The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-08-30

! TlIE road from Burnthwaite to the
nearest town was long and wind
ing. and on hot days there was very
little shade for some way. II was a
sunny July afternoon when propped
my bicycle against the bank and
leaned back uxuriously in the shad-
ow of the pine trees. under the
nodding foxgloves. | could catch
gfimpses of the distant blue noun
tains and the lake sparkling in the
sunshine, and it was not easy to start
again along the hot, dusty road
For the moment / almost decided
not to go on to the few cottages by
the roadside where some of my old
people lived
was just beginning to feel
ashamed of myself, and trying TO
shake off my laziness, when looking
down the road my eyes rested on a
most extraordinary object.
Was it reaping machine running
away with a bath chair? Or some
terrible instrument Of torture, being
conveyed to the museum in the town?
Or just a mangled heap of tricycles
being towed slowly home?
gazed and gazed till my eyes were
dazzled, and still slowly. ponderously,
the strange object advanced. hidden
now and then by n cloud Of dust or
a sharp turn in the road.
1t reached my shady spot at last. and
could see that it was an ancient tri-
cycle of marvellous construction, to
which was attached a still more an
cient bath chair. An old man worked
the tricycle., the perspiration pouring
down his face, while his wife sat in the
chair with a look Of awed delight on
her face
They did not look around them, but
gazed steadfastly in front as they ad-
vanced slowly up the hill.
When they had disappeared in the
distance | tried hard to recall where !
had seen the swo quaint old people,
and it then flashed into my mind that
they lived in one Of a group Of cottages
in lane leading from the main road
had missed my way one day, and
stopped to ask for drink of water at
their cottage.
SEEING my bicycle, determined to
follow this old couple. and learn the
history Of their wonderful machine.
They we're sitting in the little kitch-
en- when arrived, the old man tender
ly watching his invalid wife in anxiety
lest the ride should have been too
much for her.
The walls of the room were covered
with clocks of all descriptions, but
most of them had stopped, and some
ticked feebly, as if wearing out with
age like the old matchmaker who loved
each of them so dearly.
A little expressed admiration Of
some of the quaint carved oak cases
soon warmed the hearts of the two
old people, and before long ! was sit
ting by them listening to the story of
their ancient tricycle..
"Anna Gamma dae withoot fresh air.
she pines and pines indoors. but she
has nae poower to stan, and she maun
bide liggin' Oying) or sittin' a day
long. But Use rash (strong) auld
man. and made plan. and yam day
bought an auld tricycle.. and fixed her
chair on { front. and moo she can
gang cot every day"
The gentle old woman gazed with ad-
miration at her "maister" and looked
to me for sympathy. They both
seemed overwhelmed with his clever
ness and originality.
"An' a. the ladies an gentlemen
look at MS on t roaad as If she was t
queen herself DOT ridin'."
hardly wondered that AL the Ia
dies and gentlemen" turned to gaze in
amazenent at the strange machine
and its owners. but I could not say a
word to mar their intense pride and
delight in the precious tricycle., al
though I had great fear that some
day they would all come to grief to-
gether.
When we had fully discussed the SUD-
iect of the tricycle., asked if they
would like me to come and read 10
tISm sometimes. Old Volts face
clouded at once. ITS lang time syne
Use oppened t Bulk, it's liggin' Oying) |
on t parlor table with floower pot
on = topl" he said. bitterly.
"Aye, Jawseph." his wife said, gen
tly, cit wad dae me guild tae hear bit
o. L Bulk vance mair."
:Weel Anna, If thoo wants thoo
shall" her husband said. more gently. |
While he fetched it his wife told me a
pitiful story. "Jawseph did gang reg |
ular tae Z chapel two year syne; but
yan day ther COON a minister wha
praiched that t Bible were not a the |
Word o God, and Jawseph he's saiI