Here and There

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 372, 25 June 1903, Page 7

Here and There

A CYCLIST'S RECKLESS FEAT. " """l VERY daring feat wasaccom- [ lished some time ago by a 1 cyclist) named William Shields of Woonsbeket, Rhode Island, U.S,A. He determined to pedal down the Capitol steps in' Washington, and while doing it had a narrow escape from serious injury, and, to convince sceptics that he did so, a photographer succeeded in taking his picture4just after he started down decline. The riele is a dangerous one, for the reason that the flight of the stairs is broken by three landings.. The two lower flights of sixteen steps each are broken by a landing ten feet in width, while the upper two flights have twenty-one steps each, divided by a landing about fifteen feet in width, making seventyfour steps in all. ,' * The police, are always on the lookout for cyclists who desire to ride "down these steps, and it is a very hard matter to do so without being caught. Shields, however, waited until the>teps and approaches were entirely clear of people, and then, placing his wheel at the tcp of- the incline, swung into the saddle and began the descent.

Before; he had reached the first lauding he lost his pedals, and not being 3 able to regain., them, .he sat upright in the saddle with his feet clear of the rapidly revolving cranks, waiting for the final shock on landing at the bottom. The" wheel rapidly gained momentum, and the velocity was so great that when he reached the final landing the wheel tookta* downward bound and cleared the remaining sixteen steps without touching a single one of them. , a Upon landing at the;bottom, the shock was so great that it threw o the 'rider out of his saddle,'and both wheel and rider went' ' down in a heap. The intrepid rider escaped without any serious injury, but the people who witnessed thejfeat shuddered, when they saw the rider fall. iThe? wheel did not loosen a bolt or yield at. any- point under the heavy

HOW TO FIGHT A BATTLE. ' You mustn't go into the fight with both ranks to-onct,' said the old colonel. * You must begin with the front rank alone, an' hold the rear rank back for a reserve. Nothin' ;Uke al; reserve to scarify an enemy ; witli||' I'll, tell you about that in a iminu|e. Now, here you be, marchin' along in two ranks, column front, 'tendin* to your own business; an' here's the enemy over here, gittinready to stop you. Don't go too nigh to: 'em. , Halt your troops fur enough back so's to give you plenty of room fer a good long run a,t'em. You can sometimes scare folks was by ruhnin' at 'em like.; .sixty, an' yellin' like blue Injinß, than you can by actually punchin' 'em in the face. .Now, then, soon 's you see tbe' 's got oto ?be 4 a fight, you begin it. Don't wait for them to git in the fust lick. Gjit it in yourself. Sometimes the' ain't on'y one blow struck in a fight, an' the feller that .strikes it wins the vict'ryi Sail right in with your front rank. Mind! your rear rank ain't to move till the Cap'n gives 'em orders. Let the front rank do the fighMn' till they've got the enemy sort o' tuckered but. Then come at 'em with your fresh troops, ruhnin' an' yellin' like all git outran' ten to one the enemy'll turn tail.' > "••' ;•...-•? GEORGE GROSSMITH AND HIS ? * ;; butler;'".- .%"■... I ,; Many and various. and,, mostly weird ure,the reasons given by servants for wanting a change of place. Here is a- tale told .-by Mr. George' Grossmith, which adds a rare and wondrous instance to the long eesentrio listi His butler,' who had been, -with him for nearly twenty years, you please, want to'leave.' Mr? Grossmith was sorry,.„and v asked_ the man his reason. >J would rather not Btay,.^iur^i:w,att > U-h|i reply. .This was uncomfortable, and

again, + «. Come,' he said, ' you have been wifcii me for bo long* and have nevf complained before. .Surely 1 j almost have a right, to know why | you wish to leave. Your secrecy ie unpleasant, and r must really beg of you to tell me your reason .for leaving.' The butler thought a moment, and then Baid: * Well, air, ae you insist, I must tell you. But I don't want to. (A pause.)- The fact is, Bir, I've with you now for closd upon twenty years, and 1 m eipk of the' sight of you and of your family!' ' ' '"' * ""' :: ~ *> '•''' f '■'