The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-09

meets than she had and pronounced it a
"jockey get up" She protested and he in
sisted and in the warmth of the debate he
forgot to shield her face from the glare of
the sunshine and she forgot that the
neglected parasol was not doing duty.
There she comes!' she exclaimed as
the vision in red serge and white braid APP
peared again riding tandem and with curl
ing, auburn locks flowing about iaunty
cap.
He's gone again" he remarked, with
emphasis on the pronoun. She pouted
and he assumed an air of condescension,
which was more noticeable after an in
structor from one of the cycleries was ap-
pealed to and gave his verdict that it was a
cracker jack"
''But are there no female cracker jacks"
she inquired, and the instructor tried to
conceal his contempt as he answered |:
Never. There are women scorchers,
but cracker jacks'-never."
OF the wheels at the park yesterday not
more than fourth were women, although
a much larger proportion could have been
seen any day last week. and especially on
Saturday, for Saturday is ladies day" at
the park. 1t is estimated that $50 fair
riders make the run from the park to the
beach every pleasant day. Among those
who are seen almost daily speeding toward
the beach are Miss Walcott, Miss Holmes,
Miss Willard, Miss Helen Young, the act
ress; Miss Gottlieb, sister of the manager
of the Columbia Theater; Miss Davis, Miss
Conrad, Miss Livingston, Mrs. Dinkelspiel,
Mrs. Morse, Miss Paulson, Miss Daven-
port, Miss Helen Frank, Miss Langton,
Miss Boas and the Misses Joseph.
There are two classes of women cyclists
at the park on Sunday, the radicals and
the conservatives. The radicals are those
who not only preach but practice freedom
in manners and dress and they were skim
ming over the sand in utter abandon and
pleasure. They wore boomers, every one
of them. White sweaters, blue serge
boomers, and cap and hose, with a light
blue belt made up q natty costume and
most of the others were notifications of
it. But the one with the most chic was of
dun or dust-colored broadcloth. The full
boomers, so full that the pair of lovers
had q second warm discussion as to
whether they were orthodox boomers or
heterodoX divided skirts, an Oxford jacket,
leggings, shoes and hat that were SO exact
a match as TO suggest that the plum p
wearer must have driven some of the
downtown statesmen to the verge of dis
traction by her demands for "just this
shade"
terday was of the conservative and critical
females. How they longed to mount a
''bike" and overtake their daring sisters,
and how cleverly they concealed that de-
sire. How many suggestions they re-
ceived and treasured as to the cut and
color of boomers, and what fruits of the
days observations will be seen in some
new affectation of pedaling or posture or
costume!
And the stories the cyclery men tell of
fair riders of both classes! How they come
out alone and take three or four lessons,
acquiring fair degree of skill then invite
some envious friend to see them take their
first lesson;" how envious the friend and
how triumphant the gentle deceiver. They
tell of the stout woman who confessed to
800 pounds, but weighed more, and who
has different teacher for each lesson; of
the grandmot of IS summers who made
several attempts to learn, but gave 1t up at
last because her ''legs were weak-like."
They all smile when asked how they
like women pupils as compared with men.
" don't like them at all, said the frank
est of them. They are as cranky as
mules. You teach them till they ride
pretty well, and all at once they II flop off
the bicycle and swear they'll never ride
again, and they don't"
They scream So" said another COM
plainingly. 81 dream at night / hear a
chorus of % catch me. Don't let me go,
in shrill soprano. Most of them want to
be held by the waist for support, but
sometimes you find one who will glare at
you with basilisk eye and remind you of
husband with brass knuckles. Then
there's the stingy woman! She's the
worst of all. She wants her full time for
a lesson and a good deal more. and those