New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-24
SUdrL BOY INQUIRY.

I, IL we'll sometimes to turn aside from the
consideration OF the ncDular hypothesis the oar
vinion theory and thc Russian penal system, ana
make a critical examination OF matters nearer AZ
hand. II is not 50 much the Importance oil
problem as the spirit IN winch 1t Is studied 'h"t
srcaks well or i'll for the Investigation mus tNe
man who approaches the thcocms oil Euchd III
a liqht and careless spirit, perhaps smoking
cigarette and with his mind on the bnscDaIl
game rs ne is chalking out the ground plans, Is
deserving Of less credit than the one who makes
a close and exhaustive study OF the subject OF
keeping a single cyegass in position. Too many
r,,n scorn to think about the little things which
constantly surround them. For instance, now
many ever tried to explain why it is that boys
vcocipede is always five or six times too small
for him? Yet this is one Of the darkest problems
with which the thoughtful man is confronted
That a small boys velocipcdc is always several
sizes too small for him we suppose no sane person
will attempt 20 deny. The idea that the small boy
las always outgrown his velocipcde Is absurd. II
history public records or individual obserVatloh
over in a single instance brought to light boy
who was not too big for his veloclpede, their
uigbt be some ground for this theory. but they
do not Besides. careful Observers who have made
n study Of the matter report seeing boys coming
out Of vclocipedc shops with new velocledes
much too small for hem. The person who doubts,
as some persons will, should walk about the
streets till he has seen, let MS say, two hundred
small boys, each riding velocipcdc, and with his
legs drawn up SO that his knees Craze his ears
OF every movement Of the pedal, ana he VIII De
convinced that what we have said Is true
II is also curious fact that in nil ages and
clmes the small boy has been big for lis veoci-
npI Dr Sphlpmann a. XhUmpl some
ancient bas-relicfs somewhere in Asia Minor, one
Of which showed a small boy Of the sixth cen
tury before Christ who had just knocked his
helmet OF with his knee while riding vclocipedc.
Two wears ago Professor Parker discovered frag-
ments of stone vel0cpede in Todd County,
Minnesota 10 was evidently II relic Of the mound
builders, and the bones of small hoy found by
the side Of it showed him 10 have been much too
large for the velocipcde. These specimens are
now preserved in the Smithsonian Institution at
Washington, where the curious may make measure
ments and comparisons
There are many interesting stories told of at
tennis to fit the small boy TO the veocipede.
An Elmira man named Higgins brought
home veocipede which was the exact size re-
ouired for his youngest son. The youngster, how
ever recognized that he could not retain his
standing in juvenile society if he rode it, he
refused 10 have anything TO do with il, and II
was appropriated by an older brother four sizes
bigger who used 1t for two years, or until the boy
il was intended for had nicely outgrown it, and
SO could appear on the street with II in safety.
At another time Newark man named leager
tried the same experiment., but II Is said that dur
ing the first night the wheel Of the vclocipcde
shrunk six inches, while the boys legs grew an
equal amount, thus establishing the usual proper
lions This story lacks confirmation and does
not, we are bound TO say, sound plausible. but IL
may be true 1t is at least known that when