The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-04-12
WoMEN ON BICYCLES.
a Novelty Whieh o. Growing PoPalar 9
the National Capital.

the National Capital.
A Washington correspondent Of the Glebs-
Dsn0eras says: I saw y sight one evening
last week. ! saw a woman go By on q b.
eyclei On q bicycle. repeat a vehicle with
two wheels only, one of which was directly
behind the other Her feet-nOt % use .
stronger term-were on both sides Of the
connecting bar balancing precisely a. a man
would, and her lower eXtremiiies were Hop
ping and kicking IN a lively manner There
was hutter Of lace and a Hash of skirts
whenever the r sspertive ends Of the walk
ing beam went mp. and I thought I had
struck crazy ballet dancer running away
with some mans marhire.
l blushed and turned nv face 70 the wall,
resolved 10 gaze on the sight no more; but
Immediately turned back and resuu "A my
Investigations.
When / bashiully withdrew my glance
there was only one Of these efiigies; when I
resumed my vigilance there were two Of
them, for another had ga.lopcd up and
joined the first. Both were dressed N all
respects in the ordinary street costume % a
lady, one wearing a Iaun'y hat and the
other q bonnet. But they were a pair Of
spectacles.
u ought 10 BE- added perhaps that the
bicycles were safety mas ~----s- that ths
connecting bar between the Sneeis waa
lower than usual. and that the colJrivanco
was propelled bv pejd s. attached 0the hind
wheels.
" This phenomenon must b. furtner IN
vestigated." 1 remarked 10 myself and
Gown I went next day AMI interviewed our
4 reat bicycle mIuufact urer- call him smith
Mr. Smith, how ABOUT rhos- female bs-
eyclesi 2" I asked
There il one be remarked, pointing
out one that leaned lalgudly against The
partition. just lit o."
/ did II was very light.
4" What's the use Of . iasly- riding "a tri.
cycle, the hghtest q which weighs sixty
pounds, when she cau ride bicycle that
weighs ouiy thiriy-hye polnds. and 90 q
great deal faster Wrh "a smaller eAp,.n .ndl-
uure Of furrc TIar- what smith said
1 did not an.urr J-r question. but In
CURED II birycirs were u-td uy women any
where else.
Nowhere else 70 The world 90 said smith.
triumphautly i Eai.e ilrs- uisself and
put them Oh tue market.
" Who are ne gay girls - IS our on them
10 day'r ] ingUiTri
They arc nut -ar." tr answered; they
ara not h-iiisCnr I-ailtns Ike Mary
Walker; they srr sil,d and couven'l1ual
dames-wiveS and ri0'Lcr=
viii women wear bity'.cs anywhere
elsei' inquired "f Su.fh
"Of course rhcy wit Washington will
set the example slid N,.yy York. Boston and
Chicago will follow. Ot course. no o'her
city IS quite So wei a-ap,s,i 20 their Use as
Washington Is. be,7ir~. uu other ill 'he
world has such -,noorA STREETS. hut others
will use them. Tlie-rusr fourteen thuu md
cyclers IN this ,itv. and il.se nov '0v "
cles Will gradually -upersstie the tr...vries
Il must hr s". The >urvIva. oI Tine i.rest
requires j
So woman = competing her conquest Of
the planet Sle rovs She smokes She
prearheS She hazcs. She shoots Six
rides And now she has lassocd the irut
grasShopprr and has fcarlessly mounted it
For myself 1 can only cNclaiui. More
power 10 the elbow 0f her bower eN-r-mi-
lies