The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-16
A Spring Song of the Road.

70 the tailor to finance a new SC. OF
scenery
just at first the idea did not appeal.
Being more or less keen about the
works OF the Justly celebrated 70.
II Robert Chambers. also those
OF a chap by name Tennyson. who
wrote some mighty good rhymes anent
the month of May. ! couldn't see why
] should get down to earth or the sub
Ject of spring when all the rest OF
the ok were sitting upon the edge
OF a sllvery cloud with their feet
hanging over.
Maybe you don't get that about the
bicycle cop" persisted the man who
poses as S'orn!nr aught but the prac-
tica!. "Iteal.y to appreciate this, sign
or spring u must drive an automo-
bile.
IN the summer time a man with
an has as much freedom
as a Gagged canary bird. Any time he
SHOOTS the speed up to something
more than a crawl he expects to be
bounced upon by his ancient enemy
the bicycle cop. No use putting up a
:ight. You lose. and that is all there
is to ii. How much you lose depends
upon whether or not the Judge had
the right sort Of breakfast the morn
ing sentence Is pronounced on YOU.
THE worst of it is these H.. C.'s do
not carry On the battle in the omen
iney nght guerrilla fashion, hiding
behind bushes and sneaking I'D on YOU
aiSs'iised as neutra! citizens out for a
harmless airing.
'Tharn is npIv on~ th.-- 49,,
up the ambition OF the bicycle boys,
n TIA Is winter. Winter gets them
n gets them good. Along in early
November they begin scouting around
ior a sort spot to light. A cold snap
comes along. The thermometer suffers
rom SINKING OF the mercury. Despite
the profit, pedallins along the boule-
wards in search of prey is not as pleas
urable as 1t was in the balmy days.
The second cold snap comes along.
colde than the first, and the BOYS de-
eide to go into winter quarters. They
crawl into their carefully selected
holes and pull the holes in after them.
FROM now on you can crowd the
speedometer right past fifty and moth
ing happens.
you have about reached the con-
clusion that this country isn't so much
ike Russia after ala fellow does
pretty much as he pleases under the
stars and Stripes-when the spring
thaw begins. The sap is moving in
the trees and there are the usual! num-
Der OF water wagon casualties peculiar
Ia the tag end Of Lent.
You are spinning through the park
rejoicing in the fact That Tomorrow
you can leave our winter o~vercoat
with your uncle and get the price of
n couple OF gallons of gasolene when
the blow falls. Mr.. b. Cop has shaken
OFT the long winter lethargy and il
right out there showing the captain
now the force couldn't limp along
without him.
"He gets away good with a dozen
or so arrests a day and at the end OF
the season the city pins a medal on
ms ches and let's him lead a parade.
Ihen ne crawls back into his hole and
waits Tor the next summers p!ckin's.
But I'll fool them this spring"
chuckled the man. ~ saw one stir
h other day. The spring thaw has
begun and It's mt for the watchful
waiting"
Strictly speaking, I do not believe
IN signs. Lots OF times the palm Of
my right hand has itched and I've
stayed broke" just the same. Again
the palm OF my left hand has itched
n ! have never spent a cent. On
another occasion my right ear burned
X a c~oniagration and l learned later
that all the while the bally thing was
burning a group of my best friends
were holding n m..ning party with
me on the Rriddie. So you zee you