The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-31
WOMAN ON A WHEEL
She May Have a Good Time, But She Il
Not Thing OF Beauty.

ohe May Have Good Time, Sut She II
Not Thing of Beauty.
Bicycle riding for women may be a
Joy forever, but it is not thing of
beauty. If you're inclined to doubt
this statement, says the New York
Evening Sun, just take stroll up the
ferred. The Sabbath seems to appeal
particularly to the woman bicyclist.
1t isn't alone her much-discussed cos
tune that violates all your accepted
standards of the eternal fitness of
things; the very act and motion of pro-
pellingj the wheel" becomes an extraor-
binary feat when performed by wom-
an. 1t looks neither graceful nor ele-
CANT, and this, too, no matter how
slender and symmetrical of figure she
may be. For that, though, there's no
help. If women must indulge in bicy-
Gle riding, and il an awkward appear
ance is the inevitable penalty, then all
that each individual may for herself
consider is whether the game is worth
the candle. s}ut in the matter of suits
there might surely be some improve
ment. That the becoming and graceful
bicycle costume is yet to be invented is
one of the strongest impressions re-
sulting from boulevard stroll. Now
and then you see costume not conspic-
uously dreadful, but the overwhelming
ma jority recall the artists criticism
upon his pupils latest picture. "That's
not bad" said the artist. ''No; it's not
bod d.
though every style of bicycle suit had
its own peculiar disadvantage. Bloom
ers, of course, entail masculine. not
to speak of feminine, disapproba-
ton. The short skirt is simply in the
way and is little or no protection; the
long skirt gets still more in the way,
especially if it be full, while if scant
it shows off the figure most unfortun-
ately. A long-skirted bodice spreads
out like sail and catches the wind;
short-skirted bodice makes you wish
it were longer. Wheel women, too, diff
fer as to just which stye of suit is best
adapted for riding. One of Philadel-
phia's best bicycIists declares that the
only time she finds her long skirts in
the way is when she dismounts her ma
chine to climb hill. All stout women,
If one may Judge from the spectacle
upon the boulevard, are in favor of
bloomers-and the stouter the woman
the scanter the boomers Some riders
wear their Easter bonnets and new
spring capes when upon the bicycle
just as they would when in a bugcv;I
but aitbouCh they present 4 grateful
contrast TO the bloomered chaperones
of the track, such apparel has a certain
unftness- Not the least interesting
feature of the boulevard show IS the
spectators. They gather thickly upon
the sidewalk and cape for hours at the
rapidly revolving wheels before them.
Most OF the crowd are men, and il is
curious TO watch the expression on
their faces when they catch sight Of
woman bicvelist- This expression IS
always the same, only varying in de-
gree. Boomers bring out It's srperia-
tive qualities Il does not under any
circumstances. however, suggest espe- I
cial respect, reverence or admiration
Tor the woman bicyelist; in fact, it
seems hardly inclined 20 take her SER
ously - al. The sooner that she IS
taken seriously, however both By the
onlookers aad b. herself. the greater
viii be the chance OF al improvement
II her costume