New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-02
THE DIRECTIONS ARE SIMPLE.
AFTER ALL. PRACTICE IS THE GREAT
THING IN LEARNING TO RIDE A WHEEL
WOMEN FIND IT HARD AT FIRST TO DO AS
THEIR INSTRUCTORS TELL THEM-A VIEW
THAT BLCOMERs ARE TOO CONSERVATIVE
AND THAT KNICKERBOCKERs ARE THE

| THAT BICOMERS ARE TOO CONSERVATIVE
AND THAT KNICKERBOCKERs ARE THE
ONLY SENSIBLE COSTUME.
| There hundreds Of women in New orK WHO
fairly expert bicycle riders scores OF others VINO
are debating whether they shall learn or not ana
still larger contingent struggling bravery tone may
| say almost manfully) to acquire the ART
| Il believe I'd rather get a bicycle tnan take
| trip off this summef." decides busy young stem
| ographer with months vacation al hef d'spoSi
and not oversupply OF funds other business
women are OF the same opinion. ana III many '"N"-
rious homes. where there need be no alternative
OF pleasure but where the consent Of over-anNionS
or prejudiced parents mus; obained the allan
sorbing topic is whether Kate or Juiid or Marie
is TO have wheel
Any fine morning. numbers OF women collect at
| the various entrances to the PARK ana Whe'' u"
singly in pairs OF in groups of three or FOUR Tor
a spin through lis tempting roadways' Inc "l'el-
noon Witnesses another gathering OF theSe lar
riders and after nightfall in quiet uptown streets
the spectacle OF beginners. assisted by iriehd or
| two. practising On the smooth asphalt pavement
before their doors is common enough. The Boule-
ward. in weather is favorite resort for riders
OF both sexes. after the noisier and more optruSNc
vehicles retired for the night ana rare sport
do these specders have the level. far-reachnS
driveway. Plainly. cycling has captured the popular
fancy but one does not realize JUST TO what extent
the infection has spread until visit TO one OF the
many cycling schools reveals the immense number
of people learning TO ride
Have you given up riding inquiries middle
aged matron who has just come into the academy
, of the Young girl by whom she takes scat.
| "Oh no." replies the gin. emphaucaiY, as II
as,onshed that such idea could have entered the
friends mind. Il waiting for a teacher. ike
the special one | took my first lessons from. but he
! had promised three other pupils ahead of me al
ready tins morning. I've been here ever since nan
past 9"
| can you ride alone YETI
| "A little way" says the pupil. proudly; but l
don't believe I'll learn outright in the five lessons
A great many people do. though. That big woman
there. with the ligh-strpel SILK waist. learned III
| three but she had tried little before she came
here She isn't a bit nervous"
she got an awful fall just now" puts in a woman
on the other side.
| "Ob that.s because she's learning 70 mount But
she's going to make a splendid rider. she's so
pucky ! expect I'll get two or three falls when
| &c, out there. but l don't care. II l only learn
quickly"
4 teacher pauses near the railing at this moment,
tanning himself enersetically with his cap. I'm
number thirty" says the girl. significantly. holding
olt her ticket. and Forming that he is at last as
engaged she goes of joyfuy 70 her lesson ana De-
comes one of thu countless units wheeling about
the floor
They're a queer looking lot, ;hese bicycle begin
ners some wabbling angularly about the hail! jerk
ing the handle the right. then TO the leii
| with pansiaking accuracy. gazing nNedly al INC
front wheel and counting each forward movement
made in this eccentric manner as 50 much gained IN
the undertaking they have set for themselves Inc
| teacher walks apprehensively by their side. 10 be
| ready in case Of emergency but they have reached
the stage when he has stopped holding them on.
lie has stopped giving advice. too lie realizes mat
they must work things out in their own way. even
though the process be slow and tolious. Occasion
ally he interfcrcs when another uncertain WARBLER
rolls dangerously close TO ms charge and collision
| seems Imminent
| A girl clad all in gray. from the bottom of her
n1any-buttoned iegeinEs TO the crown o. her Taino
| shantcr cap. has made the round az the floor a
| dozen times with her patient Instructor walking by
| her side HIS hand j. on the little handle under
meath her saddle. but she is apprehensve lest he
should withdraw II. lie has Withdrawn II several
times for brief space. and she has gone on short
| distance unaware OF her own holiness: as soon.
| however as she discovered the deception. she lost
courage and but for timely aid would have had
| tumble.
