The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-10
OVERCOMING MODESrY.

throw her skirts aside and plunge into
boomers and straddle around in them
in full view Of the world has been for
the last three months a perpleXing
question to both men who have worn
pantaloOns for ages, and women who
have never worn them at all.
The gradually REIMBURSEMENT Of
modesty and the feeling Of holiness
which succeeds it in the feminine
mind, has been explained by girl
in New York bicycle school, who said
of her boomers:
1T feels very comfortable. but
must admit that l was astonished at
myself the first few times l went out
in them. First of all thought could
never wear a short skirt, but when
came to take my mounting lesson
found it would take me days to learn
in a long one, so l had it cut off.
told the dressmaker to let it come to
the top Of the boot, but she made a
mistake, and it came very little below
the knee. actually cried when l tried
it on, and vowed that l could never
go out in ii. Every night put that
skirt on and walked around my room,
and by and by l got used TO it, and
finally wore it to the school, though
wore long skirt over it through the
street. I'll never forget my feelings
when went into the circle for the first
time in that rig. Why, l felt as if
every person in the academy was not
only looking but laughing at me. For
two weeks l continued always TO wear
the long skirt over the short skirt in
going TO and from my lessons. but at
the end Of that time l felt that it was
nonsense to punish myself by wearing
two heavy skirts, so dropped the long
one. / felt very conspicuous when |
boarded 4 Broadway car and two
women and Il man giggled So that
almost wished the car would get into
a collision. Three days later some
people in the car laughed at my cos
tune, which was a swell one. and
felt sorry for them, because l knew
how narrow minded they must be
Still l felt that l could never wear
boomers. and really and truly become
one OF the 'Straddling siSterhood.' for
l had never numbered myself among
the strons-minded women. as fancied
all who wore boomers were
Just as l was beginning 10 feel thor
oushly at home everywhere in my
short skirt a friend of mine returned
from Europe. She came to see me,
and. throwing a parcel at me. said:
old girl, I've brought you the latest
thing out in Paris in the way OF a
bicycle suit l almost cried with ioy.
and couldn't get the package open fast
enough. When l shook the suit out il
was these" and the speaker pointed
10 the perfectIitting garment that she
wore, made of very fine lady's cloth
of rich mahogany color.
We'll. they are just lovely, but 1
couldn't wear them" remarked a girl
with bloomer figure.
Yes. you could" insisted the bloom.
erite. If you would only let common
sense prevail over your conventional
ideas regarding dress that you've been
brought up 10 believe IN. But 10 go
on about how il feels TO wear bloom
ers- When l beheld these my eyes
almost popped out of my head and my
jaw dropped Where's the skirt.
/ asked in trembling voice. skirt
my friend said, with shrek Of laugh
ter; surely you didn't expect a Paris
ian cycling costume 10 have q skirt,
Why. L didn't see skirt ON q wheel
the whole tine l was there. and / saw
old dried-up looking women, who must
have been on the shady side CT ca. cut