The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-19
How Ada Won the Race.


the ground sloped up few hundred feet TO
where the summer hotel stood. 1t was at
this hotel that these boys were staying.
A line of roWboats and couple OF sail
boats were fastened along the edge of the
wharf. The tall masts of the sailboats shot
far up over the boys heads, and the nets, tin
cans and other things used in their grabbing
excursions were scattered over the boards.
) pose this is the last grabbing Tor the
summer" grumbled Wilbur Hastings look
ing admirably down at the heap Of crabs IN
the boat beside him. b.
"Yes" Hall Gray threw himself fiat his
back to stare up into the cloudless sky.
Nothing but horrible school and lessons les
sons lessons, to look ahead to after tomor-
row!"
School aint 50 50 bad" put in Wilburs
ia like something regular to do"
do? There's lots to do here" spoke up
De Witt Pell.
"Yes, I know. But something like work.
I mean something 1 was obliged to do"
First time ever heard of a fellow ANXIOUS
to work. grunted Albert Robinson.
Nonsense AL"
"Fact!"
Live and learn, me boy. You'll know lots
if you keep on
"Well, think so too," began the boy who
had not yet spoken, Will Ross. THAT is,
like school, and 1 think there's plenty of fun
to be had if you go at it right. We have
tennis club and a baseball club and a debat-
ing society at our school, and there's some
thing going on every day" -1
Yes, that's so, assented De Witt, who lived
in the same town Will did. I'VE have lots
of sport at those clubs
Wilbur looked interested.
THAT sounds good. Now, if had some
thing like that. But it's stupid studying
with a tutor and only couple of other fell
lows.
1--WE have girls at the clubs, too" said De-
Witt.
"Girls!'
"Oh yes Not the baseball club, of course.
blcycl6
debating society,"
I'VE had a good bicycle parade last fall
went on Will. The girls and boys rode al
ternately, and the bikes were all dressed
out with ribbons, and we had races and eyo-
lutions and all kinds of performances"
Whats evolutionS?'
"Oh, tricks. Standing the bicycle, and
all kinds of fancy riding
Then we had prizes" put in De Witt.
will, do you remember about the Copeland
girl and the big race-the girl that was such
good rider, you known
About how she broke down, gave up on
purpose, we all thought and how Fred Ar
cher won after all? And how he wanted to
race over again, saying she didn't have
fair chance, but she wouldn't? Yes, it was
Queer!''
De Witt looked up and smiled in his slow
way.
Il know something about that 1 never
told he said.
We'll, do tell US all you know" demanded
AL, impatently. You've told SO much Now
y.
Let De Witt tell it them," answered viii.
IF he knows something about 1t that don't,
it'll be new to me, too
De Witt leaned back against one of the
posts and looked at the other boys
Il don't know that I'm much of story
teller, but it queer And l always held
my tongue because she asked to. And
always thought she was sort of a trump
that girl
She's fine bicycle rider" said Will, con-
sideringly
"Oh, yes; she'd been riding several years,
you see, and it was her idea to start the club.
1 knew her father had plenty of money, and
he helped several fellows to get bikes of
their own by letting them pay for them a
little at time. He was nice man-Mr.
Copeland-and Ada jolly sort of girl.
1 never saw girl quick to get her les
sons, and she'd give d fellow a tip about ex-
amples or help one of the little chaps about
a lesson any time at all"
'She must have been different from some
girls L know commented Wilbur, scornfully.
''Well, she was; or, that is, she was lots
different from some other girls, and just the
incest girl 1 ever knew. Old Miss Smith
called her a 1om-boy' once, because she
climbed fences, but l told Miss Smith
thought if it made girls such bricks as that
t. climb fences, they'd better all begin ana
climb emit
Huh! Well, the story said Wilbur.
"Well, the bicycle races were to come off
next day, you know, and it was the day be-
fore at recess, and we were all talking II
over. There were dozen fellows standing
around the door, You know all their names
We'll, so there's no use telling 'em ALL And
they all talked about the chances and tba
riders and they all agreed that it seemed
likely that Ada Copeland would win tbe
short distance race anyway, for she was aw
fully quick at a dash, and as I told Won
most of the fellows We're rather new riders
We'll presently the fellows ran off to nl.w
bali. And 1 looked around and there w.
Ada sitting in the window. l remember then