That girl has been learning for more than any
five lessons" says Of the spectators Ana 50
she has but she Will succeed in the end. She in
| tended to become a bcyclist when she had that
pretty costume made. and the fact that she Is AL
fixed for the sport Will spur TO fresh en-
| deavor
An unwiedy man with white hair and face that
declares him longer young is practising indeiau-
| gably all by himself; young man. whose crratc
| management Of his wheel declares him newly
neiged disciple takes the elder man by the arm.
and the gyrate together, spreading cons''Ihh-
ton IT, their path. Young girl who rides 10 perfec-
| ton has been skimmng swiftly around the nan.
| darling Ike swallow she makes the turns.
yielding t. every motion Of her wheel and attract
ing the admiration OF the Onook RS. she does not
wear a distinctive costume; her skirt Is ample in
length and very fun, and T. floats out on either
| side Of wheels II inparts singularly fraccinl'
floating motion 10 her course II suddenly occurs I"
| this finished rider to change her course ana turn
| back among the thrpng Instead - going on I"nn1'
| She tho grating couple clfeNng amifdhly TO-
| gethcr ami tries 10 avoid them. bat iher move
ments are uncertain 10 be- counted on. There is
! IA clash Of wheels. q slight scream. and the tnrcr
tumble incOntinsntly 10 the nODr receiving an un-
expected addition IN the shape - q small b"y whose
reckless guiding has brought him to g'ef more man
| once that morning Three teachers run I" ne t''hn
of action COR rather lnacllou of nothing D. done fpf
a momrnl ~ ~ hs the fallen onrri, ana men ihe
| stout man AMI The gin helped ~ ana he usual
| Inquiries made as ~ injuries, The young man ana
| tho small boy oEirc,io ihrmrciV" rom 10" hr'p
and soon hIo on ih'ir whilnR legs hPnin ~" stout
man IN holpod of 10 The outskirts ~ ne ""w''
| whore he relates his otp.fionrrs 80 i"rdf hFmlh.
thloir. ana the gil stands IN The middle ~ ~" moor
| bY her wheel. talking nninri'liv Tor a long I'M"
| ~ nm acquaintance II IN noticeable however, that
| rho rides no more that mofninr much a. he roger
| ~ those vino enjoyed her performance \ woman
both inIi nnd stout bui moro HE second Than rhr 10
| the nfti working harder than any Of The others
| ana her fnco " cilmnon win 'Nett'on hho IL 10"
only woman present who wears no skirt. ana. ~ "
TO nccentnnto her costume and her excessive avolf-
dupois her black cotsago has u naring yellow v"si'
| n hint ~ which color appears also IN her hat. She
II trying 70 learn to mount. ana bears all ~" MS
| couragemenis that attend her efforts win praise
| worthy patience ana perseverance, When IN" once
gets on her wheel she Is fairly good rider. ~ Ar
| ~ motion Is concerned. If not grace Fortunately
| she IL unconscious OF the adverse criticism which
| her costume and her excess Of flesh win from the
| rows Of spectators
How can a woman consent TO make such guy
| of hcrselfY' saws a trimookng woman to her com
| paniOn. 49, in,
! 'Iow vulgar she looks.' comments another critic.
| 'She doesn't look as Il she belonged to the same
! sDeces that pretty girl over there prOnounceS
| a tall man 10 the women with him.
| For nv part, / don't think her costume any