BICYCLING. 



THE TRAMP CYCLIST. 

 THOS. CUNNINGHAM. 



" I've got $100 to bet there isn't a cyclist 

 around here that can beat my boy in a 

 race." 



The speaker was Squire Holcomb, and 

 he addressed a crowd of admirers, who had 

 gathered around to congratulate him on 

 his son's victory in the 2-mile race, which 

 had just been run from Brown's crossing 

 to the church. 



His son, Edward, owned a handsome 

 Victor racer, geared to 80, and had ridden 

 a wheel for years, while most of the other 

 boys had only recently purchased bicycles. 

 These were second-hand wheels, such as 

 are often termed " ice wagons." Only one 

 boy in the village, Harry Wesley, owned 

 a wheel that could be compared to Ed- 

 ward's. This was a Tribune, also geared 

 to 80, but Harry had ridden it only 2 

 months, so had not had time to " train 

 down." 



It can be seen, therefore, that Edward's 

 victory hardly warranted the Squire's en- 

 thusiasm, but he continued to repeat the 

 offer, until, finding no takers, he ex- 

 claimed: 



" I'll give this $100 to anyone here who 

 will race Edward and beat him." 



" I suppose that offer is open to me as 

 well as to any one else." 



Surprised, everyone turned to look at 

 the speaker. As the man stood in the mid- 

 dle of the road, where he had arrived un- 

 perceived by any of the group, he was a 

 picture of that specimen of humanity so 

 familiar of late years — the " hobo-dude." 



"Well, am I in this?" drawled the 

 tramp, as he adjusted his straw hat and 

 dusted his dilapidated patent leathers. 



"No, you're not in it!" stormed the 

 Squire. " Do you suppose I'd have my 

 boy race with a tramp? " 



" Oh, it doesn't make any great differ- 

 ence with me, only I supposed you were 

 a man of your word." 



At this, the Squire grew red and white 

 by turns. The tramp had touched him in a 

 weak spot; for the Squire prided himself 

 on keeping his word. 



" But you have no wheel," exclaimed the 

 Squire, hoping to escape in this way. 



" That's easily fixed," quoth the tramp, 

 as he stepped to Harry, and possessed him- 

 self of his wheel. The latter offered no 

 objection. 



" Ah, a Tribune," cried the tramp. " The 

 last wheel I rode was a Tribune. When 

 you're ready, gentlemen, say the word." 



The Squire, seeing no way out of it, ap- 

 pointed 3 of the boys to accompany the 



riders to Brown's crossing, as starters, 

 while he and 2 others were to be referees. 

 The tramp threw off his coat and hat, re- 

 vealing, instead of a white shirt, only the 

 bosom of one, to which was attached a 

 paper collar. A pair of cuffs of the same 

 material were fastened to his coat-sleeves. 

 He then rolled his trousers up above the 

 knees, displaying a pair of legs that made 

 Edward look rather dubious. 



These few arrangements completed, he 

 mounted his wheel, Edward following, and 

 accompanied the 3 boys to the place of 

 starting, where the 2 riders were placed in 

 position and the signal given. 



At the start, Edward led by several yards, 

 the tramp apparently finding it difficult to 

 " limber up." Their positions remained 

 the same for the first mile, when the tramp 

 spurted and passed Edward, getting the 

 lead by about 50 yards. Edward was un- 

 able to close up the gap, and was still about 

 this distance behind, when, on rounding 

 a slight bend in the road, with the goal in 

 plain view, half a mile distant, a startling 

 thing occurred. 



A young girl rushed out of a lane, about 

 100 yards ahead, crying loudly for help. 

 As the tramp reached this point a few sec- 

 onds later, he had to spurt to avoid a col- 

 lision with a furious bull, which at that 

 moment dashed into the road after the 

 girl. 



With a glance the tramp took in the 

 situation. Paying no attention to the bull 

 behind him, he rode as close as possible to 

 the child, stretched out his right arm and 

 swept her up on the handle-bars in front 

 of him. At the same time, a red sash (the 

 cause of all the trouble) which she wore 

 around her waist fluttered to the ground. 



" Put your arms around my neck," he 

 cried, then bent to his task, and drove the 

 wheel ahead with fierce energy. 



Had he looked behind, he would have 

 seen that the race was virtually ended, for 

 the bull had stopped and was tearing the 

 sash to pieces; while Edward, having rec- 

 ognized in the little girl his sister Alice, 

 had become completely unnerved. Losing 

 control of his wheel, he took a header and 

 was now on all fours in the middle of the 

 road, looking in a dazed way at the antics 

 of the bull. Unaware of this, the tramp 

 sped on and passed the crowd at the 

 church, amid great cheers, for they had all 

 been anxious spectators of the clever res- 

 cue. 



When he had checked the wheel, and re- 

 turned to the church, he was greeted with 

 congratulations from all sides. The Squire 

 extended his hand, exclaiming: " My 

 friend, forgive me for my treatment of you. 

 Your recent conduct compels me to admit 



J 57 



