The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-28

EdlllAH UAclACals t4lu HrA luM 4
looked forward to my trip every morn
ing, and / expauated particularly on
that Two Dollars saved every week.
Mildred. ! might as well have talked 10
a stone
Finally I said. Wen. auntie. ! know
you like fair play and justice. and be-
fore ] go j want TO look fully into both
sides Of the question. OF course ! have
brought my wheel with me-she lifted
mp her hands ia utter hOrr0r-'and be-
fore ! give It up, If decide to, 1 want
you to look into the matter thoroughly,
and see me take a few turns here and
there Ny poor wheel may not look
as brazen as you fear
Aunt gr0aned as I kissed her good
night and retired. ! heard her groan-
ing very impressiYely as I went up
stairs
Next day I was actually too tired to
do battle, and just stayed peacefully at
home. and rambled about the premises,
enjoying nature. On Wednesday, how
ever, I nerved myself again. so early
In the afternoon I told auntie I was
going down for my wheel. hailed the
old stage that numbered by. and took
the f0ur-mile drive back to the station.
That dear cycle looked like an old
friend. How glad / was to see II: aud
how very leisurely, Mildred, | did ap-
proach that dread mansion at length.
"All was silent and forbidding, but
as / dismounted and stood the wheel up
Ia a fence-angle. ! thought / saw an
up-stair shutter move a little
"Auntie came down at my request
] ~. rfrh fors
like a statue of Justice, standing before
me as / cheerfully illustrated mount
ing, dismounting, controlling and
coasting, and showed her the mechan
ism of the pedals and the bell and the
steering bar, and so forth.
"At last 1 mounted, wheeled and
turned as gracefully as / knew how,
and respectfully ended my lesson.
Auntie only nodded grimly, and we
assembled the steps TO the house again.
eat twilight. while I was resting
in my room ] heard a door open, and
looking down from my shutter / saw
Aunt Lib tiptoeing. with her skirts
tucked cautiously about her, across
the yard toward that evil instrument.
Was she going to take surIeptitious
ride, or was she going to cut the tire
into ribbons? / held my breath.
"But she only touched the tire with
one finger gingerly. and peered about
over and under, quite thoroughly and
Then she laid hold
of il with both hands and gave il
little shake-an angry one, / thought
and tiptoed in again
THAT very night, as fate would have
it, there came a knocking at my door,
and AIMS scared voice besought me to
come downstairs, as auntie was very
i'll scrambled into my clothes IN |
a great fright, wondering. Auntie had |
at intervals through the even
ing. and breathed badly. but had told
me she thought Il was only a slight |
cold she had somehow taken.
But as soon as / entered the room |
I knew It was serious. She could hard |
~ speak, and her breath came short /
md fast. She put her hand to her chest /
rs / came in.
~Oh. what is it, AnnT said !.
DO you think it might be pneu-
mony9' hesitated Ann.
~'Oh. I'm afraid SO. said l. Where
Is the doetorT
80 Miss Bess, a good five miles /
rom here. and those Packards have the I
slowest old horse, IL we can ever gat
there and get 'em reused.
Horseg said !. I have my wheel. 1
ru have that doctor here before the I
clock strikes oneg 1t was a little after |
Have you put anything on her
chest@ I pursued. feeling very old and /
responsible all Of a sudden.
4 ~ ant
called. That proved old Aunt LIB had /
lain there and suffered and agonized, I
rather than ask help.
"'Weil. get a good strong mustard 1
poultice on, and tell me where the doc
tor lives.
It's a straight road said Ann; the I
first big white house beyond the sta
ton. right-hand side. And was of.
1T was a perfect night, and per-
feet road. Afraid? ] knew any one
would have TO fly to catch me. It was
as still as DEATH didn't know night +
could be so still I knew that I might 4
be riding for life or death, but I 4
couldn't help a wicked little thought I
of what an opportunity it was for me.
and between it all / made my best time.
"The doctor was at home, and
light sleeper How quickly hrs voice
and how thankful : was
He was down in no time and 7 rode
back in his company because /
couldn't. really. leave my wheel
How he worked over Aunt Lib, u /
was a very grave case, he said, and II
was daybreak before he left The \
house seemed 50 strange and dreadful /
an that long morning. but Ann and
were rejoiced to see auntie improve
with astonishing rapidity, and We felt
sure she was out Of danger.
when the doctor came back at noon
slipped out and met him in the hall.
Doctor, ! said will yOu speak
good word for my wheeiF
How do you meang said he He Is
-ery big and towering. and looked down
on small me with some amusement.
Well said ]. 'because-my aunt
doesn't just approve Of wheels, you /
know. end I was just twenty-f0ur min
utes in getting to your
" 'Twenty-four minutesT interrupted /
that big doctor Indeed I will and /
with reason. He strobe in. and heard /
him telling auntie with great impress
siveness that her niece and her wheel /
had undoubtedly saved her life. An /