Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-04-28
AFEW WOMEN RIDERS
ONE OF MRs. cUsTER's TRIPS ON
HORSEBACK IN A BLIZZARD.

Several Noted Women Who Take Much
Pleasure and Exercise In Horseback
Riding-A Southern Rider-Miss DOR
dams Riding Outfit.
The privilege of horseback riding was
one not generally accorded to women until
within our grandmother's time, and it is
not until our own day that the canons of
propriety dictate the liberty of IL woman
riding without an escort.
Thus custom has made it impossible,
speaking generally, for women to have be-
come accomplished in the art of riding, al
though there have been a few like the IA
nous maid of Bregcnz, Joan of Arc and
the nautch heroine, Frieda, who have saved
nations by their daring horsewomanship.
Much has been said about w%oman-that
she is tickle, wavering and sentimental
but her worst enemy gives her the powers
OF endurance, instinct and courage.
These are just the qualities which go to
make a perfect rider. French women us
a rule do not take to riding; they prefer
driving and less fatiguing sports. But the
German, Russian, English and America.
women seem as though born to he saddle
AAO O1C UI1Cy itlC lLllOldISu lIllO as proper.
ties and pleasures.
The empress of Germany sits a saddle
like an amazon and rides a horse but few
men dare mount. She appears OH gala &C.
casions by her husbands side and looks
everinch-what she is-the wife of a ruler
and the daughter of a queen.
In London the Prince of Wales daugh-
tiers are fair riders and have covered much
Dr0inH while Drircocc Nforr 0f NNoo1- 81 60
famed for her skill as a horsewoman.
In America, Or to be more local, in New
York, there lives one woman who has
eclipsed all hernineteenth century sisters in
horseback riding, for to her it was u neccs.
sity, not u luxury. She is Mrs. Elizabeth,
Custer, the wife Of the late celebrated gen
eral who gained so many victories ON the
frontier, and who died valiantly fighting
for his country.
Mrs. Custer leads Il very quiet, unevent.
full, peaceful life in her home upon Licking
ton avenue, with only IL few months lee.
turing tour aud an occasional trip abroad
to break the monotony.
A1ter her stirring life upon the frontier
one wonders that everyday domestic life
sufhces her. Shc has eaten breakfast, din.
ner and tea to the tattoo of a drum and the
waf'yhoop of Indians. She has lived in the
saddle for months at u time. She has tray
eled over all the broad western states in
their crudest and most primitive condition,
and proven the statement that women can
stand hardship as we'll as men.
Mrs. Custer is of the opinion that women.
when the occasion calls for it, manage
horses with more Judgment than men. She
thinks that some of the sensitiveness of the
rider %permeates the animals intelligence,
and he realizes that he has a precious bur-
den in his care. Then, she says, a woman
is so much lighter on a horse, and so very
1.-the. swaying and movingin harmony with
the animal, whereas a man weighs down
heavily upon the back, and from his very
carriage necessitates a tremendous load.
The Indian women,' remarked Mrs.
Custer, ride like beings of supernatural
lineage, throbbing with life, spirit and
muscular elasticity"
A famous ride of Mrs. Custer was made
through the snowdrifts of North Dakota.
where she was the life of the party and pre-
pared the scant amount of food in a deli
cate, appetizing way. as only n woman
could. Any one who knows aught of a Da-
kota snowstorm is ware of the peril the
Custer party were in-miles and miles from
a station and with no means of making
known their Distress. The snow, ice and
sleet piled round them like uprooted monu-
ments anxious to bury them beneath their
huge bases and leave only the bowling
winds to tell the story.
Hours and days passed without a sign OF
the storms abatement. The skies took on
the deathly color of sorrowful gray and
the low cries of animals in pain rent the
air. Yet through all this uncanny, terrible
time the brave woman lay wrapped in her
blankets telling simple, interesting tales in
q charming way and keeping the anxious
minds from thoughts of hunger and of
death from the bitter cold.
Mrs. E.. S. Beach, teacher of riding at the
New York riding school, is one of the
most graceful and robust of the New York
equestriennes. She first became acquaint-
ed with a horse when a girl of s. She has
mad that noble beast her best friend ever
since. She spends 10 hours a day in the
saddle n declares that she does not know
the meaning OF the words ache and pain.
my longest ride was through the big
tree district in California" replied Mrs.
Beach to a question put to her in regard to
long rides. II was in the saddle for sew
eral weeks steadily and rode over much
rough country"
Elizabeth Jordan. the talented writer.
spent over a month ON horseback in the
mountains of Virginia and Tennessee. She
started out with a long riding habit and all
sorts OF fashionable paraphernalia, but
gradually disposed of these accessories and
came down to a short gown and a gripsack.
1.-The greatest trouble 1 found about rid.
ing in the southern mountains" she said.
was that the distances between towns
was too great, and the darkness .camo n,,,,
the paths too quickly. l enjoyed every
hour of my trip and studied the charactrr.
istics of the people with interest and curi.
osity."
Miss Alice MACEDONIAN, the daughter of n