The Washington times., 1894-11-11
p Journey on Bicycles
[nY MApeE RonERrsoN.l

U Il II WcIo FLA va ucJ luCiuu4uS bA~
rash young woman, the writer (and
her husband), who undertook to
give nominal chaperonage to four
young and lively damsels. The days were
days of much and varied excitement-I put
1t as mildly as possible-and the nights
nights of dreamless sleep. We were mainly
devotees to bicycling, altough two of the girls
had taken to it recently in Difference to fash
ions DEGREES. But we regarded them with
the kindly tolerance the journalist gives to
the dilettanti. Bicycling had for long time
been a serious part OF our locomotive exist
once, and We are simply now getting in our
second wind at It, as the pioneers in the
Fraser River districts get il their second
wind on salmon, and SO are forever acclima-
tized. Fashions may come. fashions may go,
but we are bicyclists for all time.
We left all res possibilities behind, includ-
ing our own names, and went on the trip
unhampered by the cares attaching TO ones
indivuality. The chaperon was known as
Mrs. Battle, because in pre-bicycling days
she had been known to unbend her mind over
book. Then there was Lillian Russell, in
partial Difference to her beauty, which was
sufficiently startling to keep the chaperon's
hands from having found satanic employ
ment but mostly because OF q certain facility
in breaking of engagements. Her com
panion-we rode mostly in pRlrs-We called
Gallagher, because in her brief newspaper
days, before her obliging and wealthy aunt
legacied her largely, she had once ''beat the
town"
MY Kate" who was almost all Mrs. Brown
| ing wrote of her, rode often with an impu-
dent little thing in red and black. whom We
oil, Mar IIar fair hair
dimpled prettIness was OF the blue-eyed,
cherub order, and it was always matter OF
| pleasing expectancy what she would do or
say next. When she spoke we all listened.
The husband of the chaperon remarked with
| facetiousness that 1t was obvious that he was
the president, since the only thing his party
| were united upon was tnat each member. OF 1t
| wanted to 90 a different direction, and the
only thing they were unanimous about was
| abuse of himself.
| November was perhaps, little late for
| trip OF this sort but for various reasons it
was the time for US, and We were lucky
enough to escape pad rains We started out
! gayly oblivious of such mundane affairs as
| to where we should sleep and where dine.
| Farm houses and little cross-cornsr settle
ments abounded upon our route. and In these
! disgustingIy hard times we knew that all
| doors would be gladly open to US for a con-
| sideration. We had not much money among
US, for reasons into which 1t is not neces
| sary to enter since everybody explains them
in his own way, and so we blessed the bicycle,
| since but for il our beautiful trip would have
| been impossible.
Surely generations Of women will rise up
| and call the first wheel woman blessed. A
new world has been opene,i TO the women OF
cities and towns. Thousands of women iv-
ing in the heart of crowded quarters never
see a country road save in glimpses from ex-
| cursion-train windows, never PICK wild
flower never hear the hymns OF birds in the
| forests because they cannot afford horse.
| Thousands of other women who live in re-
moter districts are debarred from countless
pleasures-which would mean so much to
lives barren of privileges-because distances
are too great for walking and other means OF
| locomotion unavailable.
Again the nervousness of many women
able to afford horses prevents their riding,
and driving is not exercise. The bicycle
offers the needed exercise. still larger
class stay indoors altogether, and give dys-
pepsia to three generations because there is
| nothing 10 entice them out OF doors. Lillian
| Russell, for instance-our Lillian, mean
was wont to speAd hours of the day in her
cozy corner, reading, dreaming, drinking tea,
and eating chocolates Even Ter fine COM
plexion would not have stood that dyspeptic-
inviting mode OF living. But since she rose
at fashions call, and donned divided skirts
brim Of which rolled away from her wavy
hair. and a smart Eton coat and vest, she
lounges no longer. The days are too short
TO get in all the wheeling she would like.
We took our trip leisurely, with only occa-
| sional spurts and races. AS il was intended
to last fortnight and take in as much Of the
American continent as possible. We had nD
breath to spare. The president had fad
that il we talked less he could ride faster.
None of Us ever stopped long enough to listen
| TO his remarks The first day was breezy
one, but there was nothing 10 blow away or
come TO bits about any of our costumes, so
we loved the wind in our faces. When we
turned and went with the wind blowing
nightly along behind US, it was as If we rode
winged steeds Mephisto was our swifest
rider She was wont 10 dash ahead in the
impertinent way which distinguished her,
singing daring French Canadian songs, CON-
ing up suddenly behind stray pedestrians and
startling them into smothered remarks, until
she reached a hilltop and could look down
upon five bicycle dots on the road below.
As we came up TO her we got stray bits ol
poetry descriptive Of the down-look. The red
and black stripes-'they ara not at all becom'
ing" she observed coolly, "but you would
call me Mephisto"-seemed TO ooZe quota
tions and the only thing she ever seemed tc
have read books for was 10 be able TO quote
whatever was startling in them. After half al
hour or so of wheel beside her, the presiden
would usually retire for the rest OF the da.
and follow US at the distance Of mile.
1t was on this first day when had her II
charge-'My Kate having gently intimateC
that until she got used to her new wheel sh
preferred less erratic mate than Mephisto-