The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1895-07-12
WOMAN ON a WHEEL.
She May Have a Good Time. But She Is
Not "a Thing Of Eeauty-

Not "A Thing OF Beauty
Bicycle riding for women may be
joy forever. but it is not thing of
beauty. If you're inclined to doubt
this statement, says the New \ orll
Evening sun, just take a stroll up the
boulevard any fine day. Sunday pre-
ferred. The sabbath seems to appeal
particularly to the woman bicyclist.
1t isn't alone her much-diScUS~ed cos
tune that violates all your accepted
standards of the eternal fitness of
things; the very act and motion Of pro
pclling the wheel" becomes an eNtraor-
dinary feat when performed 10y a wOm-
an. 1t looks neither graceful nor elc-
giant. and this. too. no matter how
slender and symmetrical Of figure She
may hc. For that. though, there's no
help. If women must indulge in bicy-
Gle riding. and if an awkward appear
ance is the inevitable penalty, then all
that each individual may for herself
consider is whether the game is worth
thu. candle But in the matter of suits
there might surely bc some improve
mcnt. That the becoming and graceful
bicycle costume Is yet to be invented is
one of the strongest Impressions re
suIting from boulevard stroll. Now
and then Won see Il costume not conspic-
uously dreadful, but the overwhelming
ma iority recall the artists criticism
upon his pupils latest picture. That's
not bad, said the artist. No; its not
bad. its worse" 1t would seem as
though every style of bicycle suit had
its own peculiar disadvantage. Bloom
cr,. of course. entail masculine not
To- speak of feminine, disapproba-
tion. The short skirt il simply in the
way and il little or no projections; the
long skirt gets still more in the way,
especially if il hc full. while if Scant
ii shows of the figure most unfortun-
atcly. \ lOng-sllirted bodice spreads
out like a sail and catches ;hc wind;
a short-Sllirted bodice makes you wish
II were longer. Wheel women. too. diff
fer a. To- Just which stye of suit i best
adapted for riding. one of phiIadcl-
phia's best bicyclists declares that the
only time She finds her long skirts ia
the way il when she dismounts her ma
chine To- climb a hill. All stout women
il one may judge from the spectacle
upon the boulevard, are in favor of
bloomers-and the Stouter the woman
the scantcr the boomers Some riders
wear their Easter bOnnetS and new
spring capcs when upon the bicycle
Just a. they would when in a buggy;
but although they present grateful
contrast To the blOOmercd chapcroucs
of the track such apparel has a certain
untitncSS. Not the least interesting
feature "f the boulevard show is the
spectators. They gather thicklv upon
the sidewalk and cape for hours at the
rapidly revolving wheels before them
Most OF the crowd are men. and it IS
curious To watch the expression on
their faces when they catch sight of a
woman hicyclist. This expression is
always the same, only varying in de
gree. Eloumcrs bring ont its superla-
tive qualities. II does not under anv
circumstances. however. suggest eSpe-
ciaI respect, reverence or admiration
for the woman bicyclist: in fact. il
seems hardly inclined to take her scri-
ou>ly at all. The sooner that She is
taken seriously. however. both by the
onl""ilcr~ and by herself. the greater
will be the chance of an Improvement
in her costume