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RECREA TION. 



THE BABY'S PLAINT. 



Editor Recreation: 

 Papa and mamma and all have wheels 

 And you don't know how forlorn I feels, 

 With Nurse left all alone. 

 She's good to me 

 As she can be, 

 But I'd like to ride 

 At mamma's side, — 



If only I was grown! 



If only some one knew baby talk, 

 The speech of babies before they walk, 

 He'd find a plan, I know 

 So babies could be 

 At their mothers' knee 

 And so could sail 

 In the family trail, 



Wherever the rest might go. 



I'm only what bruvver Bob calls a " kid," 

 A fat little thing in the bed-clothes hid, 

 And as short as I can be. 

 But I'd like to go 

 With the family so, 

 That I thought I'd write to you, 

 To see what you can do, 



As soon as you can, for me, 

 The Baby. 



shquld have seen the curl of her red lip 

 when she refuted the slander. 



SHORT GRIPS. 



Many riders delay getting out on the 

 road, these summer days, until the coolest 

 and best part of the day is gone; instead 

 of starting at 4 or 5 a.m., and being able to 

 ride as comfortably as they could in Oc- 

 tober. If you ride till say, 9 a.m., on a 

 warm day, then loiter in the shade some- 

 where until about 5 p.m., taking a nap after 

 dinner, and then ride till dark, or even by 

 lamplight, you may make long tours, in 

 hot weather, with little or no discomfort. 



Then, when you do ride, don't go mile 

 hunting. Drift along in a way that will not 

 take more life out of you than is necessary. 

 By having a good wheel and a supply of 

 good judgment, one may revel in cycle out- 

 ings, even in August days, in New Eng- 

 land, where much of the land is set up edge- 

 wise and the flow of milk and honey is not 

 continuous. 



Cycling has become so general that we 

 naturally expect to find at every house a 

 foot pump, or any repair material that may 

 be needed. Thousands of passers dismount 

 at " Brookhouse," every week, ask for the 

 loan of a pump, and after sampling the 

 clearest and coldest of spring water, journey 

 on again. 



A pretty cyclerine, from Jersey, says the 

 story of a man having mistaken a mos- 

 quito for an airship, over there, is a base 

 fabrication. She stands up, valiantly, for 

 her native state and its good roads. You 



If in touring you would secure the ut- 

 most pleasure and profit, do not carry a 

 load strapped on your back a la pack ped- 

 dler. Secure all you need on your wheel. 

 This is easy with the aid of the various 

 carriers, in the market, and you will be free 

 from a pack horse's weariness. 



Do not ride to pile up miles. Let the 

 scorchers do that, and shorten their days, 

 if they like. You should ride slow enough, 

 and stop often enough, to enjoy the charms 

 Nature ever spreads out in every land. 



It is better to ride alone than to have 

 with you one who is constantly hurrying 

 you along; or who, on the other hand, is 

 so slow that earth's green carpet verily 

 grows under his tires. 



Ride a good and reliable wheel, of Amer- 

 ican make, whether you tour at home or 

 abroad, if you would avoid delay and an- 

 noyance on the road; for the constant at- 

 tention and numerous repairs that are 

 required by the average foreign wheel, not 

 to mention the bargain counter mounts, 

 at $28.88, that have come to deface Ameri- 

 can highways, will sadly detract from the 

 solid comfort you should secure on such a 

 trip. 



It is well to carry, on a long tour, a few 

 extra small parts, chain links, nuts, bolts, 

 etc., the weight of which would count as 

 nothing in case of an accident which would 

 cause them to be needed. This is impor- 

 tant because the parts from some other 

 make of wheel may not fit yours; and you 

 would dislike to wait a few days for the ar- 

 rival of parts. 



Stamford, Ct, has a recently organized 

 cycle club, of about 60 members, many of 

 whom are among our solid men. " Jack " 

 Robinson is one of the pushers in it. I am 

 honored by being an honorary member. 



Good oil and good judgment make a 

 wheel run smoothly. 



Stamson. 



Bicycles are cheaper 



Than ever this year, 

 But the bicycle girl 



Remains just as dear. 



— Washington Capital. 



Wheeler — Whew! Isn't this day a 

 scorcher? 



Walker — It is a disagreeable, exasperat- 

 ing, muggy, infernally hot day, but I 

 wouldn't call it so mean a name as that. — 

 Indianapolis Journal. 



