glass?"
asked the member with the pink golf
socks.
"Not bit of it, I" answered the pos
SCISSOR Of the wonderful pipe. "That
pipe is relic of the most faithful
friend l ever had and one who saved my
life on more than one occasion. never
hear road racing spoken of without
thinking Of him. Give me some tobacco,
some one, and I'll tell you why prize
this pipe SO highly"
The other members watched him
curiously as he rammed the tobacco
down into the empty air apparently,
and they shrank away from him as
though he were something uncanny as
they saw the smoke rise from distance
of several inches from the smoker s
mouth, but the member who had trav-
eled settled back in his chair and be-
gan:
sit was in the winter following my
disastrous experience at ostrich farming
In Africa that decided change of air
would be necessary, and consequently
went to Australia, where it was then
summer, of course. l had an idea that
there might be some good touring in
that country, and l took my wheel
along as matter of course. landed at
Melbourne and found the town very
dull. 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 Of nerve in 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. l 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.
Zone day was standing by my
wheel watching herd of them when
all of sudden they seemed to become
alarmed at something and went off to-
every one of them had vanished. was
wondering what had scared them when
felt a hot breath on the back of my
head. looked around with start, but
saw nothing. l heard, however, what
sounded like an animal painting for
breath directly in front of me, and /
will confess that / was thoroughly
frightened. attempted to show no
signs of fear, however, although my
hair rose so that it threw my cap off,
and / stood there perfectly motionless,
hoping that whatever it was would go
away and leave me alone. All sorts Of
thoughts went through my head in that
brief instant. l reeollected all the sto-
ries had ever heard of men and ami
mails that could make themselves invisi
BILE, and while had never believed any
of them remembered that some scien-
tific men had held that it was possible
for organic matter to become as trans
parent as inorganic under certain con-
ditions and present neither of the phe-
nomena of refraction and reflection of
light. was convinced in moment
that some beast possessing such quail
ties was confronting me, and my belief
grew to certainty when / felt hairy
paw caressing my hand. Instead of be-
ing frightened at this unexpected dem
onstration l was treasured, for there
was something in the touch that as
sured me that my life was in no dan
ger, but that on the contrary the thing,
whatever it was, was trying to make
friends with me. grasped the paw in
my hand and was treasured by what
sounded like grunt of whose existence
l had no longer the slightest doubt
Resolved to ascertain what kind Of
a thing this was, drew it closer to me
and began to feel of it. The thing stood
perfectly quiet, and it was not long be-
fore l recognized the fact that it was a
kangaroo of enormous size, but abso-
lutely invisible.
"Well, to cut long story short, the
kangaroo developed the strongest at
tachment for me and followed me wher-
ever / went. 1 trained it to tow me up
hills and sometimes across the level
plains, it's easy method of progression
by great jumps carrying me along far