When we began to laugh and roar, Jim began to swear and cry, and said if we would go on about our own business he would get out and come home when he got good and ready. Now there were only three of us, and Arthur lit out, leaving Walton and myself to come as fast as we could. We got into a mixup and both took headers over our wheels, when we sung out to Arthur to come back and help us. When he returned I showed deep regret that my wheel was broken, for, of course, I was not much tired, but when he pronounced both wheels in good running order, I felt awfully, for I would have given most anything for an excuse to go no farther. Arthur now encouraged us by saying he would run on a while and then wait for us, so we took it steady, and in some way got past him. Then we sat down in the shade and waited, for we did not want to report at the club house that we had left him in the country, for fear they would blame us. We finally started on and came slowly, stopping in every shade, waiting for Arthur, until we reached Garfield Park, where we met Minnie, my eldest daughter, with Dr. Chamberlain, her husband, and Alberta, my next, with her husband, George Carlson, together with several other neighbors, all riding their wheels, who laughed at us and said Arthur arrived home about three hours before. [Illustration: CYCLING RUN TO SOUTH PARK. THE LOWER LEFT-HAND LADIES AN INTERESTING TRIO. LEFT TO RIGHT, LOTTIE SOPER, ALLIE OLIVER AND LUCY NEWELL. TWO TALLEST MEN IN BACK, CHARLIE SOPER AND CHARLIE NEWELL.] ARTHUR'S AND WALTON'S LONG RUN The next summer Arthur and Walton made their famous ride through to Crystal Lake, Conn. Here is an outline of their exploit, which was considered a great achievement, considering the rainy weather and the rough roads they encountered between Chicago and Toledo and between Silver Creek and Memphis, N. Y. Here I reproduce the letters which Arthur sent back while on the road: Perrysburg, Ohio, June 17, 1896. Dear Father:-- Walton and I were very much surprised at the end of our first day's ride at Mishawaka, Ind., to read in the Tribune so much about your winning the 100-mile race over all the crack Illinois bicycle riders. The paper was shown us by our friends at Mishawaka, and at first we thought there was a mistake that father had won the closely contested race, but Walton said: "No use talking, Uncle Merrick is fast--but it is not all in his legs; it is his indomitable will power that wins." Then we pictured to ourselves the occasion and "he 55 years old," said I. "Well, God gave him a strong constitution, and he has taken care of it." Batavia, N. Y., June 19, 1896. Dear Folks at Home:-- This letter is especially for mother, Minnie and Bertie, while the ones about bicycle riding go to father. We are stopping here at Uncle John's at Batavia, and the rest is very welcome. We were mighty tired and this is the first day we have had a chance to rest since we left home.