From the August 17, 1893 edition of The Chatham Record:
“Did Not Recognize the Wheel.
Several days ago two young men, who measure calico during the day, each hired a bicycle and hied himself for a spin up the country. It was on the Sabbath, and about ten miles from the city the cyclists decided to have a race. One distanced the other about 300 yards, and in turning a bad corner of a lane collapsed over a heap of stone. The wheel was demolished and the rider was irretrievably mixed among the spokes. An aged woman who happened to be passing was met at the turn in the road by clerk No. 2.
‘My good woman, have you seen a young man on a bicycle around here?’
‘Na, na,’ said the woman, ‘but I saw a young man up the road a spell who was sitting on the heath mendin’ umbrellas’ – Courier Journal.”
Clerk No.1 was probably grateful the aforementioned spokes kept his head away from the (also aforementioned) rocks, or he might have had a little trouble recognizing the wheel as well.
