The record-union., 1895-08-09

Woman on the Wheel and the Law
to Follow in Tint Matter.
In the first place. it ought to be law
for every woman that she should never
ride a bicycle after a distinct feeling OF
WEAKNESS comes over her. For those
who are beginning, especially. and III
measure for all women, there Is danger
of riding out certain distance, and only
turning towards nome when this feeling
OF WEAKNESS comes on. In Such cases the
strain on the nervous system all the way
home is very great, and by the time the
end of the journey is reached-for 1t has
become journey by this tlme--the rider
is exhausted to such an extent that Sc
we're headache or some moro serious IN
disposition is the result. There Is no
other reason for this than the fact that
she did not prescribe for herself certain
distance before starting Out, which "aS
not TO be exceeded under any cIrcunl-
stances. No ordinary woman who rides
for pleasure once or twice week should
do over about ten miles at a time. This
is perhaps an hours ride, that may be
easily extended to all hour ana quarter
before that distance Is covered. and II she
does not feel fresh and in glow when
she stops she may pe certain that she has
ridden too long. Naturally there Is that
healthy tired feeling which everyone
recognizes after athletic exercise. but it
mistaken for the weaginess which comes
from too much eXertiOu and StralnlGg OF
tho nerves and muscles. cry lew
women have ever been injured on Il BIZ
cycle who have kept to this rule and
limited their riding TO normal distances
The limit of distance, which is desig-
mated by the first feeling of WEAKNESS, IS
only little more important than the
limit OF speed which the female frame IS
capable of undergoing under healthy ex-
ercising rules. Whether man can ride
at full speed for a long distance and still
retain his good health is a doubtful ques-
ton, but it does not particularly concern
us in the present discussion. 1t is quite
certain, however, that no woman can
keep up high rate OF speed Tor even
generous portion OF mile and not create
the beginnings Of Injuries. The added
strength required to increase your speed
even little after certain amount OF
power has been expended is out of all
proportion to the results. There is no re-
Taxation Of the muscles between revolu-
tons of the pedals, nor any let-up on the
nervous and muscular strain while the
speed lasts. The heart is far more taxed
than one realizes at the moment, and that
species OF tingling or numbuess in the
nerves and muscles W hich often results is
only sign that they have been over
taxed.
This danger of acquiring too much
speed is natural enough. The bicycle
runs 50 easily on smooth asphalt or mac
adam that 1t is a strong temptation to
.'scorch Indeed. it is SO strong a tempta-
ton that as soon as a girl has fairly
learned to ride easily she has 10 put de-
liberate check on herself TO avoid drop
ping into it.-Harper's Bazaar
There was good deal of pith to Mrs.
Stanton's remark in reply TO Bishop
Doane that women are riding 10 suf-
frage on the bicycle" They may not be
riding to suffrage, but they are riding
everywhere and everywhither they
want to go. Certainly and conspicuously
they are riding into any sort OF costume
il suits them TO put on. Boomers are
getting so common that it seems possible
that the untutored eye will presently
dwell upon them without shock. The
more circumspect American ladies still
keep out OF them. and may never come
TO prefer them TO skirts, but the young
and giddy experiment with them pretty
freely. Was there ever anything so etli-
cacious to give woman al idea Of what she
could do ii she tried rs the bicycle? So
berly speaking if she had to choose be-
tween The ballot and the bicycle as a
means of development and advancement,
she might better cleave to the bike. 1t is
worth more to her than the ballot. 1t is
more fun, more use, less trouble and
very much less costly. There was plth
in what Mrs. Stanton said, but is there
not some substance in the suggestion that
the bicycle has brought women SO many
new opportunities and privilege that she
never needed or wanted the suffrage SO
little as now.-Harper's Weekly.