The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-09

out being let in, he went up the stoop,
taking his wheel with him. He rang
the front door bell somewhat viciously.
and the cook came up and opened the
door and berated him for not going be-
low. She was always cross on her
THURSDAYS in" Charley made some
bOyish reply that displeased her, so
that she shut him and his wheel in the
little room at the end of the hall, and
locked the door on the outside. She
has been cook at the Browns ever
since Charley was born. and feels priv
LEGGED to show her authority now and
then, particularly when Mrs. Brown IS
out.
Charley is a philosophical little chap
and when ne found ne was shut up in
the room he didn't bang the door or
cry, but dragged his wheel over to the
sofa and began oiling it, Right over
the sofa there hangs an old-fashioned
photograph of Charley's Uncle Robert
who died just after the war of the re-
bellion. 1t was taken when he was
about q. and shows him in high hat
and a Prince Albert" leaning against
a marble column, as was the chaste
fashion in the early days of photog-
raphy.
Charley had oiled one wheel, and had
made only five spots on the sofa These
he did not notice, and he was just be
ginning on the back wheel when voice
said, What is that, Charley?
Charley looked up. and saw his uncle
in the picture wrinkling his eyebrows
to get a better view of the wheel
Charley was rather fond of his uncle,
whom he had never seen in the flesh.
His grandmother had told him many
pleasant stories about him: how he was
athletic. and could swim. box, row,
shoot and play ball better than any OF
his companions, and Charley had al
ways regretted the fact that he had
died so many years before he came on
the scene So when his uncle spoke TO
him and in such a melodious voice, he
smiled back and said, It's wheel.
'.YVelI. l can see that-two wheels
but what is it called?" said Uncle Rob-
ert.
why. it's my bike"
Really" said his uncle, taking off
his hat and setting it on the pedestal
I'm no better off than l was before
What do you do with that thing
why, ride ii. of course Didn't they
have EN- when you were-ahem-did
they have 'em in your time?
why, they had what they called a
yelocipede. or 'bone-shaker, but IL was
a. clumsy affair to this.
Charley looked up at his uncle with
q. pleasant smile. and said: say, m
glad you spoke to me. Grandma mas
fold me lot about you, and what run
Won used to have when you were boy
I'D in the country. Can't you come
down and tell me about it?"
His uncle stretched his legs, as II
standing in one position for thirty-four
years had stiffenad them somewhat, and
then he said: Better still; you come
up here. and well go back to my boy
hood. l know a bully way right
through the back of the frame up to
Winatuck, in Connecticut, where l used
10 live when / was your age.
What boy wouldn't jump at the
chance to go to the country at any
time? Charley lifted his wheel over
his shoulder. and. stepping on the back
eff the sofa. walked into the picture. His
uncle turned as he came up, and to-
,ether they went through the back of
the picture. It's a wonder Charley
didn't puncture his wheel, but he
didn't. and the next moment he was
walking with his uncle, who had be
come the same age as he, through
quaint little turnstile that let one in on
a. green or park. This green was skirt
ed by lordly elnis, and miles away IN
the west Charley saw range or beau
tfful purple hills. the Berkshlres. A
crowd of merry boys and girls were
PLAYING prisoners base, but they stop
ped when they saw Charley's uncle,
and came running over to where he
and Charley stood. Hello, Bob, when
did you come up?" said one jolly-faced
little fellow Il thought the stage wasn't
in yet" Then he looked wonderingly
at Charley and his wheel. To begin
with. the fashions of '99 are not the
same as those of "a. and, in the second
place. the wheel was a puzzler.
What in the name er sense are those
wheels for?" he asked.
ITS beck. Is that what you call
ed it?" said Bob.
Charley laughed. No; a bike-bicy-
Gle. Two wheels-bi-cy-cle.'
"Oi" said all the children in chorus
and tried to look knowing.
How does ii work? Do you push
them?" asked the joliy-faced boy, who
was Sam Ctrtiss.
No; you ride 'em," said Charley
'Try her" Sam wasn't a boy to be
dared with impunity. and he was pref
ty quick witted. He noticed the saddle
and tried to sit in it and promptly fell