The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-08-23
Ehelrmurraf-S Star
IN BLOOM Frs.
THE ORDEAL AT THE START Is SAID
TO BE TRYING.

New York Sun.
The bicycle mania continues to
spread in every direction among wo-
men. IL is affecting all alike, without
regard to age, station or profession,
and Instead OF the number OF devotees
decreasing as the dog days advance,
il is rapidly increasing. While those
who have bee mc experts discuss I'M
provements in wheels, tires, chains
and other parts Of their wheels, the
beginners are busy settling the ques-
tion Of costume.
MY skirts are in INV way, even if
they are short, and yet | cannot make
up my mind To wear boomers" re-
marked a young hurried womln as
she dismnunted from her fourth lesson
In one OF the academies yesterday.
All of the women except one who heard
the remlrkS wore skirts, as they were
also beginners.
"Oh, | can never wear boomers"
Nor I,""Nor L." exclaimed half n
dozen.
The lone girl in boomers looked at
them with great, sympathetic eyes.
ana then said: Il used to think that,
TOO, but you see I'm wearing them"
"liow does it fccl?:" asked a stout
woman who has taken nine lessons
and is still afraid of the fence.
1T feels very comfortable. but I
must admit that | was astonishcd at
myself the first few times | went out
IN them. First il all, | thought | could
never wear Il short skirt, but when I
came to take my mounting lesson I
found that 1t would take me DAYS to
learn In a long one. so | had it cut off.
told the drcssmaker to let it come
10 u top OF the boot, but she made a
mistake, and it came very little below
the knee. | actually cried when I
Tried 1t on, and vowed that | could
hever 90 out in it. Every night for n
week put that skirt on and walked
around my room, and by and BY | got
used to 1t, and finally wore 1t to the
school, though l wore a long skirt
over 1t through the street. I'll never
forget my feelings when | went into
tne circle for the first time in that rig.
why, l felt as il every person in the
academy was not only looking, but
laughing at me. For two weeks
continued always to wear the long
SKIRT over the short in going IN and
from my lessons, but at the end of
that time felt that it was nonsense
10 punish myself by wearing two heavy
skirts, so dropped the long one. !
lelt very conspicuous when | boarded
a broadway Car, and two women and
man glggled so that | almost wished
the car would get into a collision.
Ihree days later some people IN the
car laughed at my costume. which
was a swell one, and | felt sorry for
them because | knew how narrow.
minded they must he. Still | felt that
could never wear boomers and real.
~ q truly become one of the 'strad.
aling sIsterhood, for l had never mum.
oered myself among the strong-mindcd
women, us | fancied all who wore
boomers were.
Just as ! was beginning to feel
thoroughly at home everywhere in
my snort skirt a friend of mine re-.
turne from Europe. She came at once
70 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 bicycle suit l almost cried
with Joy, and couldn't get the package
open last enough. When | shook the
SUIT out it wds these" and the speaker
pointed to the perfectly fitting gar.
ment that she wore, made of yer,
nne lady's cloth OF a rich mahogany
color.
Wel'' they are just lovely, but |
couldn't wear Them" remarked a Girl
with a bloomer figure.
Yes, you could" insisted the
oioomerlte, "if you would only let
common sense prevail over the con-
'cntlonal ideas regarding dress that
you've been brought up to believe in.
but 10 go on about how it feels To
wear boomers. When | behell these
my eyes almost popped out of my head
ana my jaw dropped. Where's the
sk'rt' asked in "A trembling voice.
SKIRT my friend said, with a shrick
OF laughter, surely you didn't expect
aParlsian cycling costume to have a
SKIRT! Why, l didn't sec a skirt on a
wheel the whole time / was there, and
saw old, dried-up looking women.
VINO must have been on the SHADY side
Oh sixty, out by the score. The women
thcre not only ride in nationals, as
call them but walk about the streets
ana shops In the most snowy bloomcrs
ana knlckers that l ever beheld. III
entur to say that half of them don't
own wheels, but they are simply mac
over this free-and-easy costume, an6
what sensible person can blame them
when one remembers that for year,
woman has been in the bondage OF
puhed sleeves and heavy trailin,
sk'rtsF After her little ermon O,
dress reform thought perhaps l could
20 out IN the suit after dark, and
really The dainty white linen waist
tile Wpll-cut coot AL a.,