Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-03-10
A BICYCLE PROPOSAL
BY JOHN wIcKLIFFE GRAY.

Until that summer | had never be-
lieved that | was timid man. But the
happenings of few weeks led me to
the conclusion that had my share and
more
A girl with blue eyes did it. AS in
most cases where man has found him
self face to face with himself, it was
woman who held the mirror.
1t was the old story of scouting at love
until met the one girl, and then | want
ed to propose But what with the doubts
that assailed me as to the probable re-
ception OF proposal, and my newborn
tlmidity, | could never gather together
sufficient courage at the proper time to
give expression to the thoughts that kept
me awake at night. | carefully formu-
lated plan after plan to rid my mind of
its burden, but one after another they
came to naught through my disgusting
shyness-cowardice, if you will / am
half inclined to believe that Beatrice
knew my condition all the time. But
she had keen sense Of hunlor, and
dreaded that silvery laughter more than
whole regiment of regulars. She could
this mood l liked best. But, until that
sunny day, when my bicycle helped me
through, had always missed the point
1t lacked but four days of my departure
from the springs, and I knew to delay
might mean to fail altogether.
Delay and defeat were the words that
hummed through my brain like a sprock-
ct wheel as we spun down the lane that
morning. We were out after an early
breakfast, and on that short journey
a-wheel | had determined to throw all
my chances in the balance and find their
intrinsic worth. Just how | was going
to begin | had not determined, and
thought that for once | would leave the
matter open for the seizure of the first
opportunity
The morning air was crisp and cool.
The roadside flowers seemed nodding us
a CHEEKY good morning in the light
breeze. Now and then from the trees
came the call of bird, and, making a
shiny J Ick streak in the air, a crow
would end his flight to lonely tree
II the -ields, calling to his mate Once
rabbit watched us from down the lane
with what l imagined was a guizzical
expression, and when we had come quite
close, sped through the underbrush with
the rattle of a dry twig.
Bee and l had said little until we
reached the broad pike.
Want to race?" she called back to
me from her point of vantage a few
lengths ahead. Now l knew what that
meant Bee was the better rider. for
instead taking course of indoor
physical culture she had adopted golf,
tennis and bicycle as the most enjoy
able method of obtaining exercise and
health.
Trying to tease" l said But go
ahead I'll do my best. Want to bet
anything?"
mo, not when I am certain of the re-
suit" she laughed
l grinned appreciation and asked:
"How far?"
'The two mile post" she cried, and
we were off
Bee sprinted, and so did I. But the |
distance between us remained about the |
same, and precluded conversation, even |
had not the pace attained the same end. |
Soon the sprockets were singing a |
steady song to pebbles that spun back |
ward from the rubber tires We were |
running at 20 miles an hour down the |
best piece of road in the section.
l settled to a steady speed, not quite |
my best, and Bee did the same, saving |
strength for the last half mile. The |
wind whistled merry tune to the time
we kept with our pedals. covey of |
partridges fled with sharp chirps at our
whirlwind advance. l felt and noticed !
little else beside the trim figure, with
flying wisps of brown hair, just ahead
of me.
Of sudden Bee began to draw ahead
of me.
Put your heart into the game" she
called back to me, with her head half
turned as she spoke. She was laughing
out of pure enjoyment of the exercise
and perhaps my probable discontinue.
My pride was nettled, and it must have
increased my strength to considerable
degree. Soon l was close behind her.
and with the wheels buzzing like mad
things, | was even. One more squirt, and
by tremendous effort l was ahead!
Get your hand in the game" called
back, paraphrasing her own slang. my
heart and your hand" l added by the