The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-05
XtcE TOWN OF poEnR.
A Bicyclist and N Poiiceman's Admiration
OF n NiEht-Blooming Cereus.

a HlCyClIhN anu " = ANAA ~
Of n NiEht-Blooning Cereus.
A yheolman from New York was slowly going
down a steep hill on his way to Dover. n. j.
Somebody had told him that Dover was q nice
little town. and he was going to sec II for him.
self, For various reasons he had been delayed.
so IL was now nearly 10 O'Clock and d~ark-pitch
dark. Moreover, the path was narrow. He was
luboriously feeling his way along. Now and
then he met a native OF whom he asked the way.
Dover" repeated the native. ~vncantly; oh.
Just this side OF Sparta. Keep right along this
road"
The road wound about In a curious way. fol-
lowing a stream which meandered down the
hill. He was never out Of reach OF the sound OF
this stream. At every moment he expected to
plunge into 1t. bicycle and all. This was an
noying, but not so annoying as the thirst which
began TO consume him. He pedallod along
faster. Presently he seemed to be pushing
against something soft without making any
pcrceptible Roadway. At the same time two
immense eyes suddenly doomed out OF the dark
ness. They we're far apart and melancholy.
They belonged TO a COW. She stood directly In
the middle OF tho road. He had boon pushing
against her for a few minutes. He Hlighted
from his wheel and gave her tho right Of way.
Not long after he came upon n sign post. II
was too far up TO be read with easc from the
road: besides IL was dark. SO he slowly climbed
the post. which was unusually full OF splinters.
He was also full OF s~plinters before he arrived
at the top. Clinging to the sign with one hand.
he scratched O match with the other and read
the words thereon. or course the sign pointed
the wrong way. It told how far II was to New
York, whereas he was on his way to Dover.
When. after much difficulty. he climbed down.
he was fuller OF splinters than he was Of in
formation.
BY this time his thirst was exorucisting. II
! threatened to consume him. He began to
wonder II he should ever arrive at tho town OF
Dover, but when he had ridden for what
seemed to him an interminable length OF time
he discerned a solitary light ahead. 1t was the
town OF Dover. Anxious first Of all to Quench
his thirst. he rode rapidly down the one street
OF the town and sought a saloon. 1t had just
closed. The place was deserted. He sought
another. 1t also had Just closed. The Wheel
Now. in the town OF Dover there is a man who
each and avery available occasion no auotes the
immortal bard. The man met Shakespeare on
a corner and asked him the way to an open
TOO late" hiccoughed Shakespeare. AN
tRere up Is lo pien sg0; of viii Rhisk ( sS" t and H he gave MHef a
N"Whefre. for heavens saker" demanded the
Thin moi" ~hiccoughed Shakespeare
The man ripped up the atmosphere. He lett
hotel In whose office sat q large policeman. the
only policeman in the town.
Can 1 get anything to drink hero'" he
The clerk disappeared to interview the cook.
turassSdR.p ssEb but it 1 ' think RhSFt o %S I SSt You ~"S" a cup ~ Of
tea
lion. 1t demanded brandy cocktails. manhat-
beer 1 ara tea 81 was yinnS S1r9Sf r. ,.1 He Ss sTGTS z tS s9ss1t
he ever got out Of that nice little town Oh Dover
alive it would never see him again II he knew
him 'So SSg, e y ssesssiTT % %isiI sj{s Sn WITH AN, sSS$
greSdiIy. He tried to remember them Tor fu-
ture use. Meanwhile he %protTered him the hos
pitality of the town. He descanted upon its
,.:"iThSre is a night blooming %cereus," he said.
"6loomiqg in a drug store o. ~, right snd around arc y I H t9s
s s%RoW You it the plS Ssn' vii YOU go ~ !" "D
but il t" don't b X but once in a hundred
years" insisted the policeman. and 1t is
~" IL don't " care II 1t doesn't bloom but once in a
thousand years." said the man. gloomily en-
deayoring to Stake his thirst with the tea; II
~2 Ths p6l SsIn a S stare eGt at q h %n T IN a IN axe
How can you ste9d such insane diversion Z,
t thin PT Wit XEG the H Etlla II l3R q R t al g yoS SouI tTh pTsst
emily lose your minds. NIght-blooming ce-
6eIS on When h;rb It 9qbt stieT Sso2R% oW 90 a gSu 1t m 6l28%s
to amuse yourselyes2 What in the name Of
heaven do you do 2"
The Policeman continued to stare blankly at
him, His jaw dropped.
The man did not take the trouble TO explain.
He went on drinking tea. yand by the police
man excused himself.
"Irl be back in a minute" he said. II must
go out and see II everything is all right"
He was gone a triile over q minute. In fact,
he was gone nearly ten, but he had done very
well at that. He had patrollcd the town. He
began again to insist upon the mans going TO
see the night looming cereus, whereupon the
man suddenly rose and walked out of the office
TO the street. where his bicycle stood against
the wall. He stopped and examined It to SEQ II
It We're in fit condition for the road. The police
man followed him..
"Goin' away on your wheel ~ he asked. his
mouth left open with the last word.
Yes" nswer the man.
The policeman WAS sorry to see him go. He
liked to hear him swear. If he had dared he
would have asked him to swear Just once more
before lie left him for good and all.
Wont you go in and see the niRht-blOom-
ing ccreus before you go" he insisted. anxious
to prOlong his stay.
mo-" yelled the man.
We'll, good-by. then"
"Good-by.' said the man. He, muttered
some strong words and shook the dust OF the
little town OF Dover from his feet forever.