The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-24
HIS PRIZE.

Written for L. A. w. Magazine Cash Prize Competition


Tom Wiles was wheelman by instinct
it was born in him. He was twelve
years old when the first bicycle was
brought to his village. 1t was one of
the first ordinaries and was owned by
the son of the village banker From
the first moment when Tom beheld the
shining, gliding, mysterious machine
there was a great and growing longing
in his boyish heart. He knew better
than to mention his desire to his father,
who was not a wealthy man, but Who
managed to provide comfortably for his
large family. Tom had secret con-
vction that his father was hard man,
but probably all sons think that way of
their sires at times.
During the four years subsequent to
the introduction of the bicycle in Toms
native village he watched with hungry
interest the improvements in the later
wheels that came to town, and when he
read about the new pneumatic-tired safe
ties which were coming into use in the
| cities, poor Tom could hardly restrain
his inetible longing to own one, and be-
gan to plan how he might become the
pcssessor OF the one thing he had craved
for continually for four years
That very summer a city tourist spent
four or five weeks in the quiet village,
and brought with him a safety of the
latest model. After. a week or two the
tourist and Tom became quite friendly
and companionable Tom showed the
stranger the best trout pools and squir-
rel thickets, and in return his compan-
ion told him all about his city life and
summer outings. When Tom confided
his one great desire to own wheel, the
stranger was kindly interested, and when
he left the village Tom was
disconsolate. But the dreary mo-
/ n,ofb
later by the receipt Of a letter from his
city friend stating that if Toms father
was willing to spare him, and if he could
come, he could help him secure employ
ment in the city. Would he go? Would
anything keep him in the village when
there was at last a chance to go to the
city and perhaps earn enough by the
next summer to buy a bicycle? So the
boys first great ambition satisfied, he
succeeded at his work, made place for
himself in the social life of the town,
allied himself with the leading bicycle
club and in time came to be recognized
as one of the most influential Wheelmen
in the city.
When the Century Road Club Of Amer
lea was organized, in 1891, Tom was
among the first to join the new move
ment, seeing in it great possibilities in
bringing about highway Improvement
and cycle path construction. In the sum-
mer Of 1896 Tom was requested to speak
at q mass meeting of wheelmen and 9TH
ers in Denver, his reputation as an en-
thusiastic worker having spread wide
cast among wheelmen throughout the
Middle West. Interest in wheeling was
at it's height in the West at that time,
and. all Denver was en- fete. Excursion
trains came from neighboring towns,
bringing hundreds of cyclists in various
bright colored costumes, and all sug-
gestive of sunshine and mountain air.
At the hotel where Tom and his party
put up there was a delegation from Colo
RADIO Springs that attracted their espe-
cial notice. "Jove!" said Tom to his
companion, ''but there's handsome girl
over there with that distinguished look
ing old conference.-the girl in brown"
Yes" said his friend, land she rides
like a. queen. 1 saw them on the street
as we came up from the depot; and she
rides Diamond frame"
after I speak my little piece said
Tom, 'I am going to inquire about them,
and if 1 succeed in acquitting myself
with anything like credit, perhaps 1 may
be accorded an Introduction
When Tom came to the front of the
speakers stand and was introduced as
"the young orator from Chicago who
will enlighten us on the subject of cen
tury riding" he scanned the sea Of rudy
faces before him for a glimpse of the
Colorado Springs delegation. All! there
! to the left were the fluttering colors, and
there also the old gentleman and his com
| panion. Impressively he began:
| ITO the unitiated-the neophite-the
! general public as represented by null
| titUde of non-athletic critics whose eX-
! perience Of outdoor sports is confined to
| a seat in the grand stand at an occa-
Sional baseball game and a few days
on the fashionable golf hnks-century
| riding is horror, hobby INDUCED IN
! by a class Of fierce fanatics, whose mis-
/ directed efforts lead to dangerous physl-
| cal excuses and result only in physical
| and moral injury. From this point of
| view the century rider, male or female,
| is sort of freak, with less regard for
| appearance and propriety than for no
| toriety, and who would rather establish
| a record and win a medal than pose as
| an active worker in the religious mis-
| sionary field, or even lead a set in So
! ciety, and win the worshipful admira
! ton Of the local social world. Sum
| marily, century riders are misguided and
! oVer-ZealouS individuals who put good
| thing to a bad use by OVERRIDING. The
| lean condition and tanned appearance
| of this class of outdoor enthusiasts is
it, and the fact that men and women
who work in stores and offices go out
and ride one and two hundred miles
on a bicycle in from eight to twenty
hours means that they overtaX their en-
ergies and shorten their lives, and, worst
! of all, set a bad example. And then how
| can a man who has business to look
after or who has to earn a living on
salary, or woman who has home to
! take care of afford to lose so much time
in foolish pastime? On the whole they
are daft-hopelessly daft! Thus say
the critics-the non-comprehending and
unfair critics.
''It is characteristic of this. as of GER
tain other varieties Of sport, that it is
peculiarly annoying and obnoxious to all
save it's devotees. This may be due to
the perversity of human intelligence
! which resents a widespread interest in
anything for which, for one reason or
another its own enthusiasm is not
aroused. To be anything in anything
one must sacrifice something. To be a
good rider or athlete one must forego
many pleasures that are generals con-
sidered necessary AS development comes
| from training and enjoyment from de-
Velopment, and as training takes time
| perseverance and hard work, one cannot
| become a rider without giving a great
| part of the time he would devote TO
| other diversions to training his muscles
| and strengthening his physique. To ac-
compliSh this it is necessary to give IN
many social pleasures which are not con-
] ducive to general good health, such "a
| late hours and fancy dinners strong
| drink and all those things which go with
| social pleasures. Thus, the century rider
! may be called freak because he taboos
| the good things of society and follows
| the simple habits of his kind. He nat
urally prefers the company of others of