The herald., 1894-04-22
WOMAN'S WORLD.
PARIS AGlTATED OVER A COSTUME
FOR BICYCLING WOMEN.

esting Foreigner-womcn as Swimmers.
Are Self Supporting Women In Danger?
A Healthy Discussion.
Bicycling has become such favorite
means of locomotion and popular exer-
else with women in Paris that the sub
Iect of costume, appropriate in all its
details for this charming occupation,
has reached the magnitude Of discus.
sion. The old battle for riding breeches
is being repeated in the arguments for
and against bicycling trousers Know.
ing, as we all do, the fate Of the full,
long skirted riding habit. it is safe to
predict which side will win.
Women are becoming more and more
interested in athletic sports and are
adapting them to their use and anuse-
ment as fast as possible; but, as ever
must be the case with women, the ques-
tion naturally resolves itself into prob
lem of dress. A distinctive, rational,
display the feminine charms to advan-
tage and at the same time suit itself to
the required purposes of bicycle is an
article of perfection which the modern
Frenchwoman, even with all her adapt
iveness, has not yet invented. She has
taken up the sport with all eagernesa
and interest, but opinions are divided,
and nixnportant problem remains un-
solved Meanwhile the costumes vary
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prejudices Of the riders. Those who insist
on wearing trousers have to endure the
discomfort of being stared at as freak
as they pass, while those who wear
skirts have to contend with the wind as
it catches them and bulges them out in
a very immodest manner, so each has
its own disadvantage.
The most acceptable trouser suit has
thickly plated zouave knickerbockers
put in at the waist like kilt skirt and
falling below the knees in heavy folds.
A short zouave jacket and full shirt are
worn with them. This gives perfect free
dom to the body, cannot be inflated by
the wind and does not reveal the out
lines of the figure as much as an ordi-
nary riding habit Other members Of
the cycling society cling to the feminine
skirt, cut quite short. The most grace
full dress of all combines the two by SUBJ
stituting for the zouave jacket and shirt
Russian blouse, belted at the waist
and giving the appearance of an over
skirt reaching half way to the knee.
One of the important factors-to the
Frenchwoman-among the attractions
of cycling was the possibility of a new
and fetching gown, but the difficulties
do not seem to be as easy to surmount
as she anticipated, and before the ques-
tion is settled she had better consider
the fact that mems clothes are very un-
Secoming to women. The idea that
women ride astride of anything on BIZ
cycle is absurd, as it is not possible
Sho mounts by placing her right foot Gu
its pedal, and as soon as the machine
starts the other pedal comes up to meet
the left foot, and the rider is seated as
modestly as if she were in her own draw
ing room--New York Sun. --
saw Mrs. Cleveland tho other night
at the "Sindbad' ballet and burlesque.
She had the front seat in the private
box next the stage with Mrs. Carlisle.
Mrs. Cleveland wore a we'll fitting
light dress with some dark ruffies. 1t
had no sheen Of silk. She was simply
dressed and her hair in the bead trim
ming, now worn like low coronet or
hollow hat
She was milk faced, like recent young
mothers, and correspondingly of full
habit. She sat high wasted in her
chair, like one tall from the hips up
Her form and bust were those Of mar
ried woman, both exhibiting beauty
which will not again be fragile Or fiexi-
BILE. For time to come her place and
look will be among danes rather than
brides. Her hand, when occasionally
raised, was white and rather large. The
junior Clevelands, if ever deserving to
feel it, will know where it is applied.
1t was demonstrative of no notable jew
elry. Her air, whiteness, composure,
sound enjoyment, attention and refined
restraint, neither stiff nor efusive, were
all of common sense order. Her face,
turned to the stage, was generally in
profile, and she hardly looked at the au-
dience, which in part knew her, but
made no expression of satisfaction nor
hardly Of curiosity.
No affectations of lorgnette, fanglass,
smelling bottle or even opera glass did
see. She kept her seat all the evening,
watchful of the piece. Between the acts
she talked to Mrs. Carlisle, scarcely
bending, like one young spouse to an
old one. Her behavior became the presi-
dents wife, not that she knew she was
such, but in the limitations of natural
refinement, and she laughed without a
change Of position, the laughter Of hu-
NOR rather than fun, the appreciation Of
the eyes and an unclosing of the mouth,
but never carried away. She liked the
songs. Her eyes would rove with bit
of light in each toward Mrs. Carlisle.
Gath's Washington Letter in Cincinnati
Enquirer.
An Interesting Foreigner.
Nine. Tateno, wife Of the Japanese