Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-27
MARY JAMES LETTER.
SHE IS ASToNlsHED Attic CITY
OF NEW YORK.
metropolitan Newspapers Are Dragging
About a Woman Who Rides the Bicycle,
Whereas Washington Women Have Used
That Machine These Many Months.
[special correspondence.1


served in the New York newspapers re-
Gently quite little ovation to some lady
Of the vicinity of the metropolis who has
made her appearance on bicycle. Allow
ing that all the new things have their
beginning in the focal city of the Union,
| want to say that for months past women
on bicycles have been an every day street
attraction in Washington. Of course the
ladies do not ride mems bicycles, but to
the uninitiated it would appear that they
did. The woman's bicycle is, however,
of a different cast, and is, believe, a
Washington invention, and it is decidedly
superior to the tricycle. for ladies' use,
both in the labor required to propel it
and in its gracefulness on the track. On
one of these machines a lady in loose
flannel dress is o thing of beauty and
Toy forever, and there is less motion of
limb visible than in walking, and the OBJ
server may strain his eyes out of their
sockets without seeing more than the end
of her toes, which cannot be said of her
on tricyle of the most modest and diff
dent pattern. Washington probably leads
every city in the country In the number
of bicycles in use, 2, 900 of them, believe,
being required to meet the demand. Most
of them are ridden by men, but a great
many ladies ride, and on pleasant even
ings the turn out is quite impressive, and
the way the girls wheel in and out around
corners, and across streets, and fly along
the straight stretches is unique and in
vigorating. With nearly 200 miles of
concrete pavement, it is scarcely to be
wondered at that the national capital
should lead in this, as yet, undeveloped
agency of transportation. There is still
a strong prejudice against women on
bicycles, but the reformers are active and
persistent, and the time will soon come
when it will be considered quite as femi-
nine to ride a bicycle as it is to drive q
phaeton. So far the fashionable girls
have frowned upon the wheel, and don't
know of even one who has had the nerve
to take the street with q machine, but
they do many things more unwomanly,
and some day some daring belle viii make
the break, and once started the bad"
will grow, and | doubt not will live to
see the society of the capital on wheels
and the fronts Of residences on swell
streets lined with them on reception days.
was talking not long ago to the head
of one of the departments about politics
and the ways OF politicians and candi-
dates. when he gave me a bit of his expe-
rience.
I'VE have some queer customers to
deal with, he sGid, land pretty hard
row to hoe sometimes, but the veteran
candidate knows no such word as fail.
remember at ONE time / was running for
state Office in my state, and off in one
corner of it was county which / had
good grounds to believe was going against
me full tilt, and my chief enemy was the
clerk Of the county court, though he was
not aware that knew it. Well, / went
over into that county on horseback, and
after a long, hard days ride | reached the
county seat the day before court was to
meet. / got around to see some of the
people / knew, and | stepped into the
clerks Office for had been q clerk once
myself and rather liked TO look over the
work. The clerk was an old fellow, not
at all well, and his work was away be-
hind / talked awhile to him on politics
and general topics, and then went to the
hotel across the street After dark that
evening | noticed the light in his Office
and thought I'd go to see him again, for
He was plodding away when went in,
and was not very glad of the interruption,
but talked at him awhile and then pro-
posed to help him He showed me what
| he had to do, told me how bad he felt
! grunted and complained, knew that he
wouldn't be ready when court opened and
was generally about ready to do some
thing desperate
LOOK here said l. You knew me by
reputation and can trust me, can't your
:" / reckon can, he replied.
-" Well, now I'll tell You what I'll do;
| you 60 home and 60 to bed, leave me the
keys Of your office, and when you come
back in the morning maybe your work
will be in more satisfactory condition.
"He didn't want to do it, but over per
shaded him and he went home. Then
took hold, and with my coat off and all
my energy l set in on those books and
papers, and / never worked harder in my
life. About 2 o'clock in the morning the
last order was entered, everything was
done and done in the best style, for
wrote fine hand in those days'-he does
yet for that matter--'and | blew out the
lamp, locked up and went to the hotel tc
bed. Early the next morning he called
for the key, and when / went over to sec
him an hour or so later he wasn't the
same sort of a man | sent home 6
dozen hours before. He couldn't thanh
me enough, and told him I was only too
glad to help fellow in a tight place, an6
as soon as possible / got away, quite
satisfied that he had made me no promises
but quite as well satisfied that had mo-
worked in vain. And / hadn't, for wher
the vote Of that county came in l led thu
ticket head and shoulders above every
body. The old man had influence, and
my nights work for him won it all ant
that of his friends as well. "
One of the summer features Of Wash
ington life are the concerts by the Marinl
band in the White House grounds ever,
Saturday afternoon from to o'clock
They ere given at the south front of tn
building, and are the only really monarch
cal features of this country, as far as
have ever seen. One who has attends
the concerts given in palace parks b
kings to their people is peculiarly i'm
pressed by this as soon as she has reaches
the center of the grounds and has locke
up at the great white building, silent an
inexpensive, while the people in gay at
tire wander about the place, listening t
, the music and having the air Of those VIII
are guests without a host, benehciaries G
q bounty which a superior grants his II
feriors, not as a right, but as tavol
which they shall accept with due humi
ity and with proper gratefulness.
OF course people who don't know th
ways kings have Of doing Things don
observe this, and they 60 in to have
good time, flirting and chatting, an
walking and sitting. and they are happy
and that what the music is for. II
not the most fashionable crowd which a
tends these concerts, but it is gay con
pany, and the pretty girls and the
beaI;x, the older folks and their kids, Il
bright costumes and the merry chatt'
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