Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-08-12
BICYCLES FOR WOMEN.

1t has been Il matter Of some culiosi-
ty to inquiring minds that women have
in general looked with GOODNESS and
scorn upon the pleasing and innocent
pastime of bicycling. Nay, when some
bolder spirit persists in having her own
way and comes back after a breezy
spin, with fresh roses mantling her
complexion, she is sometimes made to
feel that she is an outcast of the deep
est dye Recently that great and wise
man. Ward NlcAllister, though he was
good enough to make an exception in
favor Of tricycling, which is as faS-
chatting an amusement as trundling
bricks in a wheelbarrow, put the ban
Of social condemnation ON bicycling
with unrelenting severity. To be sure,
there are women who ride, ana the
uumber is increasing every day, but
these are only the exceptions that
prove the rule. The exercise of bicy-
cling is SO fascinating and healthful,
ana the power Of making long trips
without trouble or fatigue is 50 val
liable that this reluctance TO take il
up seems almost unaccountable. The
latest authority ON the subject is Mrs.
Mary S. Hopkins of New York City,
who after probing deeply into the
feminine heart for enlightenment, has
come to the conclusion that it is a
matter Of looks 70 those W ho have
once comprehended the awful import
Of that factor in woman-life this
theory is only too plausible. And it
must be admitted that some of the
women who ride do not present models
of grace and beauty, which a fastidious
man would care to set his sister to
emulatinC
Having discovered this great secret,
Mrs. Hopkins has set to work to relieve
the difficulty. She is firmly convinced
that by proper instruction women can
ride a bicycle in Il graceful ana stylish
way that will be the envy Of all be,
holders. and she is deyoring herself
with tongue and pen TO propagatlng
her doctrines She was in this city a
few days since. preparing for lecture
to be given some time next fall, and
while here she spoke freely in regard
TO her work She is a rider of great
experience, having been one of the
first to take it up when the tricycle.
was first introduced about eight years
ago. When the safety came into use in
1887 she was one Of the first to see
She has oeen for some time n popular
elocutionist and singer, and last year
went upon the lecture platform for
the first time She is also a writer Of
experience, contributing to the maya
zines and leading papers. She means
to give a lecture here as early as pos
slble, and hopes to increase the mum
Der of riders in this city very much.
There are two reasons, she says.
why many women DO not look well
on wheels One is that they do not
dress properly for It, and the other
is that they have their wheels badly
adjusted and sit improperly Mrs.
Hopkins gives two illustrations, In
the first the rider is suitably and taste
fully dressed Her skirts are full, but
not So annie rs to be awkward. Her
hat is small, neat, but vigorously plain.
She sits up. erect and vigorous, and her
arms are nearly straight rs her hands
rest lightly on the handle bars. As
She moves swiftly and easily over the
ground she is a picture Of grace and
rap0se. Contrast with this the graceful
figure of the second rider Her dress.
to begin with, WAS badly shaped and
viii show the outlines of her limbs with
awkward rightly every time the knee
is lifted. Her hat is one Of those
ornate creations, which women of very
bad taste sometimes wear ON the cars,
Her long Russian blouse, even. is
adapted for walking not for riding.
on the wheel II looks as awkward as il