The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-21

describable vulgarity of cycling came
into his mind.
A dirty, fatiguing pursuit that put
one at the mercy of every impudent
cad one met. He began to stamp with
his feet, and use words that even his
mothers care had not prevented his
learning. The road before him was
dark, intermnable, impossible. He
saw n milestone dimly, and went to it
with a lingering hope that Providence
might have interposed on his behalf
and cut out a dozen miles or so, but
there it was: Brighton, twenty miles"
And then comes a mystery. Within
ninety minutes Mr.. CHAMPION was
alghting outside the best society hotel
at Brighton. There is a railway sta
tion at Three Bridges, but l hold that
an author should respect the secrets of
his characters. There was no incrim-
inatory ticket on his machine, and he
never gave any one the slightest
ground for supposing that he did any
thing but cycle the whole way. His
hat was awry, his clothes dirty, his
linen crumbled and his hands and face
and his tie were defled with black
from the young lady's chain.
His mother received him with effu-
sion. She had grown nervous with the
darkness. MY dear, dea" Cecil" she
said advancing. but hrw white and
tired you look! And the dust upon
you!" She laid rarCsslng fat hands up
on his shoulder.
Don't" said Mr.. Cramptcn, briefly.
and flung himself into a chair scowl-
ing.
But after dinner he recovered, and
talked to her. Among other things he
admitted he liked Madge, and seemed
to take his mothers timid suggestions
in a sympathetic spirit. But I wish
she didn't bicycle" he said; its bit
common"
They lunched next day with the Ten
tons. He waited for his opportunity
to score his point, and so it did not
come off until late in the afternoon.
Mrs Champion would have boasted to
Madge of his manliness in riding the
whole way but for his express prohibi-
ton.
NO" he said, quite calmly, in ans
wer to some remark. II didn't train, j
wheeled down"
Madge looked quite surprised. Fifty
two miles," she said.
"I don't know the distance" said
Mr.. Champion. 1T didn't seem so ex-
ceedngly long"
The increase in her respect was swift
and evident, How long did it take
you?"
"Six-seven hours. started about
midday But l didn't ,scorch, you
know And I stopped about half an
hour mending a girls tire"
He tried TO look as though he had
done nothing extraordinary.
Here's Ethel, Of Ill people" said
Mrs. Fenton, rising. MY dcar!"
Mr.. Champion looked up, aud there in
the doorway was the heroine Of the
punctured tire. Madge rose,
too, to welcome her friend. and missed
his expression. Ard mere is Cousin
Cecil" she said introducing Mr.
Champion. The newcomer advanced
brightly, stared, hesiacc1. and bowed
coldly.
Mrs Champion never quite unuer-
stood the business, because her son was
not only reticent. bur extremely irrit-
I able when questioned. Evidently the
young people had met before. and were
under considerable constraint. She Is
inclined to think from the subsequent
| incidents that Ethel was designing
sort Of girl, who set Madge agairs;
him with the idea of securing | i'm her.
self. In that at any rate she was dis
appointed. But the Brighton gathering
was certainly failure and Mr.. Cramp-
ton is still not engaged. Yet seeing his
! position, It is odd some girl has rot
snapped him up. Malge isilly girlD
married a young doctor three months
| ago.-(H. C. Wells, in The Woman at
| HOme)