sports and pastimes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 38, 15 January 1897, Page 29

sports and pastimes

AN AMERICAN STORY,

While a budding trick-rider was cavorting round the promenade a couple of strangers paused to look on. One of them asked the weight of the machine. The bike owner proudly replied it weighed 221bs. The stranger said that no bicycle was* worth a dumpihat didn't weigh SOlbs. A heated argument ensued, during which the stranger said he had ridden more bikes than the young man and his family ever saw. The young man derisively replied he didn't believe the stranger ever sat on anything better than a wheelbarrow in his life. The stranger said, •• Let me on that gimcrack of yours for five minutes and I'll show you what cycling really is "*; and immediately the young man hopped off and let the stranger on. It was soon seen that the stranger could ride all right ; in fact it was speedily made apparent that his cycling was better than his honesty, for after circling about the roadway once or twice he suddenly swished round the corner and went scooting off faster than a Mormon running away from thirty-seven wives. After staring like a Btuck pig for a few minutes the young man turned to the remaining stranger and tremblingly said : " I suppose your friend's all right and he'll come back soon ? " "My friend 1 " exclaimed the other with a hoarse, unfeeling laugh. " Why. I never saw the fellow before, and I don't believe you'll ever see him again." The young man was swindled, of course, and, considering they were " strangers," the other parties were remarkably friendly and flush of cash at the races next day. HOW TO RIDE THE HANDLE-BARS. Riding the handle-bars is an easy trick that looks very diffiC -", lt * »W» W , hen ridin 8" y° u sit with y° ur right leg thrown over the left side of the handle-bars as though over a side-saddle. The machine is operated by your left foot upon the left pedal. To mount, you throw your weight upon the right arm on the right handle-bar You step with your left foot upon the left pedal. Instantly you throw your right leg over the left handle-bar, and there you are. seated comfortably. You can ride miles without a saddle if you please The handle-bars are worked with both hands, one hand being under the leg.